Scoil Uí Mhuirí

2011 German/Irish Exchange
Scoil Uí Mhuirí, Dunleer and Realschule Hilpoltstein participated in their 4th exchange project in 2011. Ms. Howard and Ms. Matthews started this project in 2006, when they initiated an ICT project combining virtual videoconferencing meetings with actual meetings. This project developed as the teachers commenced a European Comenius initiative, and together with the National Agency, Léargas succeeded in bringing groups of students to Germany two years in succession, with the German students visiting Ireland also on two occasions, the theme having been National Games ie. Hurling and Gaelic Football, together with Olympic Handball and Voelkerball.

This partnership has blossomed ever since and the Scoil Uí Mhuirí and Realschule teachers have kept in contact. The Hilpoltstein teachers and a new group of students arrived in Ireland in February 2011 for a 5 day stay. They attended school with their partners, participated in two International races, a road race in Armagh and the Rás na hÉireann cross country race in Oldbridge, Drogheda. They also attended a special performance of the Scoil Uí Mhuirí musical: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and did some swimming, bowling and Skyclimbing!

The Scoil Uí Mhuirí students travelled to Munich in late April this year and visited Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany before meeting up with their exchange partners. The Dunleer students enjoyed attending school in Germany, starting at 7.30 am! They also went to "Palm Beach" swimming complex in Nuremberg, did lots of shopping, visited a lake, played mini golf and enjoyed an afternoon at the "Fruehlingsfest" at the site of the world famous "Oktoberfest".

International German Exam
Well done to the TY students who sat the Goethe Institute Fit in Deutsch 1 International German exam on Saturday April 2nd in Dublin. Ms. Matthews, their German teacher and Ms. Howard, the TY Co-ordinator accompanied the students.

German Oral for JC


Leaving Cert German Oral (2013-2016)

We were very fortunate to have an Austrian assistant during the school year 2008/9. Frau Doris Genner helped all of the German students in the school with their language skills. Cultural awareness and language awareness got equal attention as the students learned about celebrations in the German speaking world, about customs and traditions, music, food and all sorts of topics.

Small German conversation groups formed part of the daily schedule at Scoil Uí Mhuirí and the students reaped the rewards of having a native speaker teaching and supporting them.

• Wie heißen Sie? Ich heiße Frau Genner.
• Woher kommen Sie? Aus Österreich.
• Haben Sie Geschwister? Ich habe einen Bruder.
• Wie gefällt es Ihnen hier in Irland? Ganz gut, danke!
• Wie finden Sie das Schulsystem hier in Irland? Das Schulsystem ist ganz anders als bei uns in Österreich.
• Tragen die Schüler in Österreich und Deutschland eine Uniform?

Nein, sie tragen keine Uniform.

Frau Genner was chief advisor to the third year German students as they wrote essays for a competition, promoted by the Austrian Embassy.

Kim Jordan, Lauren Mc Morrow and Niamh Shannon produced excellent essays entitled Meine Arche. See one of the essay entries here.

Comenius Project 2008/9

The teachers involved in the exchange, Ms. Matthews and Ms. Howard are both members of the language department at the school, teaching both German and Irish, with Ms. Matthews also involved in teaching French. These teachers report back to the other language teachers in the school at Subject Development Planning meetings as regards the impact the project has on students and their general attitude to learning languages. The whole student exchange process is examined as a means to improving fluency in target languages and interest in other cultures, plus awareness of students' own culture. The teachers also gain an interesting insight into how languages are taught and learned in another European country.

As both Ms. Howard and Ms. Matthews are involved in sport at the school, basketball and athletics primarily, there is great interest in the sports element of the project. The whole aspect of introducing new games to teenagers will be examined. These teachers also teach Social, Personal and Health Education and are involved in promoting awareness of healthy lifestyles among young people. Studying how teachers and students in another European country combine sport and healthy living in curricular and extra curricular activities is of particular interest to the teachers.

Communication with students and teachers in another European country, where the target language of our students is spoken daily affords students a great opportunity to practise and improve their foreign language skills as well as their Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills. Cultural awareness is key to our students' understanding of other Europeans and their perspective on life. This also helps increase our students' awareness of their own cultural identity. This European cooperation provides our students with the means to express themselves in a sporting environment, where communication, competition, teaching and learning take place within a friendly and fun environment.

Below see the November 2008 pictures from the Hilpoltstein visit.

Below see some pictures of the June 2008 visit to Hilpoltstein.