Cover not available

Article published In: Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
Vol. 4:1 (2016) ► pp.3–32

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

Using a national dataset to explore sub-groups in Irish immersion education

 | University College Dublin
Published online: 11 March 2016
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.4.1.01str
National longitudinal datasets offer opportunities to explore sub-samples of immersion pupils. Here, the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) dataset is used to examine a sample (n = 569) of 9-year-olds attending Irish immersion schools, comparing immersion pupils whose families speak at least some target language (Irish) at home (n = 264), with those from English-only homes (n = 305), as well as mainstream school pupils from English-only homes (n = 6,704). The groups are compared on SES, home literacy activities, academic achievement, and attitudes both to school and to Irish. Children in Irish immersion are more likely to be in higher SES households with more home literacy activities, and these advantages appear further amplified among households where some Irish is spoken. It was socioeconomic and home literacy variables which significantly predicted scores in English vocabulary and mathematics, rather than home language or school programme. In attitudes, while Irish immersion pupils were somewhat less likely to look forward to school than mainstream pupils, they had much more positive attitudes toward Irish than them.
References (76)
References
Bamford, K.W., & Mizokawa, D.T. (1991). Additive‐bilingual (immersion) education: Cognitive and language development. Language Learning, 41(3), 413–429. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bialystok, E. (1999). Cognitive complexity and attentional control in the bilingual mind. Child Development, 70(3), 636–644. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2002). Acquisition of literacy in bilingual children: A framework for research. Language Learning, 52(1), 159–199. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2006). The impact of bilingualism on language literacy development. In T. Bhatia & W. Ritchie (Eds.), The handbook of bilingualism (pp. 577–601). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2009). Bilingualism: The good, the bad, the indifferent. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 12(1), 3–11. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2010). Global-local and trail-making tasks by monolingual and bilingual children: Beyond inhibition. Developmental Psychology, 46(1), 93–105. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bialystok, E., & Barac, R. (2012). Emerging bilingualism: Dissociating advantages for metalinguistic awareness and executive control. Cognition, 122(1), 67–73. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bialystok, E., Craik, F., Green, D.W., & Golan, T.H. (2009). Bilingual minds. Association for Psychological Science, 10(3), 89–129.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bialystok, E., & Feng, X. (2011). Language proficiency and its implications for monolingual and bilingual children. In A.Y. Durgunoglu & C. Goldenberg (Eds.), Language and literacy development in bilingual settings (pp. 121–138). New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bialystok, E., Luk, G., & Kwan, E. (2005). Bilingualism, biliteracy, and learning to read: Interactions among languages and writing systems. Scientific Studies of Reading, 9(1), 43–61. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Borooah, V., Dineen, D., & Lynch, N. (2009). Language and occupational status: Linguistic elitism in the Irish labour market. The Economic and Social Review, 40(4), 435–460.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bradley, R. (2002). Environment and parenting. In M. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting (2nd ed.) (pp. 281–314). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Brozo, W.G., Shiel, G., & Topping, K. (2007). Engagement in reading: Lessons learned from three PISA countries. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51(4), 304–315. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bruck, M., & Genesee, F. (1995). Phonological awareness in young second language learners. Journal of Child Language, 22(2), 307–324. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cenoz, J. (2015). Content-based instruction and content and language integrated learning: The same or different? Language, Culture and Curriculum, 28(1), 8–24. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cenoz, J., Genesee, F., & Gorter, D. (2014). Critical analysis of CLIL: Taking stock and looking forward. Applied Linguistics, 35(3), 243–262. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Central Statistics Office. (2011). Census 2011. This is Ireland (Part 1). Retrieved from [URL].Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cobo-Lewis, A.B., Eilers, R.E., Pearson, B.Z., & Umbel, V.C. (2002). Interdependence of Spanish and English knowledge in language and literacy among bilingual children. In D.K. Oller & R.E. Eilers (Eds.), Language and literacy in bilingual children (pp. 118–134). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Costa, A., Hernández, M., & Sebastián-Gallés, N. (2008). Bilingualism aids conflict resolution: Evidence from the ANT task. Cognition, 106(1), 59–86. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cummins, J. (1977). Immersion education in Ireland: A critical review of MacNamara’s findings. Working Papers in Bilingualism, 131.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2010). ‘When can you ask why?’ Exploring language policy choices in Ireland, past, present and future. Invited lecture, University College Dublin, 21 January 2010.
Department of Education and Skills. (2015). Annual Statistical Report 2014–15. Online report available from [URL].
Edwards, V., & Newcombe, L.P. (2005). When school is not enough: New initiatives in intergenerational language transmission in Wales. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 8(4), 298–312. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eivers, E., Close, S., Shiel, G., Millar, D., Clerkin, A., Gilleece, L., & Kiniry, J. (2010). The 2009 national assessments of mathematics and English reading. Dublin: Educational Research Centre.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fishman, J. (1991). Reversing language shift: Theoretical and empirical foundations of assistance to threatened languages (Vol. 761). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fortune, T.W., & Tedick, D.J. (2008). One-way, two-way and indigenous immersion: A call for cross-fertilization. In T.W. Fortune & D.J. Tedick (Eds.), Pathways to multilingualism: Evolving perspectives on immersion education (pp. 3–21). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fredman, M., & Centeno, J.G. (2006). Recommendations for working with bilingual children. Prepared by the Multilingual Affairs Committee of IALP. In 6th European CPLOL Congress. Berlin. Online document retrieved from [URL].
Gaelscoileanna. (2014). Statistics. Retrieved from [URL].
Gallagher, F., & Leahy, A. (2014). The feel good factor: Comparing immersion by design and immersion by default models. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 27(1), 58–71. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gathercole, V.M., & Thomas, E.M. (2005). Minority language survival: Input factors influencing the acquisition of Welsh. In J. Cohen, K.T. McAlister, K. Rolstad, & J. MacSwan, (Eds.), ISB4: Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism (pp. 852–874). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gathercole, V.M., Thomas, E.M., & Hughes, E. (2008). Designing a normed receptive vocabulary test for bilingual populations: A model from Welsh. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 11(6), 678–720. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gathercole, V.M., & Thomas, E.M. (2009). Bilingual first language development: Dominant language take-over, threatened minority language take-up. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 12(2), 213–238. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gathercole, V.M., Kennedy, I. & Thomas, E.M. (2015). Socioeconomic level and bilinguals’ performance on language & cognitive measures. Bilingualism: Language & Cognition. Published online 6 Aug 2015. 10.1017/S1366728915000504Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Genesee, F., & Lindholm-Leary, K. (2013). Two case studies of content-based language education. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 1(1), 3–33. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gilleece, L., Shiel, G., Clerkin, A., & Millar, D. (2012). Measúnachtaí Náisiúnta 2010 ar léitheoireacht Bhéarla agus ar mhatamaitic i scoileanna a bhíonn ag teagasc trí mheán na Gaeilge. Príomhthuarascáil. [The 2010 National Assessments of English reading and mathematics in Irish-medium schools. Main report]. Baile Átha Cliath: An Foras Taighde ar Oideachas.