Gaeilge

Teaching Practice Placements

Teaching Practice is designed to give students an opportunity to develop their practical skills of observation and teaching and to link their taught courses with the practicalities of the classroom.

Teaching Practice placements are seen as a central element of the B. Ed. programme. Over the course of the three years at undergraduate level or the 18 months at postgraduate level, students will engage in a variety of school placements. These will range from single grade to multi grade classes, from urban to rural and from mainstream to special education contexts. The timing of these placements is outlined below:

B. Ed. Degree:

First Year

First year students engage in a three week home based Spring teaching Practice. This is carried out in classes between Junior Infants and Second class and normally takes place in the three weeks preceding the Easter break.

Second Year

Second year students spend four weeks in Autumn in Dublin and surrounding areas on Teaching Practice, again in Junior classes. This usually takes place in November.

Second year students also spend the three weeks preceding Easter on Teaching Practice, normally in their home area. This placement involves students working with classes between third and sixth.

Third Year

Third year students also engage in a four week placement in November in Dublin and surrounding areas. This placement is spent in classes between third and sixth and takes place in a DEIS context.

Third year students have their final three week Teaching Practice placement in Dublin and surrounding areas. This is generally in the three weeks preceding Easter.

Higher Diploma in Education (Primary)

Students on the 18month Postgraduate programme have three Teaching Practice placements.

Semester 1 - Summer term

Students spend three weeks in a school of their choice in classes ranging from Junior Infants to Second Class. This is generally in May.

Semester 2 – Autumn Term

Students will spend four weeks teaching Junior classes in Dublin and surrounding areas. This is generally in November.

Semester 3 – Spring Term

Students will spend three weeks teaching classes ranging from third to sixth in Dublin and surrounding areas.

Special Education Placement

All final year students spend three weeks in a Special Education context observing and assisting the class teacher. This is a formative learning experience for our students and while they meet with a supervisor from the college team during the placement, they are not formally assessed.