DCU expert says Irish is no more difficult to learn than any other language

As the nation engages in Seachtain na Gaeilge, teachers and third level students are set to welcome the launch of ‘Foghlaim an Dara Teanga: Modhanna agus Tascanna sa Seomra Ranga’ which is the new book by Assistant Professor Colin Flynn from Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge at DCU. This is the first book written in Irish focused on second language learning theory and practice in more than forty years.

According to Dr Flynn, this book provides a much-needed up-to-date discussion, through the medium of Irish, on many developments in second language learning research and language teaching methodology which have come about over the last few decades.

Dr Flynn recognised the need for a state-of-the art textbook and reference resource written in Irish for those working in language education and applied linguistics and his book highlights the issues around the capacity of individuals to learn languages as well as teaching methodologies to support them.

Dr Flynn said: “This is not a textbook for teaching Irish, rather it is a textbook written in Irish about language learning and presents recent developments in the field in a way that makes them particularly relevant to learning and teaching Irish as a second language. A lot of people view the Irish language as something different and expect it to be treated differently in the classroom, but it’s not and when we look at language learning, Irish should be treated as any other language.

“Unfortunately in a lot of schools and classrooms Irish is pigeon-holed; it's put in a curriculum bubble. We shouldn’t think of Irish as a special case, rather we should recognise that it has special features. At a certain level, there’s nothing more difficult about learning Irish than any other language. There are sociolinguistic factors that may impact on the learning process, but they shouldn’t impede classroom practice. We simply need to take account of them. So this book aims to increase awareness and promote discussion around these issues to help teachers arrive at a combination of methodologies that will help them achieve their goals in the classroom.”

Dr Flynn’s new book will particularly appeal to those with an interest in Irish language teaching and learning, including primary school teachers, as well as modern language teachers and researchers. The book’s chapters explore aspects of the psychology of first- and second-language learning, and the basis (theoretical and practical) of various language teaching methods.

Foghlaim an Dara Teanga: Modhanna agus Tascanna sa Seomra Ranga [Second Language Learning: Methods and Tasks in the Classroom], published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht (2021) and available to order here.

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Deir saineolaí DCU nach deacra í an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim ná aon teanga eile

De réir mar a bhíonn an náisiún ag gabháil do Sheachtain na Gaeilge, tá múinteoirí agus mic léinn tríú leibhéal ar tí fáilte a chur roimh sheoladh ‘Foghlaim an Dara Teanga: Modhanna agus Tascanna sa Seomra Ranga’, is é sin leabhar nua leis an Ollamh Cúnta Cóilín Ó Floinn (Colin Flynn) ó Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge in DCU. Seo an chéad leabhar i nGaeilge atá dírithe ar theoiric agus ar chleachtas foghlama dara teanga le breis agus daichead bliain.

Dar leis an Dochtúir Flynn, soláthraítear sa leabhar seo plé cothrom le dáta a bhfuil géarghá leis, trí mheán na Gaeilge, ar go leor forbairtí i dtaighde ar fhoghlaim an dara teanga agus i modheolaíochtaí teagaisc teanga atá tagtha chun cinn le breis agus cúpla scór bliain anuas.

D’aithin an Dochtúir Ó Floinn an gá atá le téacsleabhar agus acmhainn tagartha den scoth arna scríobh i nGaeilge dóibh siúd atá ag obair san oideachas teanga agus sa teangeolaíocht fheidhmeach agus leagtar béim sa leabhar ar na saincheisteanna a bhaineann le cumas daoine aonair teangacha a fhoghlaim chomh maith le modheolaíochtaí teagaisc chun tacú leo.

Dúirt an Dochtúir Ó Floinn: “Ní téacsleabhar é seo chun Gaeilge a theagasc, ach is téacsleabhar é atá scríofa i nGaeilge faoi fhoghlaim teanga agus cuirtear i láthair ann na forbairtí le déanaí sa réimse ar bhealach a fhágann go bhfuil siad an-ábhartha d’fhoghlaim agus do theagasc na Gaeilge mar dhara teanga. Measann a lán daoine go bhfuil an Ghaeilge difriúil ar bhealach éigin agus bíonn siad ag súil le go gcaithfear ar bhealach difriúil léi sa seomra ranga, ach níl an Ghaeilge difriúil ar chor ar bith agus nuair a fhéachaimid ar fhoghlaim teanga, ba cheart caitheamh leis an nGaeilge mar a chaitear le haon teanga eile.

“Ar an drochuair, cuirtear an Ghaeilge i mbosca ar leith in go leor scoileanna agus seomraí ranga; cuirtear i mboilgeog curaclaim í. Níor cheart dúinn smaoineamh ar an nGaeilge mar chás speisialta, ina áit sin ba cheart dúinn a aithint go bhfuil gnéithe speisialta ag baint leis an nGaeilge. Ar leibhéal áirithe, níl rud ar bith níos deacra faoin nGaeilge a fhoghlaim ná aon teanga eile. Tá tosca sochtheangeolaíochta ann a d’fhéadfadh dul i bhfeidhm ar an bpróiseas foghlama, ach níor cheart dóibh bac a chur ar chleachtas an tseomra ranga. Níl le déanamh againn ach iad a chur san áireamh. Mar sin tá sé mar aidhm leis an leabhar seo feasacht a mhéadú agus plé ar na saincheisteanna sin a chur chun cinn d’fhonn cabhrú le múinteoirí teacht ar mheascán de mhodheolaíochtaí a chabhróidh leo a gcuspóirí a bhaint amach sa seomra ranga.”

Beidh tarraing ar leith ag leabhar nua an Dochtúra Uí Fhoinn dóibh siúd ar spéis leo teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge, lena n-áirítear múinteoirí bunscoile, chomh maith le múinteoirí agus taighdeoirí teangacha nua-aimseartha. I gcaibidlí an leabhair déantar cíoradh ar ghnéithe de shíceolaíocht fhoghlaim na chéad teanga agus an dara teanga, agus ar an dúshraith (teoiriciúil agus praiticiúil) a bhaineann le modhanna éagsúla teagaisc teanga.

Foghlaim an Dara Teanga: Modhanna agus Tascanna sa Seomra Ranga [Second Language Learning: Methods and Tasks in the Classroom], arna fhoilsiú ag Cló Iar-Chonnacht (2021) agus ar fáil le hordú anseo.