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Goetz, P.J. (2003). The effects of bilingualism on theory of mind development. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 6(1), 1–15. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Government of Ireland. (2010). 20-year strategy for the Irish language 2010–2030. Dublin: The Stationery Office.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Harris, J. (2005). The role of ordinary primary schools in the maintenance and revival of Irish. In J. Cohen, K.T. McAlister, K. Rolstad, & J. MacSwan (Eds.), Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism (pp. 964–977). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Harris, J., & Murtagh, L. (1988). National assessment of Irish-language speaking and listening skills in primary-school children: Research issues in the evaluation of school-based heritage-language programmes. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 1(2), 85–130. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (1999). Teaching and learning Irish in primary school. Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Harris, J., Forde, P., Archer, P., Nic Fhearaile, S., & O’Gorman, M. (2006). Irish in primary schools: Long-term national trends in achievement. Dublin: Stationery Office.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hickey, T. (1997). Early immersion education in Ireland. Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann/ Linguistics Institute of Ireland . Retreived from: [URL].
. (1999). Parents and early immersion: Reciprocity between home and immersion pre-school. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2(2), 94–113. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2001). Mixing beginners and native speakers in Irish immersion: Who is immersing whom? Canadian Modern Language Review, 57(3), 443–474. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2008). Indigenous language immersion: The challenge of meeting the needs of L1 and L2 speakers in Irish-medium preschools. In C. Kenner & T.M. Hickey (Eds.), Multilingual Europe: Diversity and learning (pp. 137–141). Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hickey, T., & Stenson, N. (2011). Irish orthography: What do teachers and learners need to know about it, and why? Language, Culture and Curriculum, 24(1), 23–46. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2016). The sociolinguistics of Irish language acquisition: The role of L2 reading. In R. Hickey (Ed.), Sociolinguistics in Ireland (pp. 269–298). Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hoff, E. (2003). The specificity of environmental influence: Socioeconomic status affects early vocabulary development via maternal speech. Child Development, 74(5), 1368–1378. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Johnstone, R. (2001). Immersion in a second or additional language at school: Evidence from international research. Report for the Scottish Executive Education Department. University of Stirling: Scottish CILT. Retrieved from [URL].Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kavanagh, L., & Hickey, T. (2013). ‘You’re looking at this different language and it freezes you out straight away’: Identifying challenges to parental involvement among immersion parents. Language & Education, 27(5), 432–450. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
King, K., & Wright Fogle, L. (2013). Family language policy and bilingual parenting. Language Teaching, 46(2), 172–194. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
MacNamara, J. (1966). Bilingualism and primary education: A study of Irish experience. Edinburgh: University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
McCoy, S., Quail, A., & Smyth, E. (2012). Growing up in Ireland: Influences on 9-year-olds’ learning: Home, school, and community. Dublin: Office of Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Melhuish, E.C., Phan, M.B., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2008). Effects of home learning environment and preschool center experience upon literacy and numeracy development in early primary school. Journal of Social Issues, 64(1), 95–114. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Moseley, C. (Ed.). (2010). Atlas of the world’s languages in danger (3rd ed.). Paris: UNESCO Publishing.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Murray, A., McCrory, C., Thornton, M., Williams, J., Quail, A., Swords, L., & Harris, E. (2011). Growing up in Ireland design, instrumentation, and procedures for the child cohort. Dublin: Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Department of Health and Children.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ní Ríordáin, M., & O’Donoghue, J. (2009). The relationship between performance on mathematical word problems and language proficiency for students learning through the medium of Irish. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 71(1), 43–64. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nic Fhlannchadha, S, & Hickey, T.M. (2016). Minority language ownership and authority: Perspectives of native speakers and new speakers. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Published online 12 January 2016 at. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ó hIfearnáin, T., & Ó Murchadha, N.P. (2011). The perception of Standard Irish as a prestige target variety. In T. Kristiansen & N. Coupland (Eds), Standard languages and language standards in a changing Europe (pp. 97–104). Oslo: Novus.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ó Laoire, M. (2005). The language planning situation in Ireland. Current Issues in Language Planning, 6(3), 251–314. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ó Laoire, M., & Harris, J. (2006). Language and literacy in Irish-medium primary schools: Review of literature. Dublin: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ó Riagáin, P., & Ó Gliasáin, M. (1979). All Irish primary schools in the Dublin area. Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaiochta Eireann.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oller, D.K., & Eilers, R.E. (Eds.). (2002). Language and literacy in bilingual children. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Oller, K., Pearson, B., & Cobo-Lewis, A. (2007). Profile effects in early bilingual language and literacy. Applied Psycholinguistics, 281, 191–230. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
O’Toole, C., & Hickey, T. (2013). Assessing and diagnosing language impairment in bilingual children: A minority language study. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 29(1), 91–109. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Parsons, C.E., & Lyddy, F. (2009). Early reading strategies in Irish and English: Evidence from error types. Reading in a Foreign Language, 21(1), 22–36.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pearson, B., Fernández, S., Lewedeg, V., & Oller, K. (1997). The relation of input factors to lexical learning by bilingual infants. Applied Psycholinguistics, 181, 41–58. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Roberts, J., Jurgens, J., & Burchinal, M. (2005). The role of home literacy practices in preschool children’s language and emergent literacy skills. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 481, 345–359. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ruiz de Zarobe, Y., & Cenoz, J. (2015). Way forward in the twenty-first century in content-based instruction: Moving towards integration. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 28(1), 90–99. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Scheffer Hammer, C., Lawrence, F.R., & Miccio, A.W. (2008). Exposure to English before and after entry into Head Start: Bilingual children’s receptive language growth in Spanish and English. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 111, 30–56. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tedick, D.J., & Wesely, P.M. (2015). A review of research on content-based foreign/second language education in US K–12 contexts. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 28(1), 25–40. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Twist, L., Gnaldi, M., Schagen, I., & Morrison, J. (2004). Good readers but at a cost? Attitudes to reading in England. Journal of Research in Reading, 271, 387–400. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wei, L. (2000). The bilingualism reader. Abingdon: Psychology Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Williams, J., Greene, S., Doyle, E., Harris, E., Layte, R., McCoy, S., & Thornton, M. (2009). Growing up in Ireland. The lives of 9-year-olds. Report 1. Dublin: Office for the Minister for Children.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (5)

