UL event spotlights importance of language coaching to meet demand for ‘rapid upskilling’

A Community of Practice for Language Coaches who support language learning and language use, and the Irish language in particular, in workplace, educational and community settings has been established by University of Limerick experts. 

A special interest group - comprising UL academics, Dr. Deirdre Ní Loingsigh and Dr. Catherine Martin, participants from three UL language coaching micro-credential cohorts since 2024, and key Irish language stakeholders – held its first meeting at a dedicated one-day event on UL campus. The event aimed to explore the potential of language coaching, the supports required to sustain and embed the practice effectively, and the mechanisms through which its impact can be measured and evidenced.  

The event and establishment of a community of practice  is especially pertinent considering the reference to language coaching in the recently published Government Action Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2026-2028. Under Theme 4 of the Plan, public bodies will assign at least one staff member as a ‘language coach’, who will be provided with training for such a role through an accredited course. 

UL is currently the only third-level institution in Ireland to provide a dedicated language coaching micro-credential, and participation from professionals across Ireland right through to Canada, Wales, Italy and Belgium highlights international interest in the initiative also. 

Dr Deirdre Ní Loingsigh, Stiúrthóir na Gaeilge and Associate Professor in UL’s School of English, Irish, and Communication and the Centre for Applied Language Studies, noted that one of the main outcomes of the event was the gathering of participants from three different cohorts of UL’s Language Coaching in the Workplace micro-credential, and a broad range of settings, to share how they have been applying their coaching skills, and building on these in various professional and community contexts. 

“While many of the participants on the day are working in supporting the learning and use of Irish, we had examples of language support for English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) in Italy, Welsh in Wales, French in Canada, as well as Irish in the community, public sector and higher education settings, in Ireland,” said Dr Ní Loingsigh. 

The event also provided an opportunity for engagement with external stakeholders, with input and suggestions from Foras na Gaeilge and Údarás na Gaeltachta  greatly enriching the discussion on the future potential, supports, and measurable impact of language coaching in Ireland.  

The ongoing promotion of language coaching by Údarás na Gaeltachta since 2024, and funding of 11 participants in the 2026 MicroCred endorses interest in establishing the practice in community and business settings. Commenting on the event Siubhán Nic Grianna, Language Planning Manager, Údarás na Gaeltachta said: “As an organisation whose overall objective is to ensure that Irish remains the main communal language of the Gaeltacht, we are delighted to be in a position to support and upskill Gaeltacht participants, and specifically those working in the Gaeltacht, in the theory and practice of language coaching.” 

The financial support from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) through the Human Capital Initiative (UL@Work), and Special Provision for the Support of the Irish Language (2025) for the CPD event is acknowledged.  

Commenting on the Inaugural Community of Practice Meeting, of Language Coaches, Dr. Sarah Brady, UL MicroCreds Project Lead said, “micro-credentials demonstrate UL’s approach to enable rapid upskilling and reskilling, through targeted, accredited education that is accessible, agile and aligned with workforce transformation.”  

An important outcome of the event, which coincided with Research Week 2026 at UL, is the strengthened international research and practice collaboration with the Official Languages Centre of Excellence, Government of Canada through the participation of Louise Varagnolo as guest workshop facilitator. 

Dr Ní Loingsigh explained: “There are many synergies between the official languages contexts in Ireland and Canada, and much interest in how language coaching might be operationalised as a new layer of language support, or a new intervention in the organisational or institutional setting.” 

After a follow-up Think-Tank earlier this month, UL academics leading the Community of Practice are looking forward to further consultation with Irish language stakeholders, drawing further attention to the scope of language coaching to support ESOL in Ireland, and developing new links established with the Centre for Implementation Research at UL (CIRcUL). 

Tá pobal cleachtais nua do chóitseálaithe teanga a bhíonn ag tacú le foghlaim agus le húsáid teangacha, agus leis an nGaeilge ach go háirithe, bunaithe ag saineolaithe Ollscoil Luimnigh (OL). Is spéis leo iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar conas an cur chuige tacaíochta seo a úsáid chun teangacha a chur chun cinn san ionad oibre, san earnáil oideachais agus i suíomhanna pobail. 

Tháinig grúpa sainspéise - ina bhfuil baill foirne acadúla OL, an Dr Deirdre Ní Loingsigh agus an Dr Catherine Martin, rannpháirtithe ó thrí ghrúpa den chúrsa mhicridhintiúr Cóitseála Teanga OL ón mbliain 2024 i leith, chomh maith le príomhpháirtithe leasmhara Gaeilge - le chéile do chruinniú tionscnaimh ag ócáid ar leith ar champas OL. Bhí sé mar aidhm ag an imeacht plé a dhéanamh ar fhéidearthachtaí na cóitseála teanga, ar na tacaíochtaí atá riachtanach chun an cleachtas a chothú agus a leabú go héifeachtach sa phobal nó sa chomhthéacs eagraíochtúil, agus ar na meicníochtaí lenar féidir tionchar na cóitseála a thomhais. 

Tá tábhacht ar leith leis an bpobal cleachtais seo i bhfianaise na tagartha don chóitseáil teanga i bPlean Gníomhaíochta um Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge 2026-2028, a foilsíodh le déanaí. De réir Téama 4 den Phlean, beidh ball foirne amháin ar a laghad ag obair mar ‘chóitseálaí teanga’ i gcomhlacht poiblí agus cuirfear oiliúint don ról ar fáil trí chúrsa creidiúnaithe a sholáthar. 

