Teaching in Irish at primary level is set to change for ever. The Irish language will be taught using a series of task-centred, problem-solving and activity-based lessons.
The emphasis has now been placed on the use of the language as a living medium within the classroom, according to the new primary school curriculum.
The newly launched curriculum states that the new communicative approach in the classroom involves the completion of some task each day through Irish; the use of material that is appealing and of interest to the child; and a technique where the class is broken down into twos or small groups to encourage the children to be active while they listen and talk to each other.
"I know from the comments that many teachers have made to me over the last number of years that they will welcome this change in approach," al Martin, the Minister for Education & and Science, Mr Martin, said at yesterday's launch in Dublin Castle.
The newly-produced teacher manual on Gaeilge states that the curriculum is "paistselarnach" (child-centred), focussing on the child's needs and on his/her complete development. "Beidh an teanga ag leibheal an phaiste agus taitneamhach do/di." Children at primary level will learn Irish through a range of techniques and approaches that will include game-playing and role-playing in imaginative situations and in drama will be included in the approaches to teach primary Irish.
The fostering of the child's enthusiasm for and enjoyment in using the language is a central goal of the curriculum.
The teaching approach at each level of primary school is organised in the manual under four headings: listening, talking, reading and writing.
Under listening, the teacher is instructed to develop a child's listening ability by telling stories, reciting verse and poetry and by using taped material as well, such as songs, and excerpts from the radio, such as news and weather. The teacher is instructed to wait "i gconai" until the child has a good basis in the spoken word before moving on to the reading stage.
During this preparatory period, speaking skills will be strengthened when the child listens to the teacher reading suitably pleasant and appealing material out loud. In this way, the child will learn to appreciate reading for itself, the manual points out.
The teacher should be realistic regarding the child's ability. An acceptance of the concept of inaccuracies in the language the child uses is encouraged.
If the message is clear from the child's written or spoken efforts that he or she is making mistakes, the teacher is advised not to interrupt but to allow the child to communicate. The teacher is urged to create realistic contexts within the classroom and the school in order to facilitate and encourage the use of Irish in the manual: "Faoin muinteoir a bheidh se comhtheacsanna realaiocha a chruthu i suiomh an tseomra ranga agus na scoile chun fiorchumars aid a chur ar siul." The aims of this communicative approach in the teaching of Irish at primary level is to provide the child with opportunities to use the language regularly "i ngnathchaint an lae" (in everyday speech) in carrying out tasks.
Schools are also encouraged to use information technology in the teaching and learning of Irish. "Ta cleachtadh ag paisti ar an riomhaire agus is feidir leo an ais seo a usaid chun cluichi a imirt no chun teacht ar eolas, graifici no learscalenna tri scimeail ar na idirlion agus an t-eolas a thraschur agus a usaid i bhfoghlaim na Gaeilge."