An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)
Bunaíodh COGG in 2002, COGG is an aegis body under the Department of Education.
COGG’s remit includes: provision of textbooks, resources and services through Irish, funding and facilitation of research on all related matters and provision of advice and information to the Minister for Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on Irish medium education and the teaching of Irish.
While COGG has achieved much success over the past twenty years in providing textbooks, resources and services for schools in addition to facilitating the provision of a considerable corpus of research on Irish medium education and the teaching of Irish, we will concentrate for the purposes of this article on some specific projects currently in development.
Tairseach COGG
This online digital platform is dedicated to the provision of multi-modal resources for teaching through Irish and the teaching of Irish at primary and post-primary levels. Resources are created by teachers for teachers. Over 2,500 resources are currently available on the platform. It is hoped to significantly increase the breath, range and number of resources across all subject areas in coming years.
Acmhainn chuimsitheach, chruthaitheach agus nuálach í Tairseach COGG. Cuirfear le líon na n-acmhainní de réir a chéile agus déanfar athbhreithniú rialta ar an tsoláthar atá uirthi.
Club Leabhar COGG
In 2023, COGG facilitated the establishment of reading clubs in over 20 primary and post-primary schools on a pilot basis. The aim was to encourage and support reading in Irish for enjoyment and also to support the acquisition of Irish for learners and native speakers to extend and enrich their linguistic skills.
Researchers from Mary Immaculate College of Education carried out research on the reading clubs in 2024 – research which is published on COGG’s website. The research highlights the effectiveness of the clubs in fostering interest in reading books in Irish. Over 50 schools are now involved in the scheme with a waiting list for 2025.
Is iomaí taca a chuirtear ar fáil do scoileanna atá rannpháirteach lena n-áirítear sraith leabhar i seánraí éagsúla, leabhair ghníomhaíochta, cuairteanna scoile ó údair na saothar mar aon le deontas chun dreasachtaí beaga a chur i bhfeidhm i riaradh na gClubanna Leabhar i scoileanna. Anuas air sin, cuirtear acmhainní breise tacaíochta (bileoga oibre, gluais agus póstaeir) ar fáil ar ardán thiomnaithe na heagraíochta, Tairseach COGG.
STEM: A haon, a dó, Spraoi
This project is a partnership between COGG, Lorraine Harbison (DCU) and Fighting Words. The focus is on teaching mathematics through stories in order to situate mathematics in real life situations. In the new Primary mathematics curriculum (Department of Education, 2023) there is a focus on playful methodologies as well as encouraging conversations about Mathematics, challenging cognitive tasks and formative assessment.
Is é aidhm an togra seo ná go rachadh na daltaí i dtaithí ar scéalta matamatice a chumadh le béim ar an gcruthaitheacht, ar an tsamhlaíocht agus ar an spraoi.
Sraith físeán
In co-operation with the Amber Institute in Trinity College, COGG has produced a series of videos highlighting, for children in senior classes in primary school, the various careers associated with STEM.
Career opportunities with Irish and through Irish
Being able to speak Irish as well as English and other languages opens many doors for students and young people, both at home and abroad. To illustrate the many advantages having Irish confers on students and young people embarking on college courses or careers, COGG has developed an attractive and highly informative resource for guidance counsellors, Irish teachers and students.
Ní hamháin go dtugtar léargas cuimsitheach ar ghairmeacha éagsúla le Gaeilge san acmhainn seo ach roinntear sonraí luachmhara freisin faoin iliomad cúrsaí tríú leibhéil, deiseanna breisoideachais, printísigh, sparánachtaí, scoláireachtaí, deontais agus scéimeanna cónaithe.
Immersion education: The benefits supported by research
Over the past 20 years, COGG has funded a considerable corpus of research in conjunction with many other third level institutions and researchers. In order to make this research more accessible for teachers and parents, Claire Dunne from Marino Insitute of Education has carried out a comprehensive analysis of the research leading to the publication of a guide for schools and parents as well as the more complete analysis.
Tá obair shuntasach idir lámha ag COGG freisin i réimse riachtanais speisialta oideachais ag an mbunleibhéal agus ag an dara leibhéal.
Upskilling Irish language skills for primary teachers in schools teaching through English
During 2023, COGG and Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) collaborated to provide an Irish course in almost every education centre. The course designed by COGG focused on encouraging and supporting teachers to engage with the myriads of resources available, to explore innovative ways to teach Irish and engage pupils, and the effective use of technology for language learning. All 330 attending teachers received a resource pack to return for use in their schools.
Bailíodh aiseolas ó na múinteoirí agus léiríodh go raibh taithí thar a bheith dearfach acu. Thuairiscíodar níos mó muiníne i labhairt na Gaeilge, an luach a bhaineann le Gaeilge neamhfhoirmiúil a chur chun cinn ar fud na scoile agus feasacht ar na hacmhainní atá ar fáil do mhúineadh na Gaeilge.
W: www.cogg.ie
W: www.tairseachcogg.ie
