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Original poster

Gaelic education anyone?

140 replies

harrisey · 12/03/2006 20:09

My dh and I are only English speakers but our dd1 (6) is in Gaelic medium education and ds (40 in Croligean (Gaelic nursery.
Just wondered if anyone else had Gaelc-educated kids, whether or not you speak it yourself? My dd has been in total immersion for 7 months and is already fluent, I wish I could keep up.
Anyone else doing it. Tapadh leat!

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bramblina · 05/07/2006 12:01

Yes my nephew did go through the gaelic medium unit. When my niece was in p7 and nephew p4 they moved 25 miles away from the school (so my niece would end up in a better high school than the catchment for which she was in). She continued to go to the gaelic one she was in- they have to provide transport which was great, but my nephew really didn't want to go so he joined the little local english-only speaking primary. I asked him if the class size had anything to do with why he didn't want to continue (there was around 25 in each gaelic class) but he said he just didn't like it. My sister said he never got very far and it was of no benefit to him, however my neice got on as well as she would have, had she been in english education. So it makes me wonder- if my ds doesn't thrive either, would it be the best thing? They say not to remove a child from it as they would only be behind in english equivalent but what do you do? Persevere?

bramblina · 05/07/2006 12:09

Sorry, but harrisey wondered if you can help this mner? She wants info on island cost of living just if you don't mind?

Sorry

A · 21/08/2006 11:18

ds1 has started school and loves it, and seems quite unphased by the fact it's in gaelic.

I have been trying to sort out some sort of pre-school gaelic provision for ds2, and the arrangement this year is for there to be gaelic in his playgroup for 3 x 1 hours a week. This is a fantastic and gentle start to learning gaelic especially while he gets used to the whole play group idea, but will it be enough to prepare him for school? Any thoughts...

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harrisey · 25/08/2006 10:04

A - really glad to hear your ds is enjoying school! My dd1 has started at her new school and I think it is going OK - she is a bit culture shocked going from an 8 girl (p1-7) Gaelic unit in a small 4 teacher primary school to a 28 pupil class of all the same age with boys in her class and even at her table! Its a rand spanking new school adn the provision is excellent - it was on Reporting Scotland this week!
Ds has started at the Sgoil Araid (nursery) 5 mornings a week adn he is loving it. Again it is new, so the toys are all prisine and they have tractors to ride!!!
I think i tsounds fine for your ds2 as well. My kids nursery on the Islands was English/Gaelic and they picked up quite a bit, though it was more than 3 hrs a week. But a lot of children go into school with no gaelic at all and get on OK, so Iwould think anything is going to stand him in good stead, especially when his brother starts reading it (my ds likes to listen to dd1's reading book and tape).
Glad to hear its going well.

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harrisey · 25/08/2006 10:05

apologies for typos, my keyboard is sticking!

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harrisey · 12/09/2006 00:23

How are the Gaelic speaking kids getting on?
My dd1 has really settled well at school and her reading seems to really have picked up from last year. I'm really pleased with her.
Ds is loving his new nursery and they say his gaelic is excellent!
Dd2 isnt doing much but her new nanny has been watching gaelic kids tv with her (CBeebies Gaelic, 8.30 - 9 am on BBC2 Scotland, also more grown up progs including De-a-nis? on Thursday 6-8pm syarting this thurs) - we got a newsletter from Comann na Parant which told us all this.

Also there is a bbc Gaelic website at bbcalba which might be useful to you! But I need some help with the Gaelic on it!

And I have to say - Sgiol Gaidlig Ghlaschu is just FAB - any glasgow mums thinking about Gaelic education shoudl go for it!

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aitch71 · 12/09/2006 00:47

harrisey i'll be keen to find out what you think of the glasgow school as i am seriously considering sending my dd there when the time comes.

Tbh i amn't overly fussed about saving Gaelic for future generations (i'll probably have to adjust that thinking nearer the time for meetings with headmistresses and such) but I love languages (studied Italian, Spanish and French) and have always found them easy so i'd like dd to keep that part of her brain 'open' iykwim? plus, the idea of learning a new language with her seems exciting...

Lots of lovely euro-money going into it as well, which is nice, but DH dead against it for all the usual dead and dying language reasons.

Original poster
harrisey · 12/09/2006 02:43

aitch - my reasons for choosing Gaelic were 3 fold really

  1. we lived in the hebrides and I wanted my children to have some of the culture

  2. I want them to be able to learn languages - I am quite good at them but find it hard work. But once your child has learned one new language then the second is easier, and the third even more so ....

  3. children who are bilingual are cleverer in many other ways, better at English, maths, music, reasoning ....

It just seemed too good an opportunity to miss.

How old is your dd? Could you put her down for the Sgoil Araid (nursery) from when she is 3? I know they had a couple of afternoon places from Christmas. My ds is there (it is in the new school building in Berkely St) and he is having a ball! It is all new provision so state of the art and new! The staff seem to be great as well. ANd as I said, dd1 is loving her new class in p2. The staff seem to be so nice! I would highly recommend it. I am sure you could ask to go and see the school if you were interested, might help dh to understand it all better?
CAT me if you want to know more, or post here. I'd happily chat about it with you.

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aitch71 · 12/09/2006 10:03

she's only 9 months old so i am probably thinking about it a leetle far in advance...
can i ask, though, is it true that the children are taken to and from berkeley st? it's not a walkable distance from ours and i'd hate to have to get the car out every bloomin' day.

