Northern Ireland is working on a new curriculum for primary and secondary schools, called the Northern Ireland Curriculum Framework 2028, or TransformED. This proposed curriculum is currently being reviewed and aims to place more emphasis on teaching specific subject knowledge, rather than focusing solely on general skills. The framework draws inspiration from similar educational reforms in England in 2013, which emphasized the importance of deep knowledge in subjects as a foundation for more complex thinking, informed by studies in cognitive science. A major change proposed in the new curriculum relates to language education. For the past two decades, schools in Northern Ireland have taught languages such as French, German, Irish, and Spanish. However, when the curriculum was last updated in the early 2000s, it missed an opportunity to make language learning a statutory part of the primary school curriculum. As a result, Northern Ireland has one of the shortest compulsory language learning periods in the European Union. Despite this, many secondary schools in Northern Ireland teach two or three languages, and the current curriculum allows for flexibility in choosing more than one language. However, the new proposals do not include modern languages in primary education. Instead, the focus shifts to a single core modern language, which will be taught in secondary schools from ages 11 to 14. The teaching method will emphasize phonics, vocabulary, and grammar, with a focus on teaching students a high-frequency list of 800 words. In schools where English is the primary language, Irish is treated as a modern language on par with French, German, and Spanish. In the two Irish-medium secondary schools in Northern Ireland, students learn through Irish and study English and either French or Spanish. This approach contrasts with other Celtic regions, such as Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, and Wales, where language education has expanded rather than contracted. Since 2013, Scotland has ensured that all students have the opportunity to learn at least two modern languages. In the Republic of Ireland and Wales, students are taught their native language (Irish or Welsh) plus an additional foreign language. The proposed focus on a single core language for students aged 11 to 14 is a notable departure from other parts of the UK. In England, language study is required from ages seven to 14, and can include ancient languages in primary education. The Northern Ireland government argues that research supports focusing on the depth of knowledge in language learning. However, there is no widely accepted international research that suggests young people should only study one language at school or that this should be limited to the 11-14 age range. International educational standards, including EU policy, encourage all students to achieve proficiency in the language of schooling and to learn at least two additional languages by the end of secondary school. These goals align with recent changes in the curriculum in Wales and are supported by the use of high-frequency word lists, which have also been applied in England at the GCSE level. However, experts argue that while such word lists are useful, they may not always reflect the practical needs of young learners in a classroom setting.