Hereunder are five top resources for Irish language learning during current school closures
For those of us who barely have the ‘cúpla focail’, supporting our child’s Gaeilge homework during this school closure period is daunting to say the least. Here are some resources that are sure to help with Irish language learning at home. So follow the links provided.
(1) www.focloir.ie
Focloir.ie (also available as an app) enables you to look up Irish words and phrases. What is even more helpful, however, is that Focloir.ie also provides the pronunciation of words across the main dialects. A full explanation of how to access the pronunciation of words and the various dialect options is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v22LgQM46Xw&list=PLn9HKh5DfabZeEgV2Yp0Yp26Vmd_tqNeq&index=1
Another lifesaving resource on Focloir.ie is its grammatical information on verbs, nouns, adjectives and prepositions. Simply point and click and everything you could possibly need explained is there. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s14QW_0dP_0&list=PLn9HKh5DfabZeEgV2Yp0Yp26Vmd_tqNeq&index=2
(2) www.teanglann.ie
Irish grammar has never had a reputation for being easy…until now! Among its many helpful features, www.teanglann.ie has a grammar wizard that combines nouns, prepositions and adjectives in accordance with the rules of Irish grammar. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b59ULi-li7c&list=PLn9HKh5DfabZeEgV2Yp0Yp26Vmd_tqNeq&index=4
(3) www.cula4.com
Listening to fluent Irish speakers is a learning objective listed in the new language curriculum for primary schools. Listening to fluent speakers is important in terms of developing one’s ear for understanding and speaking a language. During this school closure period, if your child does nothing else for Irish learning, let them watch Cúla4, TG4’s channel for children. If you visit the player online, you will also find a host of additional games and activities as Gaeilge.
Pupils of Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools will most likely be familiar with Séideán Sí. It is a comprehensive, multimedia resource pack for teaching Irish, aimed specifically at schools where Irish is the language of instruction. An incredible resource, Séidean Sí has much to offer pupils of all ages and Irish language experience. Its online resources offer games, e-books and lots of fun with Gaeilge.
(5) TG Lurgan
TG Lurgan is a musical project launched by Coláiste Lurgan, an Irish language summer school based in Connemara. TG Lurgan has released numerous covers of popular hits and uses everyday phrases and colloquial language to make learning Irish fun and relevant.
Visit their YouTube channel on https://www.youtube.com/user/tglurgan
Leave a Reply