RTÉ Announces Significant Range Of New Educational Programmes And Resources Across TV, Radio And Online

RTÉ renews commitment to support young people and parents during restrictions

RTÉ will air a range of programmes across RTÉ television, RTÉ Player, RTÉ Radio 1, 2FM, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, as well as additional resources on RTÉ.ie, to meet the needs of all school-going children, including Junior Cert and Leaving Cert students, and parents.

Dee Forbes, Director-General, says: “We are pleased to expand RTÉ’s educational programming for children and students as they continue to learn remotely. Our aim is to assist parents, children and educators by ensuring that all children and students can access curriculum-based learning, and complementary content, through our broadcasts and digital channels. We will also be offering opportunities to hear from parents, educators and students on Radio1 and 2FM with new slots and shows in the weeks ahead.”

Next Monday, January 11, RTÉ’s Home School Hub and After School Hub will make a return to RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, delivering three hours of television daily, with a mix of new material and previously aired shows, offering a helping hand to parents. Young viewers can find John, Ray, Cliona, Seamus and all the gang on RTÉ2 between 10am and noon, with their fun and interactive curriculum-based learning, which was warmly received when it first aired last March. At 3.20pm daily After School Hub will re-show its daily activities, ranging from music lessons to science experiments, dance classes, art and crafts, and books and culture. All corresponding worksheets, podcasts and third-party content will be housed on https://www.rte.ie/learn/ and can be watched back on the RTÉ Player. An Irish Sign Language version of the programme will air on RTÉjr on weekdays at 1pm and an ISL programme, After School Hub Best Bits, airs on Saturday and Sundays at 6.05pm on RTÉjr from 16 January. All ISL versions of Home School Hub are also available on RTÉ Player.

On RTÉ2’s news2day at 4.20pm, younger viewers can continue to be informed about the news of interest to them, presented in a friendly and accessible format by Aisling Moloney and Mícheál Ó Scannáíl.

Next Tuesday, 2fm is starting new multi-platform programme series called LC 21 with Carl Mullan, which will run Monday to Thursday from 7pm to 8pm for three weeks. The show will create a community for students and will deal with study planning, with advice on looking after themselves over the next few months, and how to focus on what they can control. Full of brilliant contributors, experiments, craic, and great music, the show will also be available wherever you listen to your podcasts or On Demand audio.

On RTÉ Radio 1’s Drivetime, each Tuesday and Wednesday at 6.30pm, Evelyn O’Rourke will present the Drivetime Study Hub, an interactive half-hour of advice and support for second-level students, especially those preparing for the State Examinations.  Along with advice on planning, study tips and online resources, Study Hub will feature some of the country’s best teachers, taking students step-by-step through the key Leaving Certificate subjects and exam papers.  Study Hub will also reflect the opinions and concerns of students, and Evelyn will be keeping a sharp eye out for all the latest news and developments, as the class of 2021 face into another disrupted exam season.

On RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta there will be a regular slot on Tús Áite each week when Fachtna Ó Drisceoil will speak to various guests about the challenges they are facing at the moment and how they are dealing with home schooling.  Parents and young people at home will get tips and advice that they can use and they will have the opportunity to get in touch with the programme and share their experiences and ask questions they may have.  Other programmes across the service will also provide more information to help support young people and parents during these tough times.

On 12 January the all-new DreamSpace TV for secondary schools starts on RTÉ.ie/learn. With six episodes, aimed at students aged 12-18, it brings students on a STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Maths) learning journey with a focus on computational thinking, creativity and problem-solving leading students towards entry into the micro:bit educational foundation’s global challenge, and hopefully winning the title for Ireland! Many other DreamSpace coding challenges for primary students are also available at RTÉ.ie/learn.

RTÉ is also extending its digital art competition, This is Art, in partnership with Creative Ireland.  The initiative is open to all children and young people aged 0 – 18 years of age. The new closing date is January 31st and all details can be found here https://www.thisisart.ie.

For older students, RTÉ is making available a range of on-line teaching modules and work-sheets for the Junior Cycle syllabus, devised and produced in association and partnership with Junior Cycle Teachers. The subjects covered, as part of an on-going BAI/JCT/RTÉ initiative are: History, Religious Education, Gaeilge, English, Geography, Business Studies, CSPE, SPHE and Digital Media. https://www.rte.ie/learn/junior-cycle/

RTÉ2 will be airing the following Shakespeare productions during Sundays in January:

For Leaving Cert Students: The Tempest (Leaving Cert 2021); King Lear (Leaving Cert 2021); Othello (Leaving Cert 2022)

For Junior Cert Students: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Junior Cert 2021 and 2022); As You Like It (Junior Cert 2021 and 2022); Much Ado About Nothing (Junior Cert 2021 and 2022); Julius Caesar (Junior Cert 2021 and 2022); Romeo and Juliet (Junior Cert 2021 and 2022)

RTÉjr continues to be home to a range of fun and educational shows available for younger viewers: The Body Brothers use song and dance to explore how the human body and animal bodies work, with the help of their inventor friend Auntie B; Let’s Find Out has fun experiments for curious children, with Zoom and her Crew; on Tir na Nog, join Niamh, Oisín and friends as they discover nature and the world around them through games, challenges, songs and adventures; join the Wildlife Warriors on Wild Kids as they explore different Habitats up and down the country, from the coast to the city, discovering the plants, animals, bugs, birds and bees that live around us; and on Critters TV, the animals of the forest gather around to watch their favourite show.

Watch RTE.ie for further updates around education content and initiatives over the coming months.

—-Further details about Shakespeare productions:

Leaving Cert: The Tempest Leaving Cert 2021 (1978 with Andrew Sachs); King Lear Leaving Cert 2021 (1982 with Brenda Blethyn, Michael Hordern); Othello Leaving Cert 2022 (1981 with Anthony Hopkins, Bob Hoskins and Penelope Wilton)

Junior Cert: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Junior Cert 2021 and 2022 (2016 with Bernard Crippons, John Hannah and Matt Lucas); As You Like It Junior Cert 2021 and 2022 (1978 with Helen Mirren); Much Ado About Nothing Junior Cert 2021 and 2022 (1984 with Charie Lunghi and Jon Finch); Julius Caesar Junior Cert 2021 and 2022 (1979 with Charles Grey); Romeo and Juliet Junior Cert 2021 and 2022 (1978 with Alan Rickman, Anthony Andrews and Rebecca Saire)

—More information about DreamSpace and STEAM:

https://www.rte.ie/learn/2020/0522/1140050-full-steam-ahead-all-lessons/