Cited by five other publications

Ní Dhiorbháin, Aisling, Sinéad Nic Aindriú, Lorraine Connaughton-Crean & Pádraig Ó Duibhir
2024. It’s more the invisible benefits – multilingual parents’ experiences of immersion education and their reasons for choosing immersion. Language and Education 38:5 ► pp. 746 ff. DOI logo
Ruiz-Cecilia, Raúl, Leopoldo Medina-Sánchez & Antonio-Manuel Rodríguez-García
2023. Teaching and Learning of Mathematics through CLIL, CBI, or EMI—A Systematic Literature Review. Mathematics 11:6 ► pp. 1347 ff. DOI logo
Markey, Michael
2022. Learning a foreign language in immersion and second language acquisition contexts – students’ multilingual experiences with French in Ireland. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education 10:1 ► pp. 33 ff. DOI logo
O’Toole, Ciara & Tina M. Hickey
2017. Bilingual language acquisition in a minority context: using the Irish–English Communicative Development Inventory to track acquisition of an endangered language. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 20:2 ► pp. 146 ff. DOI logo
Nig Uidhir, Gabrielle, Seán Ó Cathalláin & Pádraig Ó Duibhir
2016. Tuismitheoirí ina ngníomhairí in earnáil an Ghaeloideachais. COMHARTaighde :2 DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 13 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue