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FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS returning to school this month will see a new wellbeing programme included in the curriculum as part of efforts to enhance students’ mental and physical health within the Junior Cycle.
The programme will “enable students to build life skills and develop a strong sense of connectedness to their school and to their community”, the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, said today.
Bruton was speaking at the launch the of the new Junior Cycle specifications for Irish, modern European languages and Visual Art, stating that a focus of the new programme is on “the student’s quality of life, wellbeing and mental health”.
Languages
The new specifications for the Irish language place a focus on spoken language skills, which will now be formally assessed. This will be done through classroom-based assessments, which schools will report to parents at the end of the third year of the Junior Cycle.
Until now, the oral language test was optional as part of the old Junior Certificate examination.
“The introduction of new specifications for Junior Cycle Irish represents a significant change from existing approaches to the teaching, learning and assessment of Irish at junior cycle level,” a statement from the Department of Education and Skills said.
A focus on oral skills will also be introduced for modern European languages, including French, German, Spanish and Italian. The role that technology plays in the teaching and learning of foreign languages will also be explored.
Bruton said that the government hoped to see more students study foreign languages, and to speak these languages with greater competency.
A central part of being the best is our ability to support our students with the skills to be global citizens, to understand other cultures and societies, as well as the skills to function and thrive in the modern economy. The study of modern foreign languages enables students to develop these skills and their enjoyment of these languages.
Bruton also highlighted how Visual Art can help students’ develop, by giving them responsibility for a specific task at the same time as allowing them to exercise creative freedom. Visual Art is the new title for what was called Art, Craft and Design and involves practical work: from creating an artwork to running an event.
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If your constantly seeing these lights, your driving a Volkswagen
@The Dons: haha! Absolutely…the greatest trick VW ever pulled was convincing the world the Golf is a good car. (Unfortunately, I bought one)
@Yzo Sirrius: never had an issue with a VW (golf) or a Fiat for that matter.
@Yzo Sirrius: I had a golf too but the passat was hands down the worse thing Ive ever bought. Not just car, but thing!
Quiz: How well do you really know your dashboard warning lights? FOUNDATION LEVEL, suitable for shildren or those with cognitavie issues.
Pretty standard if the you drive a car and don’t pass this you are not fit to drive.
#8. ABS issue and 230kph.
9 out of 10…missed the 1st one..didn’t concentrate…
Not too bad..
Good quiz..
10. But I would say the the pressure light is tell you there is a ‘change’ in pressure, up or down, not necessarily low pressure. Just saying.
@Daniel Hatton: just so I know next time, what would make the pressure go up?
@worldpeace: To answer your question If the oil pressure relief valve fails, not changing your oil before or on time, old oil that’s done its job of collecting the carbon and small particles can block up the small passages that oil usually flows through causing pressure of the oil trying to force its way through.
@brendan H: it is the pressure from the tyres not the oil.
@worldpeace: A human putting too much air in ??
A lot of people don’t even know where the indicators are.
@Hans Vos: Even more people can’t use them correctly.
They wont indicate when changing lane
but when they can only turn left for example they turn on the left indicator.
have your say