Road signs & Gaelic - time for a change?

Mr.D.Leprachaun

Can't say I recall Irish class in Primary school being as Lil Kitten described nor am I sure I agree with the idea that it shouldn't be compulsary but all in all well said!

Catari Jaguar

I said "funnest subject to teach". Obviously you didn't learn comprehension or how to read either...

Those methods are from the 1999 curriculum. So you lot missed it. Shame that....

Catari Jaguar

Ikky Poo2 wrote:

This bit I find extrmely dubious. If it's true, why aren;t they speaking it amoungst themselves out of school?

My Modhanna Múinte na Gaeilge lecturer (Irish methods) coaches an u-14's girls soccer team.

He speaks Irish to them, at first they looked at him like he had two heads, and didn't understand. He said "I'M speaking it because I like it... you don't have to reply in Irish" He'd throw in phrases like "istigh sa líne, beirt os comhair beirt, cúl etc." basic stuff.

After 3 weeks the girls started replying to him, he said they were banned from using Irish and only he could, they spoke it even more and started using Irish amongst themselves at training and during matches...


And I'd like to add, that your kids haven't much chance of liking Irish with your poor attitude against it to look up to.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Lil Kitten wrote:

My Modhanna Múinte na Gaeilge lecturer (Irish methods) coaches an u-14's girls soccer team.

He speaks Irish to them, at first they looked at him like he had two heads, and didn't understand. He said "I'M speaking it because I like it... you don't have to reply in Irish" He'd throw in phrases like "istigh sa líne, beirt os comhair beirt, cúl etc." basic stuff.

After 3 weeks the girls started replying to him, he said they were banned from using Irish and onky he could, they spoke it even more and started using Irish amongst themselves at training and during matches...


And I'd like to add, that your kids haven't much chance of liking Irish with your poor attitude against it to look up to.

You're making my point for me - if this chap was teaching Irish and there were more linke him, Irish might have a chance.

Not my kids, btw - the girlfriend's. I've only known them a year. And I'd like to know what you mean by my "poor attitude against it", considereing I;m in favour of encouraging it. I'm just realistic.

Hagar

Lil Kitten wrote:

he said they were banned from using Irish

That is the only way the language will survive.
Make the language compulsory and the Irish will rebel against it.
Make it illegal and the Irish will learn it just for spite.

philologos

There is no need to do anything to the road signs imo. Unneccessary expense for the State and who needs more of that.

Catari Jaguar

aidan_walsh wrote:

For how long, at what level, and in which schools? Never heard of any of that going on around here, and I have a primary school aged sister.

For the past 7 years, so mainly young teachers from one training college in particular. say 60 per year, thats about 400 teachers that can teach Gaeilge in that way at present. It SHOULD be in all schools, and it's at all levels, infants - sixth. I've taught all my classes in that way and had excellent results. Kids who HATED Gaeilge, even dyslexic kids that were exempted from Irish class would be asking if they could play XYZ language game, bingo, fiche ceist, matching cards, in the siopa....

More and more schools get in contact with my lecturer asking for advice on improving their schools Irish level and enthusiasm.

Easy answer: teach Irish through Irish! Make it enjoyable/ creative, accessible and relevant. Be a good role model by showing an interest. Many older teachers are reluctant and lazy, and the blame lies with them for any negative feelings towards the language. Damn their lack of progression!

Gaeilge curaclam;http://82.195.132.34/index.asp?locID=14&docID=-1

Catari Jaguar

Here's a way I was taught to teach grammar, by a guy who was a principal for 10 years:

Get a ball and a box
Kids get to try and throw the ball in the box
if it goes in, it's "istigh sa bosca", or misses it's "taobh thiar den bosca" or "in aice an bosca" or "os comhair an bosca"

And that's grammar class.

Come a loong way from Rírá agus Diarmuid an Dragún and the projector days.

You can take the kids outside to find Gaeilge sa Timpeallacht, street signs (Controversial!!) :P Irish notices in the school or on car licence plates or at the shop. Girls in my year have done X factor as Gaeilge, or a little radio show/ video, singing Irish versions of pop songs with their classes... It DOES happen.

The books are brilliant nowadays too, Treo Nua and Bualadh Bos have great little activities, memory games, spot the difference, puppets. Does your sister use them, Aidan? or Maith Thú, which I hate actually...

There are also some really lovely story & picture books out there, some great websites too. A real effort being made, a wealth of resources on CD roms too.

Fcuk the begrudgers! Long live an Gaeilge

Back on topic now that we can agree that Gaeilge is being taught better these days and being revived...

JaysusMacfeck

Is it not a a complete disgrace that our own Prime Minister can't even speak the language and can't respond to other TDs in the Dáil? IT certainly cries out dieing language to me, Dev would be spinning in his grave.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aSdL6GOJNg#GU5U2spHI_4

luckat

People will learn Irish when they love Irish.

Marksie

sioda wrote:

We speak it at work (tourism) so the customers cant understand us.

Doesn't that make it rather pointless in the tourism industry? Speaking so that customers cannot understand you?

sioda wrote:

Also when on holidays my mates and I speak it constantly so not to get confused with english.

