Department of Education and Skills Accessing Intercultural Materials (AIM) Information Repository - Resources for Educators

Key resources-
1. Síolta- the National Quality Framework for early Childhood education (Síolta)
2. “Primary school assessment kit” (Assessment Kit)
3. “Intercultural education in the primary school” (Primary)
4. “English as an additional language: Guidelines for Teachers” (for all primary teachers) (EAL)
5. “Up and Away; a resource book for language support in primary schools” (Up and Away)
6. “Toolkit for diversity in the primary school” (Toolkit)
7. “Post- primary school assessment kit” (Assessment kit)
8. “Intercultural education in the post- primary school” (Post-primary)
9. “Integrating non-English speaking students into the school and curriculum” (for all post- primary teachers) (Handbook)
10. “A resource book for language support in post- primary schools” (Resource book)




Amnesty International- Amnesty

Amnesty’s website contains resources for teachers and young people, to help with issues such as tackling racism. Materials are available for both primary and post- primary levels.

Bilingual Forum Ireland- Bilingualforum

Bilingual Forum Ireland raises awareness on bilingual issues among teachers working with bilingual children and parents who raise children with two or more languages. It offers free workshops for parents and educators tailored to people’s needs.

Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)- CCMS- Diversity

The CCMS is the patron body for a number of Catholic schools throughout the country. In recognition of the increased diversity of students, it has developed a ‘Welcome Pack’ for newcomers. It is available in English, Polish, Lithuanian, Portuguese and Filipino, and there are separate packs for both parents and schools.


Council of Europe’s “Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters”-Autobiography

This resource is a personal document encouraging users to think about intercultural encounters which have made a long- lasting impression on them. There are separate versions available for younger and older students, and a facilitator’s handbook with guidelines is available.

Department of Education and Skills (DES)-Education

The DES website contains a listing of official Department circulars and memos relating to the provision of Departmental support for schools. For example, Circular 0015/09 sets out the criteria for schools applying for language support in the academic year 2009/2010. Together with the latest Departmental news and publications, these items can all be downloaded.

Development and Intercultural Education Project- DICE

DICE works to explore global and social justice perspectives within primary education in Ireland. It operates in partnerships with all five colleges of education in Ireland, Irish Aid and a number of key NGOs. The website contains policy and strategy documents, as well as teaching materials such as “Pathways for Teaching the Millennium Development Goals”.

EdChange’s Multicultural Pavilion- Edchange

This website offers a range of resources on the general topic of multiculturalism. It can be used by anyone with an interest in this subject, but will be of particular use for teachers. The resources include essays, articles, research projects and handouts for teachers.

Education Support for Northern Ireland- Education Support

This service provides support and advice for teachers working with parents and pupils for whom English is a second language. The service works with the Inclusion and Diversity Service (IDS) to provide resources such as standard school letter templates in a number of languages (available on the website), and a link to the Toolkit for Diversity- a North-South joint primary school resource, designed to assist schools to create a welcoming environment for newcomer pupils. Full information on the IDS is available through the Education Support website.

Ethnic Minority Attainment- EMA

This is a UK-based website which provides teaching and learning resources. These focus on children and young people with English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic backgrounds.

European Studies Programme- European Studies

This is a post-primary curriculum based programme linking schools in Ireland with schools across Europe to improve tolerance, mutual understanding and appreciation of the cultures of others. There are currently more than 300 schools in 25 European Countries involved in the programme. The website also contains links to classroom resources.

Festival Shop- Festival shop

This shop stocks an extensive range of multifaith, multicultural and citizenship materials, as well as other resources from around the world, which may be useful for both primary and post-primary schools.

Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)- Ceim

The GAA operates the Ceim as Aghaidh project, which uses Gaelic games to support learning in a wide range of subjects at primary level. Resources are available in a variety of media, and further details can be found on the website. Part of the Programme is the dual language resource book “The World of Gaelic Games”, which was sent to all schools in 2008.

Irish Aid-Irish Aid

This is a government agency, in the Department of Foreign Affairs. The website contains a range of information on development education, and a link to the storybook, “One world, our world”, which can be used to explore life in different countries across the world.

