Máire Nic Dhonncha teaches Rang a hAon in Gaelscoil Longfoirt. She is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta in Mary Immaculate College.
As a native Irish speaker, from Connemara originally, Máire has a keen interest in Irish and its teaching in schools at primary and secondary level. This is her second year working with Rahoo and she has tutored summer courses on ICT in the Classroom and Assessment for Learning in recent years.
She loves her job and could not see herself doing anything else. She strongly believes in Continuous Professional Development and its importance.
Read her top tips for encouraging Gaeilge every day in school.
Seachtain na Gaeilge is fast approaching!
This is a great time of year to introduce ‘cúpla focal’ into your day to day activities in class and school. This will help children with their spoken language and to feel that Gaeilge does not just apply to Gaeilge lesson-time every day.
Simple things like a fáiltiú for the children as they come in, for example:
“Dia duit a Sheáin, conas atá tú?’
Encourage the children to have a comhrá neamhfhoirmiúil in the morning as they settle in for the day. This vocabulary can be practiced during Gaeilge lesson-time, perhaps the week before.
During the day the children can use Gaeilge to complete day to day tasks, for example:
- “An bhfuil Lauren i láthair? Anseo a mhúinteoir.”
- “An féidir liom dul go dtí an leithreas? Is féidir leat a _____.’
- ‘Cur sa bhosca bruscar é.’
- ‘Glan an clár dubh/bán.’
- ‘Múch na soilse le do thoil.’
Gaelgeoir na Seachtaine is a great way to encourage meas and enjoyment of the Irish language as well as developing pride in each child’s own achievement.
Gardaí Gaeilge sa chlós during Seachtain na Gaeilge is another positive way to guide children to speak Irish, through getting points from their peers which allow them to be in with a chance of winning a prize at the end of the week.
A lovely way to finish off the week would be to have a seó scoile which allows the children to present a dán or act as Gaeilge. This will allow children to really enjoy communicating and entertaining as Gaeilge, adding to their confidence in speaking the language.