Want to significantly improve your conversational Irish?

riras · 21-04-2011 12:30pm #1

GO GAEILIGE invite you to a different and fun filled way of improving your existing Irish language skills.

A weekend of conversation and interacting with fluent Irish speakers in lovely Connemara. Best suited to those who already have reasonable Irish language skills and are happy to spend a full weekend without English!

PM me or check out
http://www.facebook.com/pages/GO-Gaeilge/209030725098

deise go deo · 25-04-2011 2:34am

I would be fairly interested in this, What's the plan, and how much will it cost?:)

riras · 25-04-2011 10:37am

Good to hear from you. You can check out the facebook page with most of the details on it (you dont have to be on facebook yourself to read it).

Let me know if you cannot.

Aard · 25-04-2011 2:14pm

Give a link to here http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142726049131260 otherwise people will be clicking around forever.

Is there really gonna be 10 people, or is that just a target? Also, the fact that there's no contact info, no talk of who you're actually paying, and that Bosco is the image makes the whole thing look kinda scammy.

cupan_tae · 26-04-2011 12:09am

Is this for the good of the language or just a chance to make a few yoyos?

Aard · 26-04-2011 12:18am

It looks like you're paying for a "Ciorcal Cómhrá" and a hotel with a huge mark-up. Some people might be into all that, but there does exist a more... economical way.

Micilin Muc · 26-04-2011 11:00pm

"No Grammar"?! :eek:

deise go deo · 27-04-2011 4:50am

Aard wrote: »

It looks like you're paying for a "Ciorcal Cómhrá" and a hotel with a huge mark-up. Some people might be into all that, but there does exist a more... economical way.

I have to agree, I went on a trip to the Aran Islands that only cost €74, and that included the Ferry, B&B, and transport from Limerick to Rós a Mhil and back again.

Either GO Gaeilge are being massivly ripped off, or they are making quite a bit of profit out of this.

Fuinseog · 28-04-2011 8:59am

could be cheaper all right. unless Carna hotel is booked out every night they could have more competitive prices.
I find the no grammar bit interesting. a lot of folk do not like Irish grammar, but it is more to do with the way it was taught or explained.

Aard · 29-04-2011 2:44am

deise go deo wrote: »

Either GO Gaeilge are being massivly ripped off, or they are making quite a bit of profit out of this.

I'd say it's the latter. The B&B costs €99 for the 2 nights + meal. That leaves €151 worth of "No teaching, no classrooms, no grammar". I'm failing to see what they're selling here!

Fuinseog · 29-04-2011 8:17am

Aard wrote: »

I'd say it's the latter. The B&B costs €99 for the 2 nights + meal. That leaves €151 worth of "No teaching, no classrooms, no grammar". I'm failing to see what they're selling here!

I guess you have to pay for the privledge of meeting real life Gaelgeoiri.

riras · 29-04-2011 10:29pm

GO GAELIGE are piloting this structured weekend based on a proven model for rapid language learning. Our target is to have 10 learners or Foghlaimeoirí (who should already have a good level of spoken Irish) who will have up to 20 hours of mainly 1 to 1 conversation with fluent speakers/gaeligeorí. These Gaeilgeorí are volunteers and will give their time and expertise over the weekend in return for b&b. There will be no payment/profit to the promoters. The cost to the learners will include all activies, workshop, dinner and 2 nights b&b and of course the opportunity to practise and hugely improve their language skills with the fluent speakers in an 'all irish' setting. It is hoped that it will be a very successful and fun few days for all involvedand that more can be planned. Anyone who would like more information please PM me.

deise go deo · 01-05-2011 4:06am

riras wrote: »

These Gaeilgeorí are volunteers and will give their time and expertise over the weekend in return for b&b. There will be no payment/profit to the promoters. The cost to the learners will include all activies, workshop, dinner and 2 nights b&b and of course the opportunity to practise and hugely improve their language skills with the fluent speakers in an 'all irish' setting.

Ok, So its €99 for the B&B and meal.

That leaves €151 for Activities and Workshops.

What activities and workshops are you doing exactly, What are the cost involved in running them?

Activities and Workshops could mean a game of Football and a talk on daffodils.

You have to admit, the cost seems very high for what it is your offering.

