European Union Modern Foreign Languages Erasmus Programme

St. Patrick’s Primary School is very excited to be part of the Galway Education Centre Modern Foreign Languages Consortium. We are one of 13 schools in the consortium taking part in Europass Mobility Activities, during which we travel to other European countries to visit Primary Schools and learn how languages are taught.

Ms. Donoghue went to Ciep Tierno Galván in Cadiz, Spain and undertook an analysis of educational practices in an international setting with a view to St. Patrick’s Primary School introducing a modern European language into the curriculum in senior classes in the future.

This was a great opportunity to reflect on educational methodologies used to teach a second language. This is one of three trips that the school will be involved in, and we hope this experience will enrich future Modern Foreign Language learning through inclusive, multilingual practices. The consortium will equip us with a better understanding and appreciation of teaching modern European languages as part of the new curriculum.

In February, Ms. Clancy had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Estonia through the Erasmus programme, where she visited Puha Johannese Kool, located in the suburbs of Tallinn in a beautiful setting surrounded by trees. During her visit, she experienced Estonia’s education system firsthand and was impressed by how confidently students used foreign languages in real-life situations. It was clear that languages were not just subjects in school, but important tools that help children connect with the wider world.

Language lessons were active, creative, and fun. Students learned through conversations, group projects, games, and exploring different cultures. Ms. Clancy saw how empowering it is for children to communicate successfully in another language and how students at Puha Johannese Kool build this confidence step by step in a supportive environment. She was also impressed by how independent the children were — many travel to school on buses, trains, and trams by themselves. They take great responsibility for their own learning and even write their own school reports up to the age of 12!

There was also a strong focus on wellbeing. Ms. Clancy attended a workshop on “Wellbeing Vitamins,” which included rest, move, feel, eat, and socialise — simple but powerful reminders of how to stay healthy and happy. She noticed that classrooms in Estonia were quite simple, with fewer posters and less furniture than classrooms in Ireland, which was an interesting difference.

The children kindly organised and delivered a tour of Tallinn in both Estonian and English, showing great confidence and pride in their city. The group also experienced the country’s Independence Day celebrations at sunrise in Parliament Square, which was a very special and memorable experience for everyone involved.