Irish ppl!! Do you think irish should be an optional subject in secondary schools?

Question

I have mixed views about this......... what do you think?

Answer 1

I have only been doing Irish 7 years but I love the language! However I hate the way it is taught in school.

The emphasis is put on poems, stories and phrases you would never even use in normal conversation! At least that's all I've been taught since I went into secondary.

Out of the eleven subjects I did for the Junior Irish was definitely the hardest. I spent the most time studying and worrying about it.

I think that Irish should be taught to everyone of Irish Heritage as it is an important part of our culture and History. However I feel that it shouldn't be such an unnecessary cause for worry in a students life.

We have enough to worry about and I know of many people who resent how important Irish is in securing a career that we most likely don't even need it for. I know of people who have moved to Ireland but once they leave school will be unable to go to college here due to their lack of Irish.

Answer 2

No.  Irish is just bastardized English.  Why would we want our kids learning that?!  California already has Ebonics.  Isn't that enough?

Sorry, what I meant was, Irish-English is a bastardized version of English.  True Irish is just a dying language that is slowly being phased out.

Answer 3

YES! I was forced to do Irish for well over 10 years and what do I have to show for it? An intense hatred for the language is all. Its a nice language, part of culture, blah blah blah, but forcing someone to do it is not going to make the situation any better

Answer 4

I agree completely with jk. The problem isn't that Irish isn't a 'useful' subject but just the way it is taught. The whole method of teaching it leaves a lot to be desired. It's no wonder I hear so many schoolchildren tell me they hate having to learn it - there were situations where I noticed there was too much emphasis is laid on memorizing comhrá and grammar. Grammar comes with speaking the language frequently in conversation, something that isn't done enough in schools.

Answer 5

No I dont think it should be.

However I do think the way it is taught need to be changed.

there should be much more emphasis on speaking. Theres far to much emphasis on reading and writing.

The people I know who went to gaelscoils have a much better attitude to Irish because they have the chance to get a proper feel for what its like to speak Irish.

In normal schools it just like

Read this text, answer this questions, heres where your grammar is wrong, over and over.

-Also, to 'Captain Awesome' what  on earth is this comment about "Irish is just bastardized English".

Do you even speak Irish Captain Awesome? Irish isnt even related to the English language.

Answer 6

Definitely! I get As in like everything except for Irish (except this year I got 90%! lol). Irish is and will be a dead language no matter what anyone wants to believe, we have to face reality and that's the truth. =]

Answer 7

No. It might just die then and we need to keep it alive.

I wonder sometimes though if it wasn't an exam subject would it be better.

If it wasn't an exam subject then people wouldn't worry about it so much an would have a chance to enjoy it more.

I went to a gaelscoil and I love Irish.

I think people start off with a ba attitude to it and then don't really give it a chance. If it was compulsory but not an exam subject that might not happen.

The only bad thing about it not being an exam subject would be that people might not learn it properly.

Like if your weren't worried about loosing marks in an exam would you bother learning where the séimhúi and urú go or the tuiseal ginideach?