Irish-Medium Education (IME) is a form of Immersion Education where all children are taught all subjects through the medium of Irish.
At the end of their schooling children are bilingual. There are many benefits to being bilingual.
Bilingualism develops the brain differently, stimulating more mental flexibility, creativity and originality of thought. Bilingual children will have the capacity to look at any problem, big or small, from many different perspectives. Words can have multiple meanings; problems can have multiple solutions; situations can be seen from multiple viewpoints. When children think in two languages, they can easily imagine more than one way to accomplish their objectives and more than one way to approach a complex dilemma.
Those who speak, read and write in two languages:
• Are open-minded to other cultures
• Possess stronger problem-solving skills
• Have enhanced cognitive development
• Express greater creativity: think outside the box
• Easily learn a third and fourth language
• Embrace differences in people
• Actively seek multicultural friendships
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