The ERC is pleased to announce that we have commenced the redevelopment of our two primary-level Irish language standardised tests, which are used in Irish-medium and English-medium primary schools across Ireland.
The current tests (Triail Ghaeilge Dhroim Conrach do Bhunscoileanna Gaeltachta agus Lán-Ghaeilge (TGD-G) and Triail Ghaeilge Dhroim Conrach do Scoileanna Rialta (TGD-R)), which have been a cornerstone of language assessment of students for the past 15 years, are being comprehensively reviewed and renormed to better reflect current educational needs and practices, and up-to-date standards of Irish among children nationally. The current versions of TGD-G and TGD-R continue to provide a valuable tool for assessing Irish in schools.
The redevelopment of these standardised tests over the coming three years marks a significant step in ensuring that language assessment tools remain accurate, effective and relevant. The existing tests, which have provided invaluable data to support language learning and teaching, will be thoroughly reviewed and modernised. This process will involve collaboration with language experts, educators, and other stakeholders to ensure that the new assessments meet the highest standards of validity and reliability.
The ERC recognise the importance of providing up-to-date and robust assessment tools that reflect the evolving landscape of language education. The redevelopment of these Irish language tests will support schools in effectively evaluating language proficiency and guiding language instruction.
The new tests will aim to accommodate diverse learning contexts and will be designed to better align with current curricular objectives and linguistic research, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of students’ language abilities. Both paper and online versions of the tests will be developed by the ERC.
The ERC remains committed to supporting Irish language education through ongoing research and innovation. Further updates on the redevelopment process will be shared as the project progresses.
