Irish learned in schools

sandmanporto

For those who think Irish should be abolished in school, I would like you to post your points of view on why the subject shouldn't be compulsory; why you think so and what language do you identify Ireland as being associated with. I add four languages because I feel as though some people feel we need to speak either English or another important European language regardless of the individual voters cultural association.

Chaotic_Forces

Irish

I assume you meant in secondary onwards. I think English should be the only one, at least till 3rd year. It should focus on grammar and the language itself and not poems and plays. Irish should be taught till sixth class and after that it should be up to the parents to say if they want their kids being taught Irish in secondary (at least for the first year, after that if the kid honestly doesn't like it, they can drop it). After 3rd no language should be mandatory, unless you're very bad at English and need extra help understanding it.

Dionysus

French

Great! Just what we need: another thread on the Irish!

deise go deo

French

What are people who think Irish and English should be compulsory supposed to do?

sandmanporto

Dionysus wrote: »

Great! Just what we need: another thread on the Irish!

No need to reply if you don't have an answer relating to the thread topic without expressing valid opinion :rolleyes::pac:

Dr. Baltar

Irish

I think no subjects should be compulsory after the Junior Cert. After the Junior Cert, students should know what subjects they are strong in and what they are weak in. Rather than doing 8 subjects at LC level they should be doing half that.

I really don't see why someone needs leaving cert level maths to get into a Geography course or Vice Versa.

Chaotic_Forces

Irish

Dr. Baltar wrote: »

I think no subjects should be compulsory after the Junior Cert. After the Junior Cert, students should know what subjects they are strong in and what they are weak in. Rather than doing 8 subjects at LC level they should be doing half that.

I really don't see why someone needs leaving cert level maths to get into a Geography course or Vice Versa.

You mean like any useful country would do for their education system? Welcome to Ireland where the thoughts are "ah sure if it sort of works then it's grand".

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

German

sandmanporto wrote: »

For those who think Irish should be abolished in school, I would like you to post your points of view on why the subject shouldn't be compulsory; why you think so and what language do you identify Ireland as being associated with. I add four languages because I feel as though some people feel we need to speak either English or another important European language regardless of the individual voters cultural association.

AGAIN???


Look through my post history if you're that keen. But I don't think it should be abolished.

For the poll, I ticked all boxes.

Cheap Thrills!

Irish

Ehm. Stop posting threads about this because nobody cares?

The Irish language?

Nope, can't seem to care.

Sorry.

Yours sincerely indifferently,
An average Irish citizen.

Namlub

Irish

Oh good, I'm sure a lot of people haven't shared their opinions yet...

major bill

Irish

The language should be thought in primary with a choice to pursue it in secondary level.

compared to the rest of europe irish kids fall behind in language studies.Ive cousins in germany that have been learning french and english in school since playschool/junior infants.....irish should be teached in a fun way at an earlier level like playschool, more videos like mussy mor should be introduced to the class rooms. French or german should be thought at an early age aswell insted of starting it in secondary level.

sandmanporto

Cheap Thrills! wrote: »

Ehm. Stop posting threads about this because nobody cares?

The Irish language?

Nope, can't seem to care.

Sorry.

Yours sincerely indifferently,
An average Irish citizen.

How would others look on us from what your saying. 'they didnt even care about their own language yet they speak hiberno english'. An average irish person doesnt speak british standard may i add. Then again who cares. We might aswell say we're west british!

mayoman ngalway

Irish

Chinese

looks like we'll be neding it

pbffan

French

While I hate the notion of forcing something upon somebody who doesn't want to do it, if made non-compulsory, I can see Irish dying a slow and painful death. It runs the risk of becoming the new Religion, something everybody just drops after d'Intercert and nobody really cares about. There'll be choices to be made between the likes of History/Biology and Irish, and very few are going to go for Irish. The few aspiring Primary School Teachers will, but who else would? Unless you see it as an easy A or genuinely loves the language, you're not going to pick it. There'll be no such thing as "pass Irish", it'll just be one small Honours class in every school every year. Numbers will dwindle year upon year, and it will eventually die.

But there is a way to stop that, while not forcing Irish onto resenting students - Change the way Irish is taught and examined. With the current system, there's just too much writing, learning and transcribing. It's no wonder so many people hate the thing. I know they're bringing in some changes next year, but that's not going to be enough. Imo, Irish should be taught like Music, with a large emphasis on the practical side of things. The Oral exam should be worth 50%, it examines the students ability to actually speak the Irish, and the goal of teaching Irish is to promote the spoken language. The written side of the exam needs to be changed too. Get rid of those bloody leamhthuiscints, and cut out this learning pages and pages of notes about multiple stories, poems, history of the language etc. It's not necessary. It's a waste of time. It puts students off. Tweak the 'Aiste' idea a bit, and draw somewhat from the Composition section of English Paper 1, which accounts for 25% of the total mark. To go in and compose a 5/6 page-ish essay will really show you where you're at. It would actually examine the students ability to write Irish, not their ability to regurgitate notes. For the final 25%, stick with the traditional aural section, it does show a students ability to understand conversational Irish.

I don't think that Irish should be compulsory, you can't force it on people like we are currently doing. It's ridiculous. But at this stage in time, if they were to make it non-compulsory, it would be a death sentence for the language. Reforms are needed, there is no question about that. If changes are made, then Irish can be made optional and still have a decent level of students studying it. The current means of examining Irish is a joke, simple as

Azureus

French

^^^ basically this.

I dont think Irish should be compulsory, but at the moment it needs to be to keep the language alive. I didnt appreciate the language until about 5th year, and even then I hated it because of all the boring poetry/prose. Hopefully it'll be reformed in a way that places much more emphasis on the spoken rather than the written, but until a time when it becomes more accessible, I think it should remain compulsory or we risk losing it altogether.

MagicSean

English should be thought as the main language until leaving cert. Irish should be thought until sixth class. A second language should be taken up in fist year until leaving cert. Advanced Irish, Russian or Chinese. Option to take up a third European language after junior cert.