It’s a safe bet that anyone who went to school in Ireland has a fair amount of knowledge of the Irish language, and as such the Gaeilge learned at school is not so much forgotten, as displaced by Béarla.

It is commonly observed that most adults come to conversational Irish classes with little or no knowledge about the origins of language, how Irish evolved, and how it works. This is not surprising, as it was unlikely ever to have been taught to them. The correct use of dictionaries, making connections between similar words etc., are skills not generally seen as prerequisites to getting the most out of conversational Irish classes.

Growing up and living in a non-Gaelteacht area has deprived us of the opportunity to learn Irish by simple imitation, as does a child when learning English from us. As such, we are dependant to a large extent on the written and recorded word, what we hear on TV and Radio, and how we interpret this information.

A higher rate of progress amongst adult learners of Irish is better achieved by incorporating elements of reading, writing, and basic conversational Irish into their tuition, the aim being to achieve a level of familiarity with the language, upon which the ability to freely converse in Irish may be strengthened and advanced.

By reconnecting with their earlier knowledge of Irish and linking it to new learning, adult students are encouraged to reflect on what makes the language work, and how best to integrate it into their daily activities.

“Má tá Gaeilge agat labhair í” goes the well intentioned catch-phrase. In contrast, a better approach is to state what is most certainly a fact for anyone who has been through the educational system in Ireland, “Tá Gaeilge Agat!”

CLG An Phasáiste Thiar

Bealtaine 2011