Conradh’s focus on Irish as a spoken language

I REFER to Darren Mac an Phriora’s letter (Irish Examiner, September 2) in relation to Conradh na Gaeilge’s work in general and to our campaign to improve the teaching of Irish in education in particular.

Conradh recommends the implementation of the following reforms based on best international practice:

1. All trainee primary teachers to spend one academic year of their training in an all-Irish college to ensure they are competent in the language. We also recommend that trainee teachers have the opportunity to follow the entire course through Irish, if they so wish.

2. One subject (sport or drama, history or science, depending on the school), along with Irish itself, to be taught to primary school pupils through Irish.

Dr John Harris of TCD and Tomás Ó Slatara, president, Irish Primary Principals’ Network, recommend this as an effective method for teaching Irish in English-medium schools.

3. The separation of Irish language and Irish language literature as subjects at second level. The student’s ability to speak, understand, read and write Irish, based on the European common framework, would be assessed in the Teanga na Gaeilge exams which all students would sit. This would lead to students being taught how to speak the language rather than learning off passages of ‘correct answers’.

It is pointless and counterproductive to overburden students who cannot form sentences in Irish with the job of literary critics.

Litríocht na Gaeilge would be taught as part of the honours course and examined as an extra subject in the nature of applied maths.

This would encourage more students to take the higher course as the work they put in would be rewarded in their currency: points. It is the norm in northern Europe that people be competent in their national language and in the international language English/American. Why should Ireland lag behind?

Conradh na Gaeilge had a major conference in TCD on September 12 with all the main interest groups represented (students, parents, teachers and teachers of teachers). Experts discussed how best to move things along. They included Prof David Little of TCD, Caoimhe Martin, former head of Marino Teacher Training College, and Dr John Harris of TCD.

Darren Mac an Phriora was invited but did not attend.

Daithí Mac Cárthaigh

Uachtarán

Conradh na Gaeilge

6 Sráid Fhearchair

Baile Átha Cliath 2