Education
MIC launches CEALT, a new national community for EAL teachers
MIC launches CEALT, a new national community for EAL teachers. Norma O’Brien, Limerick Education Support Centre Director; Annie Asghard, Oide; Dr Fíodhna Gardiner-Hyland, CEALT Leader; and Professor Dermot Nestor, President of MIC.
MIC and Limerick Education Support Centre launch new national professional learning community, Community of EAL Teachers (CEALT)
Mary Immaculate College (MIC), in partnership with Limerick Education Support Centre (LESC), has launched the Community of EAL Teachers (CEALT)—a new national professional learning community designed to support teachers working with learners of English as an Additional Language (EAL).
The recent launch event attended by more than 50 teachers, educators and researchers marked a significant development in the provision of professional learning in multilingual and culturally diverse classrooms.
CEALT builds on the success of MIC’s six-year TEAL (Teaching English as an Additional Language) Project, which has been recognised nationally and internationally for its innovative approach to supporting multilingual learners. This new community will provide sustained professional learning, resource-sharing and collaborative networking opportunities for teachers across Ireland.
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Speaking at the launch, Dr Fíodhna Gardiner-Hyland, CEALT Project Leader, highlighted the importance of the initiative, “Our Limerick-based community, developed with the LESC, is growing into Ireland’s first teacher-led national community for EAL—rooted in practice, expertise, and the lived realities of multilingual classrooms. It is a sustainable, collaborative space that values inclusion, belonging and a strengths-based approach.”
Professor Dermot Nestor, President of MIC, formally launched CEALT, noting, “CEALT is an important step in supporting the teachers who work every day with multilingual learners. It creates a space for shared expertise, practical collaboration and genuine professional support. MIC is proud to help build a community that strengthens inclusion across our schools.”
The event also featured a keynote session with Annie Asghard, Oide, who explored whole-school approaches to EAL, effective planning and child-centred pedagogies aligned with the new primary curriculum. Attendees took part in collaborative discussions focused on inclusive practice, teacher leadership and future directions for CEALT.
Norma O’Brien, Director of LESC, emphasised the centre’s commitment to the project, saying, “LESC is delighted to collaborate with MIC on CEALT. This partnership reflects our shared commitment on supporting teachers, fostering innovative practice and strengthening inclusive learning for all children in our school communities.”
CEALT will continue to develop as a long-term national network, supported by its steering committee and advisory board, including leading experts in plurilingual education.
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