Program Overview

Introduction to the UL Academy for Children

The University of Limerick's Access Office has developed an academy for primary school children in areas of Limerick experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. The academy has partnered with Our Lady Queen of Peace National School in Janesboro as a pilot school.

Project Overview

The project, known as FLEURIR, offers a French language program co-designed with the school to meet their identified needs. The program was delivered by the School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics at the University of Limerick. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the program was delivered online, accompanied by an activity workbook to support and track learning.

Objectives

The primary objective of the project is to foster closer collaboration and stronger links with communities and to enhance children's opportunities to access further education. The project aims to introduce a modern foreign language to assist children in their transition to secondary school.

Partnerships

The project is a joint initiative between the UL Access Office and UL Engage. Partners include:

• Sixth class teachers in Our Lady Queen of Peace National School, Limerick
• Pupils and parents of Our Lady Queen of Peace National School, Limerick
• School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, UL (Catherine Jeanneau and Amelie Brunet)
• UL Access Office
• UL Engage K4C Learning Hub (Niamh Anne O'Sullivan)

Research Associated with the Project

The primary aim of the research is to support primary children's transition to secondary school and enhance their opportunities to access further education. The research will examine how the project is received from a community perspective and identify learnings to ensure the success of future educational interventions.

Evaluation

The research is sponsored by the UL Engage Knowledge for Change (K4C) initiative, a UNESCO-sponsored initiative promoting community-based participatory research and social responsibility in higher education. A project report will be submitted to the UNESCO K4C training consortium as part of the requirements of the Mentor Training Programme (MTP).

Resources

The project has received the European Language Label 2021, and the University of Limerick's Academy for Children has celebrated its first graduates.