A · 12/09/2006 11:12

Aitch, definitely consider gaelic education. I just think it's a fantastic opportunity to be able to learn in a second language, so that the language is a natural part of the process.

Ds1 has just started P1 and is getting on really well, and has just seemed to accept that he is doing school in gaelic and some of his peers in English.

Harrissey, I hope your move went well. Thanks for the bbcalba site. I shall keep an eye on what's on - ds1 seemed to like de a nis when we caught it a couple of times before. At the moment we are relying on media for ds2 as the promised gaelic pre-school provision has not yet materialised in any form. It seems that we are trying to move mountains.

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harrisey · 12/09/2006 19:24

aitch - yes, you get transport laid on. My dd1 gets picked up at 8.35 in Pollocksheilds and gets home at 3.20, in a minibus. Almost all kids get transport laid on but it does depend on where you live and if there is alternative Gaelic education available more locally to you. But most of Greater Glasgow goes to the Glasgow school.

Just ask if you want to know more. Could you start having the gaelic radio on in the background or learning a few phrases yourself - we do basic stuff at home in Gaelic and also watch TV in the language.

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aitch71 · 12/09/2006 19:45

weird. i was talking to my optician today and it turns out her two children go to the gaelic school as well, she just couldn't rave about it too much, thinks it's wonderful. oddly enough, the fact that she has sent her children there is beginning to sway my DH. that's a good idea about the telly, I'll be conscious of putting on Gaelic programmes from now on, but to be honest DD isn't at the tv-watching stage yet as she's so wee. (i do admit to sniggering as Cunntas though... what the HELL does that even MEAN?)

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harrisey · 13/09/2006 14:02

Thats good news aitch!
WHat age are her children - maybe they are in a class with my dd1!

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expatinscotland · 13/09/2006 14:04

DD1 loves the Gaelic station. They're starting a new series, too, on Tuesday nights.

DD1 has a Gaelic name. Well, DD2 as well, but hers is Irish Gaelic.

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harrisey · 21/09/2006 13:07

A - have things moved on at all for your ds2?
Mind you, my dd1 only knwe a few Gaelic phrases - colours, basic instructions - when she went into P1 and she is pretty much fluent now. So maybe it doesnt matter thatn much. My ds is in a new Gaelic nursery in Glasgow and his language has come on loads - adn so has mine as they are encouraging parents to do things in Gaelic too.

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A · 21/09/2006 20:55

There is still no gaelic for ds2 at the moment. It's frustrating because the council had promised provision for August, but actually nothing was done until we met after term began! 3 hours promised, but nothing yet (and only for the first year as well).

Ds2 has loads more language than ds1 at the same stage though, because we play around with it at home (the little I am learning...) and TV and ds1. It does mean there is no obvious route into the gaelic medium unit for anyone thinking about it now or in the future too.

Original poster
harrisey · 22/09/2006 13:27

I think you can go straight into GMU P1 with no gaelic at all - my dd1 had practically none, and do fine. But you are right, it is a shame they cant sort something out in a Gaelic speaking area.

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A · 29/09/2006 20:29

Just to say I've just been to my first mod - watching drama last week and then listening to poetry this week - it was so lovely to see children of all ages speaking / acting so confidently and naturally.

Movement on our pre school situation (I am very annoyed at the stalling tactics of the council, but that is another matter) and hope to start after half term.

aitch71 · 29/09/2006 20:52

harissey, sorry for not answering before - i didn't see your post. i think she has a ds 5 and a dd 7, something like that.
i've mentioned the gaelic school to friends and all of them have said 'but don't you need to have some gaelic connection?'
so, erm, do you? will they really let anyone in?

chipmonkey · 29/09/2006 21:12

Bran, you still get extra points for doing the Leaving Cert through Irish but your ds would qualify for an exemption from Irish if he will be over 11 years old AFAIK.

A · 30/09/2006 20:07

Hi Aitch. As far as I know anyone can ask for gaelic education. We don't have any connections specific to gaelic, but an interest in languages / learning. In ds1's previous and present nurserys/school, quite a few parents were/are non speakers, and it isn't the barrier people seem to think it is. We were encouraged to learn ourselves though in both places (currently taking evening clsses to try and keep up with ds1)

drosophila · 30/09/2006 20:22

MY BIL was educated in Gaelic. He was fluent. When he went to Uni to study Architecture he found it very difficult and spent hours translating everything into Irish and then back into English.

He has now forgotten all his Irish at 45.

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harrisey · 30/09/2006 21:06

There's no need to have any connections at all. Though we lived int eh hebrides we have no gaelic and there was no trouble. The school in Glasgow has approx 60% of children with no gaelic background, just parents who are interested or keen on languages. Aitch - weird to think your opticians younger dc could be in my dd's class!!

drosophilia - gaelic education doesnt work that way in the uk, you get a full education in English as well, so you are fully bilingual and can read/write both languages to the same level. So your BIL problems wouldnt happen here, hopefully.

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harrisey · 26/10/2006 19:06

So chuffed with my dd1 - she has been move dup reading groups at school which means she is writing sentences in Gaelic for homework and reading books that are beyond me!!!
She has also started talking to her brother and sister in Gaelic which is what we had hoped for!
Very pleased!

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A · 27/10/2006 21:27

Harrissey, that's great!

I am sure ds2 already has much more gaelic than ds1 did at the same stage because of the bits of language that ds1 now has (and that's despite still no preschool gaelic).