Do you think Irish should become an option after LC?

thisisadamh · 29-09-2010 11:47PM #1

Hi all I think a lot more good would be done for Irish if it was not compulsory for LC. What does everyone else think?

bleg · 29-09-2010 11:48PM

It is optional after the LC. It should be optional after primary school.

abouttobebanned · 29-09-2010 11:49PM

I agree with ya lad. I don't have anything witty to say. It's a dying language that some people won't let die.

KeithM89_old · 29-09-2010 11:51PM

Students shouldnt be wasting there time learning Irish when they could be focusing on the subjects that they'll need for college

starbelgrade · 29-09-2010 11:51PM

Do you think Irish should become an option after LC?

You mean, after you've done the Leaving Cert?

Eh...

thisisadamh · 29-09-2010 11:52PM

I am finding it hard to motivate myself to learn it as I am living in Ireland and I never use, ever. And if I never use Irish in Ireland, then when will I use it?

thisisadamh · 29-09-2010 11:54PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

Do you think Irish should become an option after LC?

You mean, after you've done the Leaving Cert?

Eh...

Woops, it is late and I am tired lol, sorry, that was a but of a fail, but anyway lol

Niall09 · 29-09-2010 11:54PM

KeithM89 wrote: »

Students shouldnt be wasting there time learning Irish when they could be focusing on the subjects that they'll need for college

They should be learning English instead.

KeithM89_old · 29-09-2010 11:55PM

Niall09 wrote: »

They should be learning English instead.

Me fail english?? Thats unpossible

marzic · 29-09-2010 11:55PM

thisisadamh wrote: »

I am finding it hard to motivate myself to learn it as I am living in Ireland and I never use, ever. And if I never use Irish in Ireland, then when will I use it?

...you should try English, fcuking nightmare!

thisisadamh · 29-09-2010 11:55PM

KeithM89 wrote: »

Students shouldnt be wasting there time learning Irish when they could be focusing on the subjects that they'll need for college

I know! I want to do Engineering in College and why do I need Irish for engineering?

Oranage2 · 29-09-2010 11:56PM

I'm fluent in Irish so i can tell you from up here on my high horse that we should keep it optional, shame to let it die but pointless to keep it alive.

KeithM89_old · 29-09-2010 11:56PM

Also, there is too much focus on religion in schools - also a time waster but thats an entirely different topic

starbelgrade · 29-09-2010 11:57PM

thisisadamh wrote: »

I know! I want to do Engineering in College and why do I need Irish for engineering?

In case you're designing a reinforced thatch roof for a bungalow in the Gaeltacht.

landsleaving · 29-09-2010 11:57PM

thisisadamh wrote: »

I know! I want to do Engineering in College and why do I need Irish for engineering?

So you can bring electricity to the Gaeltacht areas.

D'Agger · 30-09-2010 12:00AM

I don't think it should become an option - but dear god they need to change the syllabus and how it's taught - every other LC..even JC language - the emphasis is on being able to speak, read, write and comprehend the language - In Irish you learn poetry that's older than the school you learn it in!

It's a joke tbh!

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 30-09-2010 12:09AM

Yes. If the only way you can get a group of people to do something is to FORCE them to do it, you should really take the hint.

thisisadamh · 30-09-2010 12:18AM

Also as well there is no fun in the language, I the course was lively and enjoyable people would not mind doing it, but the education dept thinks that fun is learning off poems.

thisisadamh · 30-09-2010 12:19AM

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Yes. If the only way you can get a group of people to do something is to FORCE them to do it, you should really take the hint.

I love that point. So true

bleg · 30-09-2010 12:23AM

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Yes. If the only way you can get a group of people to do something is to FORCE them to do it, you should really take the hint.

Pfft, but the Dept of Education knows better than all the rest of us...:rolleyes:

30-09-2010 12:49AM

thisisadamh wrote: »

Also as well there is no fun in the language, I the course was lively and enjoyable people would not mind doing it, but the education dept thinks that fun is learning off poems.

