IRISH GRINDS:
Irish is our national language and cultural heritage; it should be nurtured and carried on throughout generations. Its importance as an academic subject cannot be understated. As well as being compulsory on the curriculum, it is also an entry requirement for many third level courses. Proficiency in the language will offer students countless career opportunities. Our tutors are all native speakers, who are passionate about the Irish language and fully familiar with the curriculum at all levels.
An initial assessment will enable the tutor to highlight the areas of difficulties and help the student focus and improve in all aspects of the language such as listening, speaking, reading or writing.
Home Tutors continue to help many students who struggle with Irish improve their command of the language and achieve better academic results.
Primary level Irish:
Our tutors provide a joint focus on language and cultural awareness. In the Gaeilge curriculum, the four strands of éisteacht, labhairt, léitheoireacht and scríbhneoireacht (listening, speaking, reading and writing) are integrated and this approach is reflected by our tutors when delivering programmes of Irish grinds.
We also use the sub strands of Ag cothú spéise (Fostering interest), Ag tuiscint teanga (understanding language) and Ag úsáid teanga (using language) to structure the child’s learning along with the further sub-divisions of cumas agus muinín (competence and confidence) and samhlaíocht agus mothúcháin (imagination and emotion).
When we provide home tutoring in Irish, we use a variety of fun, interactive teaching methods including role-play, language games, tasks and problems, drama, video, story, and poetry.
Junior Certificate Irish:
When we provide home tutoring for the Irish junior cert, we aim to:
• Reassure students according to their ability and enable them to participate actively in the life of a bilingual nation.
• Boost self-esteem and confidence through understanding of the importance of their Irish identity and their Irish heritage.
• Foster cultural independence and creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation for the benefit of the student and their community.
• Understand the language and Irish culture as an integral and on-going part of public history and a positive attitude to our linguistic heritage.
We emphasise natural communication through the receptive and the expressive language skills of our students. We recognise the importance of real communication situations and also include studies on selective passages of prose and poetry by the criteria laid down in the syllabus.
Leaving Certificate Irish:
Leaving Cert tutoring in Irish aims to match the objectives of the national syllabus:
• Sustains, deepens and further develops language skills according to ability.
• Provides opportunities for students of Gaelic to experience the language through its music, history and literature.
• Foster a positive attitude towards the language.
• Encourage enjoyment and intellectual stimulation.
• Prepare students to participate in working life where Irish maybe a required language of communication.
We cover home tutoring at all levels, providing grinds at foundation, ordinary and higher levels according to the syllabus. When we are tutoring a great emphasis is placed on activities and a wide range of tasks based on natural spoken and written texts.
Below are some useful resources for all your educational needs:
www.educate.ie (Education Material)
www.examinations.ie (State examination Commission)
www.usi.ie (Unions of Students Ireland)
www.schooldays.ie (Parenting Advice, Resources and Support)
www.gaelscoileanna.ie (Irish Language Resources)
www.ncca.ie (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment)
www.sess.ie (Special Education Support Service)
www.enableireland.ie (National Council for Special Education)
www.specialneedsparents.ie (Special Needs in Ireland)
www.education.ie (Department of Education and Skills)
www.qualifax.ie (Courses for Adults)
www.aontas.com (The National Adult Learning Organisation)