Tá lúcháir ar Lárionad na Gaeilge, Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, a fhógairt go bhfuil ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) tar éis an Q-mark a bhronnadh ar scrúduithe Theastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) den dara huair. Bronnadh an gradam seo den chéad uair ar TEG in 2016. Chun an Q-Mark a bhaint amach, bhí ar an Lárionad dul trí dhianphróiseas iniúchta ina ndearnadh measúnú ar scrúduithe TEG de réir 17 gcinn d’íoschaighdeáin atá leagtha síos ag ALTE le hardchaighdeán scrúduithe a dhearbhú.
Ó 2005 i leith, tá Lárionad na Gaeilge ag soláthar scrúduithe d’ardchaighdeán d’fhoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge in Éirinn agus thar lear. Go dtí seo tá breis is 8,000 iarrthóir tar éis tabhairt faoi cheann amháin nó eile de na scrúduithe. Tá cúig leibhéal ar fad i gcóras TEG atá bunaithe go ginearálta ar an Fráma Tagartha Comónta Eorpach do Theangacha (Comhairle na hEorpa, 2001). Tugann an córas spreagadh d’fhoghlaimeoirí cloí lena gcuid staidéir agus a ndul chun cinn a mheas de réir mar a théann siad ó leibhéal go leibhéal. Déanann scrúduithe TEG tástáil ar chumas ginearálta Gaeilge sna scileanna éagsúla teanga; is é sin, an chaint, an scríobh, an chluastuiscint agus an léamhthuiscint. Féadann iarrthóirí tabhairt faoi lánchreidiúint (gach ceann de na scileanna teanga) nó páirtchreidiúint (cumas cainte amháin).
Tá méadú suntasach tagtha ar líon na n-institiúidí agus na bhfostóirí a aithníonn cáilíochtaí TEG mar chruthúnas beacht iontaofa ar chumas Gaeilge iarrthóirí. Ó 2019, tá TEG ag comhoibriú leis an Roinn Oideachais agus le hinstitiúidí oideachais lena chinntiú go bhfuil an caighdeán cuí Gaeilge ag iarrthóirí ar an Mháistir Ghairmiúil san Oideachas, agus tugann iarrthóirí faoi scrúdú cainte TEG B1 mar chuid den phróiseas iarratais ar an chlár sin.
Dúirt Aoife Ní Ghloinn, Stiúrthóir Lárionad na Gaeilge, go bhfuil foireann an Lárionaid thar a bheith sásta le toradh an phróisis iniúchta. “Is aitheantas idirnáisiúnta é seo agus barántas breise d’iarrthóirí, d’fhostóirí agus do pháirtithe leasmhara eile maidir le caighdeán agus iontaofacht scrúduithe TEG.” Ghabh sí buíochas le foireann TEG as an dua a chaith siad leis an phróiseas iniúchta agus leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán as a dtacaíocht ón uair a bunaíodh TEG.
Tuilleadh eolais faoi TEG: www.teg.ie
Tuilleadh eolais faoin Q-mark: www.alte.org/Setting-Standards
International Awards for TEG Exams
The Centre for Irish Language at Maynooth University is delighted to announce that ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) has awarded the Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Irish-language exams with their Q-Mark for the second time in recognition of the consistent standards of quality and excellence in the exams. TEG was awarded the Q-Mark for the first time in 2016. To achieve this award, the Centre for Irish Language was required to go through a rigorous audit in which the TEG exams were assessed in the context of ALTE’s 17 minimum standards. The Q-mark shows that the exams meet all of ALTE’s core requirements and certifies TEG as a model for best practice in all stages of the language testing process.
Since 2005, the Centre for Irish Language has offered high-quality Irish-language exams in Ireland and abroad, with over 8,000 candidates to date. TEG offers exams at five levels which are broadly based on the Common European Framework for Languages (Council of Europe, 2001). The system motivates learners to continue their study of the language and enables them to assess their progress from level to level. TEG exams assess candidates’ general language proficiency in speaking, writing, listening and reading, and candidates can register for the full exam or for partial certification (oral exam only).
TEG is increasingly recognised by institutes of education and employers as a trusted and accurate measure of Irish language proficiency. Since 2019, the Centre for Irish Language has been liaising with the Department of Education and Skills and the Irish institutes of education in the recruitment process for the Postgraduate Master of Education (Primary Education). To ensure that prospective students have a satisfactory standard of Irish, all PME applicants must take the TEG B1 oral exam as part of the application process.
Staff at the Centre for Irish Language are very pleased with the result of the ALTE audit, said Aoife Ní Ghloinn, Director of the Centre. “This award gives the TEG exam international recognition and provides assurance to exam candidates, employers and other stakeholders of the quality and reliability of our tests.” She thanked TEG staff for their painstaking work during the audit process and she also thanked the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for their support since the introduction of the TEG exams.
Further information about TEG TEG: www.teg.ie
Further information about the ALTE Q-mark: www.alte.org/Setting-Standards