There was a German girl in my class in uni who did a course (for fun) in Irish and after 3/4 months she could speak more of the Gaeilge than some of the Irish people in the class, the school syllabus is killing the language

Truley · 30-09-2010 12:53AM

I think it should be optional after the Junior Cert. Also the course needs to be revamped, more emphasis on conversation and practical day to day use instead of all the poetry. I also think we should be doing at least one European language from primary school.

ScumLord · 30-09-2010 12:59AM

KeithM89 wrote: »

Students shouldnt be wasting there time learning Irish when they could be focusing on the subjects that they'll need for college

Students shouldnt be wasting there time learning subjects for collage when they could be focusing on the subjects that they'll need for work.

podgemonster · 30-09-2010 01:11AM

Optional after the Junior as at least it doesn't make that much of a difference and would be easier to swallow for the pro-language ppl. The teaching method is ridiculous, learning off pointless verses from primary school upwards spending at least 1/3 of every day getting it driven into us.

I did honors up until 4months before the leaving and the lads in the class (most of them) liked the language and were good at it. In pass, these guys, many of them all honors otherwise could not care less and yet had no choice but to do it.

i recently was on holidays with a lad who got a A in honours Irish in the LC 5yrs ago and we tried speaking irish infront of Brits and none of us could figure out how to say 'we didnt go to the shop'.

starlit · 30-09-2010 02:27PM

Ya think that Irish should be an option for the LC. Students should only keep on Irish for Leaving Cert unless a college course has Irish as one of the subjects or if a specific course requires you to have Irish like primary teaching, if they plan to go into teaching or the gardai or what ever jobs they plan on pursuing where Irish is a requirement. I think its a waste for those trying to do Irish in the Leaving Cert where they don't need it for say computing, science and business courses. They might need Irish for some Arts and law courses. There are very few courses that would need Irish anyway. Think its more important that they learn more than one foreign language and studying an extra foreign language for the Leaving Cert instead of having to study Irish. It make more sense and students might improve in a foreign language better than they would with Irish. A foreign language is probably more important than Irish for many courses and jobs.

Sea Sharp · 30-09-2010 02:33PM

Won't somebody please think of *editing the title*.

Yeah, Irish is irrelevant and should not be compulsory.
I find it interesting that the only LC subject that is unique to the country and this education system (aka, they can't look at the corresponding UK curriculum for inspiration ) is an abysmal failure.

Pace2008 · 30-09-2010 02:40PM

Until someone can tell me why learning Irish is so important, without listing advantages that could be conferred by learning any (practically speaking) non-redundant second language, and without assuming their own arbitrary view of what it means to be Irish is universal, I see no reason to continue forcing the language on an unwilling, uninterested youth.

starlit · 30-09-2010 02:59PM

I say very few students in Ireland can speak fluent Irish. Only a small portion can and some of those are probably from the Gaeltacht. Since English is our main lanaguge not many converse in Irish. Emphasis on the English language has taken over the need of speaking Irish and think the emphasis of learning a foreign language be more benefical for students. No point trying to force students to learn Irish if they have no interest, passion or need for it in their future. It's like a few sayings goes "It's like flogging a dead horse" and "It's a wild goose chase".

CorkMan · 30-09-2010 03:04PM

IMO Spanish or another major language should be in place instead of Irish.

It would more than likely be taught properly, rather than Irish ATM, and would be far more useful worldwide. IE South/Central America, Spain, rather than only West Ireland.

cassi · 30-09-2010 03:04PM

I would hate to see the Irish language die out, but the way its being taught in schools is killing it. As some above posters have mentioned the syllabus needs a complete overhaul and much more focus being put on conversation and everyday use.

My Irish teacher in school came from a Irish speaking family and as such never realised how it could be difficult for people. She would redicule for the smallest of mistakes therefore making the vast majority of students reluctant to speak any of it. Let alone want to make points on poetry and novels.

When I was in school I would have said to completely get rid of it, but now as im getting older and living abroad, its amazing to have a language of my own that I can speak when I just want to.

flyton5 · 30-09-2010 03:06PM

Nil fhios agam....

got me through the LC Irish orals...

Do you think Irish should become an option after LC?

Comments