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Written Assignment Unit 1

Student No.

University of the People

EDUC5710 – Understanding Barriers to Learning

Instructor – Dr. Lynn Chang

April 13th, 2022

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This paper discusses the level to which the Irish education system accepts all students.

It focuses on how schools deal with students from different backgrounds and whether there is

a tendency to accept ALL students, regardless of physical or cognitive conditions, or

race/ethnicity. This paper also examines the implications and consequences of acceptance and

non-acceptance.

10% of the 5 million people currently living in Ireland are foreign nationals

(McGinity et al., 2018). Although the number of non-Irish residents has grown steadily over

the last decade or so, attitudes towards immigration and ethnic diversity vary widely across

different groups in society. It is clear that “if you are a white, settled, Irish person living in

Ireland, you experience privilege, even though it may not seem like it or be immediately

obvious” (O’Shaughnessy, 2021). Although Irish schools promote intercultural education,

many minority groups feel excluded (NCCA, 2005). Activities rooted in Irish culture, for

example Gaelic sports, are heavily promoted in schools and communities. In fact, such

institutions are at the heart of rural community life. Research shows that children from more

advantaged backgrounds tend to be active participants whereas students from poorer socio-

economic backgrounds and those from immigrant families are far less likely to play an active

part. Kitching & Curtin (2012) believe “it is a matter of policy concern that children from less

advantaged backgrounds are less likely to engage in the kinds of out-of-school activities

which appear to enhance academic performance” (p.17).

Despite being Irish citizens, one particular minority group, the Irish Travellers, feel

marginalised. In this country, the Traveller community is generally viewed with suspicion

and treated as outsiders. Their children often do not mix well with ‘settled’ children in

schools as they are viewed as ‘different’. The academic expectations for such children are

often lowered by teachers, therefore creating a perpetual issue in terms of inequality of access

to the same standards as other pupils. Even though a classroom may seem diverse, with
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students from different cultural backgrounds, the reality can be quite the opposite. If students

from minority backgrounds feel barriers are evident, making them feel they are excluded, this

may indicate lack of diversity. Unfortunately, this leads to further barriers to learning at

primary and secondary levels, with many children becoming disengaged (Ruggs & Hebl,

2012).

Recent research had found that just over half (53%) of adults aged 25-64 years old in

Ireland have a degree-level education (Law Society Gazette Ireland, 2021). McGinity et al.

(2018) report that “attitudes to immigration and to ethnic diversity differ across social groups.

Those with higher levels of education hold much more positive attitudes about the impact of

immigration than those with lower levels of education” (p.viii). McGinity et al. (2018) also

suggest that negative attitudes tend to go hand in hand with those in financial difficulty as

“this group is more likely to be in competition with migrants for jobs and social

benefits/services” (p.viii). If one considers the findings of McGinity et al. (2018) in

conjunction with the Law Society’s figures, one can assume that just under half of the adult

population of Ireland may typically hold negative attitudes about immigration. This, in turn,

may filter through to their children, exacerbating the issues at school level, making non-Irish

students feel separate from their Irish-born classmates.

Cognitive ability can play a major factor in inclusion, particularly as students progress

through the educational system in Ireland. “Cognitive ability accounts for a good deal of the

variance in achievement and students who perform poorly in school often become gradually

disengaged and uninterested…It is difficult to imagine eradicating these feelings but students

with lower ability should not feel increasingly excluded from the school system” (Freeney &

O’Connell, 2012, p.571). In other words, students who fail to reach a given level

academically have no real options in continuing their second level education after Junior
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Certificate level (around the age of 16-17), and frequently choose to drop out of school rather

than continue to the Leaving Certificate level.

Students with disabilities are educated in both mainstream and special schools in

Ireland. ResearchOutreach.org (2021) reports that 25% of Ireland’s schoolchildren in

mainstream schools have special or additional needs. With the current UN guidance “that

parallel systems are not compatible with its view of inclusion” (ResearchOutreach.org, 2021),

it is clear that Ireland has a long way to go in terms of inclusion, as mainstream schools are

not equipped with specialist resources and teachers are not adequately trained to provide

equality of access to education for all students.

In conclusion, there are many barriers for the Irish education system to address in

terms of equality of access for all students, regardless of ability, race, culture or ethnicity.

According to Kitching & Curtin (2012), “Irish schools make ‘Irish’ children: as an institution,

schools play a key role in culturally legitimating/ categorising and materially privileging

certain ways of being and living” (p.27). NCCA. (2005) report that this ‘indirect racism’,

where one culture is promoted above others, may indeed be perceived as institutional racism.

Despite having a diverse population, we have only scratched the surface in terms of true

diversity in our schools.

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References

Freeney, Y., & O’Connell, M. (2012). The predictors of the intention to leave school early

among a representative sample of Irish second-level students. British Educational

Research Journal, 38(4), 557–574. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23263904

Kitching, K., & Curtin, A. (Eds.). (2012). Addressing the Concept and Evidence of

Institutional Racism in Education in Ireland. Retrieved from

https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/academic/education/documents/RacismandIrishEducatio

nConference2012DigitalBooklet-2.pdf

Law Society Gazette Ireland. (2021). Over half of population now educated to third level.

Retrieved from https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2021/11-

november/over-half-of-population-now-educated-to-third-

level#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20(53%25),or%20having%20no%20formal%2

0education.

McGinity, F., Grotti, R., Russell, H., & Fahey, E. (2018). Attitudes to Diversity in Ireland.

https://www.ihrec.ie/app/uploads/2018/03/Attitudes-to-diversity-in-Ireland.pdf

NCCA. (2005). Intercultural Education in the Primary School.

https://www.into.ie/app/uploads/2019/07/NCCAInterculturalGuidelines.pdf

O'Shaughnessy, L. (2021). Journeying towards anti-racism in our schools. Educate Together.

Retrieved from https://www.educatetogether.ie/news/anti-racism-in-our-schools/

ResearchOutreach.org. (2021). Inclusion at a crossroads: Special education in Ireland.

Research Outreach. Retrieved from https://researchoutreach.org/articles/inclusion-

crossroads-special-education-ireland/
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Ruggs, E. & Hebl, M. (2012). Literature overview: Diversity, inclusion, and cultural

awareness for classroom and outreach education. Retrieved from

https://www.engr.psu.edu/awe/ARPAbstracts/DiversityInclusion/ARP_DiversityInclu

sionCulturalAwareness_Overview.pdf