Brian Hart

Contact information for Brian Hart

Engagement!

(for even beyond the pandemic)

 

Haigh, a chairde. Welcome friends. As we struggle to keep engaged and learning during a pandemic, I’m constantly looking for way to keep folks engaged. Whether you’re new to language learning or are on your third or fourth language, it’s a different ballgame now that everything is limited to online teaching. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  1. Lower your expectations! This is a non-credit class. There are no exams. And you’re likely working per usual or have the joyous opportunity to work at home in front of your computer. Don’t expect to learn the way you learned in the classroom. Be more patient with yourself. Alter your expectation to focus on FUN rather than MASTERY. This is an introductory class that runs a brisk 50 minutes–so long as you walk away from this course with a positive experience with the language, more knowledge about it than when you enrolled, and a few words, phrases, and maybe even a verse of a song, this is progress!
  2. Utilize time between class to practice and prepare. Review material we covered in the previous class and look at material we’ll be focused on in the next class. Each page of the packet is one concise lesson.
  3. Utilize time between classes to engage with the language outside of class materials–be that listening to a podcast, exploring Irish language radio, checking out an Irish language TV program, listening to Irish language songs, or even flipping through a children’s book in Irish, these are all good ways to increase engagement and find another aspect of Irish Gaelic with which to fall in love.
  4.  Explore options to connect with other Irish language learners online. Another organization for which I teach is Let’ Learn Irish–based out of DC and Ireland. They offer weekly conversation groups based on levels to offer opportunities for you to SPEAK…or mumble and there’s always a helpful leader there to assist if needed.

Here are some links to resources:

Duolingo (THERE IS SIMPLY NO SUBSTITUTE!): https://www.duolingo.com

Irish language radio:

  1. Raidió na Gaeltachta: https://www.rte.ie/rnag/
  2. Raidió na Life: http://www.raidionalife.ie/en/
  3. Raidió Fáilte: https://raidiofailte.com/?lang=en

Irish language television:

  1. https://tg4.ie/en/

Irish language podcasts:

  1. https://raidiofailte.com/podcasts/?lang=en
  2. http://www.raidionalife.ie/en/listen-back/
  3. http://culturlann.org/teanga/learn-irish-with-us/podcast-courses
  4. https://www.headstuff.org/motherfocloir/
  5. https://player.fm/series/bitesize-irish-podcast-1636502

Irish language literature:

  1. Cló Iar-Chonnacht: https://www.cic.ie/en/
  2. Litriocht: https://www.litriocht.com

Irish Language Organizations:

  1. Let’s Learn Irish: http://www.letslearnirish.com
  2. Daltaí na Gaeilge: http://www.daltai.com
  3. Gaelturas: https://gaelturas.com/en/baile/