Is í Ollscoil Luimnigh an t-aon institiúid tríú leibhéal in Éirinn a chuireann cúrsa sa Chóitseáil Teanga ar fáil faoi láthair. Léiríonn rannpháirtíocht fhoghlaimeoirí gairmiúla ó áiteanna mar Cheanada, an Bhreatain Bheag, an Iodáil agus an Bheilg chomh maith le hÉirinn, go bhfuil spéis idirnáisiúnta sa tionscnamh seo. 

Dúirt an Dr Deirdre Ní Loingsigh, Stiúrthóir na Gaeilge agus Ollamh Comhlach, Scoil na Gaeilge, an Bhéarla agus na Cumarsáide in Ollscoil Luimnigh gur cheann de phríomhthorthaí na hócáide ná rannpháirtithe ó thrí rang éagsúla den chúrsa micridhintiúr, agus ó réimse leathan suíomhanna gairmiúla agus pobail, a thabhairt le chéile chun an tslí a bhfuil a gcuid eolais agus scileanna cóitseála á gcur i bhfeidhm agus á dtreisiú acu, a phlé agus a roinnt.  

“Cé go bhfuil go leor de na rannpháirtithe imeachta ag obair chun tacú le foghlaim agus le húsáid na Gaeilge, bhí samplaí againn de thacaíochtaí don Bhéarla mar dhara teanga nó mar theanga bhreise (ESOL) san Iodáil, don Bhreatnais sa Bhreatain Bheag, don Fhraincis i gCeanada, chomh maith le tacaíochtaí don Ghaeilge sa phobal, san earnáil phoiblí agus i suíomhanna ardoideachais, in Éirinn,” a dúirt an Dr Ní Loingsigh. 

Cuireadh deis rannpháirtíochta le páirtithe leasmhara seachtracha ar fáil ar an lá chomh maith. Chuir ionchur agus moltaí ó Fhoras na Gaeilge agus ó Údarás na Gaeltachta go mór leis an bplé ar acmhainneacht na cóitseála teanga, ar na tacaíochtaí atá ag teastáil, agus ar an tionchar intomhaiste a d’fhéadfadh a bheith aici amach anseo in Éirinn. 

Léiríonn tacaíocht leanúnach Údarás na Gaeltachta ó 2024 don chóitseáil chomh maith lena gcuid maoinithe do 11 rannpháirtí i gcúrsa 2026, an spéis láidir atá ann an cleachtas seo a bhunú i suíomhanna pobail agus gnó araon. Ag labhairt di mar gheall ar an teacht le chéile don phobal cleachtais, dúirt Siubhán Nic Grianna, Ceannasaí Pleanála Teanga "Mar eagraíocht arb é a príomhchuspóir a chinntiú go maireann an Ghaeilge mar theanga phobail sa Ghaeltacht, tá lúcháir orainn a bheith in ann tacú le rannpháirtithe Gaeltachta a gcuid scileanna i dteoiricí agus i gcleachtas an chóitseála teanga a fhorbairt, go háirithe iad siúd atá ag obair sa Ghaeltacht."   

Aithnítear an tacaíocht airgeadais ó An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas a cuireadh ar fáil trí Fhóirdheontas na dTáillí MicriDhintiúr d'Foghlaimeoirí, HCI (UL@Work), Staidéar Iarchéime & Gairmiúil, agus tríd an Scéim Soláthar Speisialta don Ghaeilge 2025 don imeacht seo chomh maith.  

Ag tagairt di don ócáid, dúirt Dr. Sarah Brady, Ceannaire Tionscadail MicroCreds, OL an méid seo a leanas: “Léiríonn micridhintiúir cur chuige Ollscoil Luimnigh chun uas-sciliú agus athoiliúint tapaidh a chumasú, trí oideachas spriocdhírithe, creidiúnaithe atá inrochtana, solúbtha agus ailínithe leis na hathruithe reatha sa lucht saothair”   

Toradh suntasach ar an imeacht seo a bhí ar siúl le linn Sheachtain an Taighde ar an gcampas, is ea an chomhpháirtíocht idirnáisiúnta taighde agus cleachtais leis An Lárionad Barr Feabhais um Theangacha Oifigiúla i Rialtas Cheanada trí rannpháirtíocht Louise Varagnolo mar áisitheoir aoicheardlann.  

Mhínigh an Dr Ní Loingsigh: “Tá go leor cosúlachtaí idir comhthéacsanna na dteangacha oifigiúla in Éirinn agus i gCeanada, agus is mór an spéis atá ann sa tslí gur féidir an chóitseáil teanga a chur i bhfeidhm mar shraith nua tacaíochta teanga, nó mar idirghabháil nua, sa suíomh eagraíochtúil nó institiúideach.” 

Tar éis dóibh Meitheal Machnaimh iar-imeachta a eagrú, tá baill foirne acadúla na hOllscoile, ceannairí an Phobail Chleachtais ag tnúth lena thuilleadh plé a dhéanamh le páirtithe leasmhara na Gaeilge, le haird bhreise a tharraingt ar fhéidearthachtaí na cóitseála teanga chun tacú le ESOL in Éirinn, agus le naisc a fhorbairt leis an Lárionad Taighde Chur chun Feidhme in Ollscoil Luimnigh (CIRcUL).