A report on language trends in Northern Ireland has found that the Covid-19 pandemic has severely disrupted language learning in its schools. Some 43 per cent of teachers reported that language teaching was “severely disrupted” by the pandemic. The research found a contrast between language learning at grammar and secondary schools with much more time spent on compulsory language learning at the former. Language learning in Northern Ireland is compulsory for students at Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14), the shortest time for compulsory language learning in any country in the continent of Europe. There are 28 Irish-medium primary schools and seven primary schools with an Irish-medium unit across the North.

Source: The Irish Times June 01, 2021 23:01 UTC