Aard · 01-05-2011 10:49am

Déise, you gotta remember that you're effectively putting up a Gaeilgeoir too, so that's another €99. Which leaves €62 of activities. Still a lot of money.

Riras, you say this is a proven method. If this is the pilot scheme, then where has it been proven before? Also, from a linguist's perspective, one day (let's face it, that's all it is) of speaking the language is not anywhere near enough for "rapid language learning" or to "hugely improve their language skills".

It's a bit of a swizz, isn't it?

deise go deo · 02-05-2011 5:05am

Aard wrote: »

Déise, you gotta remember that you're effectively putting up a Gaeilgeoir too, so that's another €99. Which leaves €62 of activities. Still a lot of money.

Riras, you say this is a proven method. If this is the pilot scheme, then where has it been proven before? Also, from a linguist's perspective, one day (let's face it, that's all it is) of speaking the language is not anywhere near enough for "rapid language learning" or to "hugely improve their language skills".

It's a bit of a swizz, isn't it?

So in reality our Volunteer Gaeilgoirs are getting a free stay in a hotel worth €99, Is that not a benefit in Kind?

The main problem I see with this is that it seems that no real effort has been made to keep costs low. I organised a weekend trip to An Rinn a few months ago. We managed to keep the cost down to €83 per person, that Included Transport to and from (starting in Limerick). A workshop, activities and accommodation in a Local Bean an Tí's House.

We did another trip a month ago to the Aran Islands for €74 per person (No workshop that time though)

Riras. If this is for the language, and not profit as is claimed, why is it that the costs seem to be unnecessarily high?

What activities are you getting for your money?

cupan_tae · 02-05-2011 11:07am

Deise ! €74 fairálta gan dabht !

deise go deo · 02-05-2011 12:51pm

cupan_tae wrote: »

Deise ! €74 fairálta gan dabht !

It was easy enough, there is a package deal that gets you a bus from Galway to The Aran Islands (Ferry included) and two nights accommodation in a hostel for €57.

Because it was a Cumann Gaelach trip, everyone who went only had to pay €30:D

riras · 02-05-2011 8:25pm

Actually, no it's not a 'swiz'. What it is, is a few people who really want to change the way learning the language happens for adults. And yes I have been involved in a similar total immersion programme for English language on many occasions outside of Ireland and I know that it works. We have put considerable time and effort into trying to get this project off the ground, running with a pilot first. Learners will be 'immersed' in the language for approx 20 hours, no english allowed, they will have to work out the different dialects, accents etc. It's very tiring. It works. Please don't knock something that you havent investigated properly. Again, PM me and I shall ring you with more details if you are genuinely interested.

deise go deo · 02-05-2011 9:14pm

riras wrote: »

Actually, no it's not a 'swiz'. What it is, is a few people who really want to change the way learning the language happens for adults. And yes I have been involved in a similar total immersion programme for English language on many occasions outside of Ireland and I know that it works. We have put considerable time and effort into trying to get this project off the ground, running with a pilot first. Learners will be 'immersed' in the language for approx 20 hours, no english allowed, they will have to work out the different dialects, accents etc. It's very tiring. It works. Please don't knock something that you havent investigated properly. Again, PM me and I shall ring you with more details if you are genuinely interested.

Well I am trying to find out more about this, What kind of activities are you offering? How is the course structured and how do you know it is effective?
Where has this type of program been tried before?

You say it works, but so far all we have is your word on that.

Aard · 02-05-2011 10:30pm

riras wrote: »

Please don't knock something that you havent investigated properly.

I've "investigated" every bit of info that's available to me on it. Trust me, I have no agenda against people learning Irish. It's just that this weekend seems to be very expensive for what it is, and tbh not very professional. A half-baked facebook page with one confirmed guest doesn't inspire confidence. A little bit of marketing wouldn't go amiss, and by that I don't mean advertising or publicity but delivering expected information in a trustworthy manner.

Déise gave an example of a similar excursion that cost one-third of the price; how come yours is so expensive?

Grudaire · 04-05-2011 7:41pm

I like the concept, it's great to see new ideas being tried when it comes to the promotion of the Irish language.

@ riras, Deise is asking a genuine relevant question. people are unlikely to fork out lots for anything these days! The likes of Deise are the people you should focus on to get the word spread to potential customers.

Want to significantly improve your conversational Irish?

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