With english or with THE english lol?.

i have to laugh actually, reminds me of the character from ltlle Br****n (won't say it all in case you get offended).
To paraphrase him, princing around
"as you know i am the only gaelic speaker in the holiday resort"

Terry

Who? Daffyd, the gay dude?
I don't think anyone is going to be offended by that.
At the end of the say, that whole village is gay, so your analogy is void.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

JaysusMacfeck wrote:

Is it not a a complete disgrace that our own Prime Minister can't even speak the language and can't respond to other TDs in the Dáil? IT certainly cries out dieing language to me, Dev would be spinning in his grave.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aSdL6GOJNg#GU5U2spHI_4

Is a not a loaded question you just asked...?

If Dev could see the state of the modern Ireland he fought for, he's be spinnign in his grave, and the language would be just one cause.

Hagar

JaysusMacfeck wrote:

Is it not a a complete disgrace that our own Prime Minister can't even speak the language and can't respond to other TDs in the Dáil?

We don't have a Prime Minister, we have a Taoíseach.
The language isn't dying, that's the sort of thing that's trying to kill it.

Wibbs

JaysusMacfeck wrote:

Is it not a a complete disgrace that our own Prime Minister can't even speak the language

fairly representative though.

Dev would be spinning in his grave.

Good. If i had my way that gobsheen would be doing 20,000RPM

Hagar wrote:

We don't have a Prime Minister, we have a Taoíseach.

Sometimes it seems we have neither. Well spotted though.

astrofool

No matter how you teach any subject, as i'm sure physics, french, science could all be made more "fun", some kids won't like doing that subject. It's called free will, and why kids should have a choice over whether they should learn something that there's a 90% chance they won't use beyoned school.

I had to drop three subjects that I liked more than Irish when it came to the leaving cert, all so a few people could feel better about themselves. This isn't to say I hated Irish, as I liked most subjects (did 8 honours at the LC), but on the list of things I wish i'd done, my affinity to Ireland would have been far better served by being able to study Irish history, than the language.

Marksie

julep wrote:

At the end of the say, that whole village is gay, so your analogy is void.

Not necessarily actually, if you look at the way daffyd is overreactive. Still it was one of those thoughts that occurs when one has neared the end of the working day.

While the post was unclear whether they spoke gaelic to avoid being mistaken for english, but if so i saw a funny side to a silly attitude

Terry

I knew exactly what you meant. I was just being a dick.

JaysusMacfeck

Hagar wrote:

We don't have a Prime Minister, we have a Taoíseach.

Erm, what's the difference? BBC news always call him Prime Minister, as do Sky and Channel 4... are they all wrong??

ps - I don't watch bog 1 or 2

Marksie

julep wrote:

I knew exactly what you meant. I was just being a dick.

thats alright julep, i was bbeing the same when i wrote it lol

delta_bravo

JaysusMacfeck wrote:

Erm, what's the difference? BBC news always call him Prime Minister, as do Sky and Channel 4... are they all wrong??

Yes. Taoiseach comes from celtic times. Although their roles for respective countries are similar, the words are not

wow sierra

The notion that because you won't use Irish after school it is somehow different to the other stuff you learn there is absolutely daft. What you learn in school is how to think constructively, open your mind, solve problems etc. How to use your brain basically. Most of the information you cram for exams is forgotton shortly after anyway. What you are left with is a broad grounding in lots of subjects which you can study more fully in College or at any time in life.

As regards Irish I loved it in School - as I loved all languages. I think it is a very rich part of our unique culture and it should be fostered. Cultural diversity is being lost through globalisation and it would be a shame if we ended up with a grey monocultural world.
Tabhair seans don teanga. Laibhair í. Bain sult as. Déanaim féin é agus tá alán craic ag baint leis. Nil sé ródhéanach.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

wow sierra wrote:

The notion that because you won't use Irish after school it is somehow different to the other stuff you learn there is absolutely daft. What you learn in school is how to think constructively, open your mind, solve problems etc. How to use your brain basically. Most of the information you cram for exams is forgotton shortly after anyway. What you are left with is a broad grounding in lots of subjects which you can study more fully in College or at any time in life.

As regards Irish I loved it in School - as I loved all languages. I think it is a very rich part of our unique culture and it should be fostered. Cultural diversity is being lost through globalisation and it would be a shame if we ended up with a grey monocultural world.
Tabhair seans don teanga. Laibhair í. Bain sult as. Déanaim féin é agus tá alán craic ag baint leis. Nil sé ródhéanach.

Ah.... no. This is what we should learn in an ideal world.

simu

Ikky Poo2 wrote:

Ah.... no. This is what we should learn in an ideal world.

Ah yes but let's aspire. All these notions of teaching mostly practical stuff and things that are "relevant to the students' lives" (according to who?) scare me...

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

simu wrote:

Ah yes but let's aspire. All these notions of teaching mostly practical stuff and things that are "relevant to the students' lives" (according to who?) scare me...

As opposed to let's waste their time and teach any old ****e we can pass off as education and hand out points for like gold stars after the leaving?