10,000 Students get Lost in Translation with An Post

8 May 2008

The winners of the Lost In Translation Competition are:

Junior cycle:

Kate Kennedy, Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles, Co Tipperary                                                                                                                                     
Philippa Gilsenan, The Kings Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20
Bridget Baker, Clifden Community School, Ballyconneel Road, Clifden, Co Galway
Karen O’Reilly, St. Gerard’s,Thornhill Road, Bray, Co Wicklow

Senior cycle:

Enda Mannion, St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, Co Galway
Kevin Burns, St Declan’s Community College, Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford
Laura Kinsella, St Joseph’s College, Lucan, Co Dublin
Nathalie Swain, Presentation Secondary School, Loughboy, Kilkenny

Each student receives prizes for themselves, their teacher, principal and school totalling over €1,200.  Each pupil and their school also receive a crystal trophy. An Post will shortly be in touch with all participating schools to thank them for their participation and to get feedback from teachers and pupils.

Irish students just love to text, they have some of the speediest thumbs in Europe.  This year, An Post asked students to give their thumbs a rest and translate five pieces of English prose from text messages back to their original beauty, complete with proper punctuation, grammar and spelling.

In an OECD study compiled four years ago, Irish teenagers were among the top three performers in an international league table on literacy standards, yet education professionals and parents have expressed concern about the growing threat posed to writing standards by the rise in text messaging among students. The Lost in Translation competition used the passion which Irish students have for texting to get them thinking about the importance of words, and the proper use of the English language. 

Speaking at the awards ceremony in the GPO, Barney Whelan, Head of Communications and Corporate Affaris with An Post said
“An Post is delighted to have run a successful schools education programme for over 20 years. This year, as part of our ongoing work in the community, An Post has committed to raise awareness of literacy as an issue for people of all ages in Ireland. Thanks to principals, teachers, students and parents, the Education Awards has achieved a huge level of awareness in secondary schools.”

Ends