Revised Curriculum Year 6 Personal Development and Mutual Understanding PDMU

1. Revised Curriculum Year 6 Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU) Welcome Today’s focus is on Personal Development and Mutual Understanding and we hope you have been able to access some of the background reading material and found that a useful preparation for today. Note to facilitators: The background reading was The Personal Development and Mutual Understanding section of the CCEA DVD ‘The Revised NI Curriculum - Planning for Implementation The Personal Development and Mutual Understanding section of the CCEA document The Revised NI Primary Curriculum KS1 and 2 Their school Pastoral Care policy The introduction to Primary Values PDMU and Irish-Medium Education Irish-medium education is based on an immersion model of education. This occurs when children are immersed in, and educated through, a language which is not the language of the home. The majority of children attending Irish-medium schools come from homes where English is the dominant language. There are also a number of children who come from homes where Irish is the dominant language. The most significant challenge for the practitioner and the learner is the implication of reduced exposure to the immersion language. The classroom teachers are the main source of sustained exposure for the pupils to this target language. Teachers practise a sustained use of Irish in all activities and maintain a high level of verbal interaction with pupils. They aim to create and maintain a language-rich environment. PDMU Personal Development and Mutual Understanding in Irish-medium Education focuses on raising pupils' self-esteem as individuals who belong to a broad Irish language community, locally, nationally and internationally and recognising, valuing and being proud of their considerable bilingual competences and having a deeper understanding and appreciation of Irish cultural heritage. Teachers need to be aware that opportunities for language reinforcement beyond the classroom are much more restricted than they would be in the English-medium context. The style of teaching must place a greater focus on the child's acquisition of language associated with PDMU through the medium of Irish. Pupils should be constantly afforded sustained opportunities to offer extended responses and explanations during PDMU activities, to indicate their development and acquisition of concepts and skills associated with PDMU as well as their confidence in using language associated with PDMU through the medium of Irish. (Reference John McCorry).Welcome Today’s focus is on Personal Development and Mutual Understanding and we hope you have been able to access some of the background reading material and found that a useful preparation for today. Note to facilitators: The background reading was The Personal Development and Mutual Understanding section of the CCEA DVD ‘The Revised NI Curriculum - Planning for Implementation The Personal Development and Mutual Understanding section of the CCEA document The Revised NI Primary Curriculum KS1 and 2 Their school Pastoral Care policy The introduction to Primary Values PDMU and Irish-Medium Education Irish-medium education is based on an immersion model of education. This occurs when children are immersed in, and educated through, a language which is not the language of the home. The majority of children attending Irish-medium schools come from homes where English is the dominant language. There are also a number of children who come from homes where Irish is the dominant language. The most significant challenge for the practitioner and the learner is the implication of reduced exposure to the immersion language. The classroom teachers are the main source of sustained exposure for the pupils to this target language. Teachers practise a sustained use of Irish in all activities and maintain a high level of verbal interaction with pupils. They aim to create and maintain a language-rich environment. PDMU Personal Development and Mutual Understanding in Irish-medium Education focuses on raising pupils' self-esteem as individuals who belong to a broad Irish language community, locally, nationally and internationally and recognising, valuing and being proud of their considerable bilingual competences and having a deeper understanding and appreciation of Irish cultural heritage. Teachers need to be aware that opportunities for language reinforcement beyond the classroom are much more restricted than they would be in the English-medium context. The style of teaching must place a greater focus on the child's acquisition of language associated with PDMU through the medium of Irish. Pupils should be constantly afforded sustained opportunities to offer extended responses and explanations during PDMU activities, to indicate their development and acquisition of concepts and skills associated with PDMU as well as their confidence in using language associated with PDMU through the medium of Irish. (Reference John McCorry).

2. Programme 9.30am – 10.30am Personal Development and Mutual Understanding in the Revised Curriculum: An Overview 10.45am – 11.15am Coffee 11.15am – 1.00pm Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Strand 1 ‘Personal Understanding and Health’ 1.00pm – 2.00pm Lunch 2.00pm - 3.00pm Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Strand 2 ‘Mutual Understanding in the Local and Wider Community’ 3.00pm – 3.30pm Review and Looking Ahead

3. Buzz Groups How have you got on with Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities so far?