Joint Managerial Body (JMB)- JMB

The JMB is the representative organisation of the Boards of Management of over 400 voluntary secondary schools in Ireland. It has produced “Intercultural Education Guidelines for Schools” and "Guidelines for Students of Other Faiths", to assist all teachers in post-primary schools.


Languages-ict.org-Languages ICT

This UK website provides information and guidance for teachers of languages on using information and communications technology in the classroom. It was developed by CILT (the UK National Centre for Languages) and ALL (the UK Association for Language Learning).

Language of the Month Programme- Newburypark

This website is run by Newbury Park Primary School, in England and offers a variety of resources to assist in the teaching of languages. These include interactive facilities and downloads of children speaking in their native languages.

National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA)- NALA

NALA is concerned with developing policy, advocacy, research and offering advisory services in adult literacy. It has produced resources for tutors, focussing on ESOL learners of all levels, so that teachers may teach the same theme in a mixed-level class. The programmes provide opportunities for using listening, speaking, reading and writing and building vocabulary. As mixed literacy levels are taken into account, a number of exercises require very little written ability, focusing on pictorial prompts and speaking. In addition, some exercises may be appropriate for learners with some spoken English, but low literacy levels.

These are available here:

The Big Picture
The Big Picture 2


National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum- NALDIC

This is a UK association, and so the website is primarily aimed at EAL teaching in the UK. However, the resources and publications on the website should be useful for those working with EAL students in Ireland.

National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE)- NCTE

The NCTE was established to provide advice, support and information on the use of ICT in education. The website contains information regarding courses in ICT, online video exemplars on ICT practice in classrooms, as well as other related matters. It also supplies listings of all the education centres throughout the country, together with their contact details.

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)- NCCA

The “NCCA” section of the NCCA website also contains intercultural guidelines for schools, guidelines for teaching ESOL at second level, and hosts the former IILT materials. It also contains guidelines to support mainstream primary school teachers in whole school and classroom planning to meet the needs of the children concerned, as well as guidelines for post-primary schools, targeted at both language support and mainstream teachers, to help them to create an inclusive school environment. The “action” section of the website provides online support for teaching and learning. It focuses on ‘showing’, rather than ‘telling’, the features of effective teaching and learning in different settings, and features a specific module on EAL.

National Digital Learning Repository (NDLR)- NDLR

The NDLR is a HEA funded pilot project between all Irish Universities, Institutes of Technology and affiliated colleges. The NDLR is an online resource bank, supporting collaboration and sharing of teaching and learning resources within the third level education sector. The Education section of the NDLR is for anyone working in the sector in a teaching or supporting role in the area of teaching and learning, primary teacher education, secondary teacher education, as well as any other interested individuals.

Primary Languages Initiative-aaPrimary languages

This is a UK based website, designed to offer support to teachers teaching languages in the primary school sector. It provides detailed resources for lessons, as well as links to research in the area.

Primary Professional Development Service (PPDS)-aaPPDS

The PPDS aims to develop schools as professional learning communities in which teacher learning is closely linked with school improvement and development and pupil progress. It delivered inservice training for EAL teachers, and the seminar slides and resources are available on the website. It works with all primary schools and teachers, as required, to offer support and guidance. Its website contains a range of resources for EAL teaching and planning, which can be used by all teachers.

Second Level Support Service (SLSS)-SLSS

The SLSS offers school based support, staff development programmes, regional support and modular courses. It delivered in-service training for EAL teachers and offers support and assistance on this subject, as well as all other second-level subjects, to schools. The website contains a range of resources on EAL which can be used by all teachers.

Show Racism the Red Card- Red card

This is an NGO working through sporting organisations to combat racism. The website contains an education pack which can be used in schools to address the topic.

Teachers TV-Teachers.tv

This is a UK website featuring online footage of education programmes for all teachers. Although some of the content may only be suitable within the UK school context, there may be examples which can be of use in an Irish context.

TeachNet Ireland-Teachnet

TeachNet Ireland seeks to improve student learning by helping primary and post primary teachers to integrate web-based resources into their work. Teachers can access curriculum resources, curriculum and technical specialists, grants and a supportive network to further develop their skills.

The Arts Council- Arts Council
The Council is the national agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. It has produced a policy and strategy for Cultural Diversity and the Arts, and launched a pamphlet, Cultural Diversity and the Arts: Language and Meanings. Both are available on its website.



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