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Plurilingual views of children from linguistically diverse backgrounds on learning Irish and attending Irish immersion primary schools

ORCiD logo with link | Dublin City University
 | Dublin City University
 | Maynooth University
 | Dublin City University
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Dublin City University.

Published online: 12 March 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.25011.nid
Abstract
Using plurilingualism as a theoretical framework, this study investigated the experiences and perceptions of children, who spoke home languages other than Irish or English, on learning Irish and being educated in Irish immersion (IM) education. Data were collected from four focus groups (n = 15) and one paired interview (n = 2) with children in five IM primary schools. Findings from this small group of children relayed positive experiences of both learning Irish and IM education. Children shared plurilingual perspectives of language learning, where they viewed Irish as a kind of linguistic capital and all the languages in their repertoire as assets for communication and learning. Use of particular languages was mostly separate across linguistic domains and children had little opportunity to use home languages in school. Children from linguistically diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in IM immersion. The paper prompts consideration of how to support student diversity and plurilingual approaches within immersion programmes.
Achoimre
Baineadh leas as an ilteangachas mar chreat teoiriciúil sa staidéar seo chun iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar eispéiris agus peirspictíochtaí páistí a labhair teangacha baile a bhí éagsúil ón nGaeilge agus ón mBéarla i leith fhoghlaim na Gaeilge agus i leith a gcuid oideachais a fháil sa tumoideachas lán-Ghaeilge (L-G). Bailíodh sonraí ó cheithre ghrúpa fócais (n = 15) agus ó agallamh beirte amháin i gcúig bhunscoil L-G. Léiríonn na torthaí ón ngrúpa beag páistí go raibh taithí dhearfach acu ar fhoghlaim na Gaeilge agus ar an oideachas L-G. Roinn na páistí peirspictíochtaí ilteangacha faoin bhfoghlaim teanga agus léirigh siad an tuairim gur sórt caipiteal teangeolaíoch a bhí sa Ghaeilge agus gur acmhainní cumarsáide agus foghlama a bhí sna teangacha ar fad a bhí ina stóras teanga acu. Coinníodh úsáid teangacha scartha óna chéile thar fhearainn theangeolaíocha den chuid is mó agus ba bheag deis a bhí ag na páistí a dteangacha baile a úsáid ar scoil. Tá gannionadaíocht páistí ó chúlraí éagsúla teanga sa tumoideachas L-G. Spreagann an páipéar údar machnaimh ar conas tacú le héagsúlacht scoláirí agus le cuir chuige ilteangacha i gcláir thumoideachais.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Multilingual students
    • 1.2Irish as a language in Ireland
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Plurilingualism
    • 2.2Immersion education for diverse populations
    • 2.3Outcomes for linguistically diverse students in immersion
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Background of the study
    • 3.2Data gathering
    • 3.3Participant recruitment
    • 3.4Data analysis
  • 4.Findings & discussion
    • 4.1Positive experiences of learning Irish and IM education
    • 4.2Cultural, social and educational capital
    • 4.3Languages as an asset for communication
    • 4.4Languages as an asset for learning
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Declaration of interest statement
  • References
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