Direct method is the best way to teach Irish
March 24, 2011
THE mind boggles in relation to Felicity Scott’s letter (‘Teach Irish as a foreign language — because it is one,’ March 22).
It is indeed similar to a foreign language for a lot of people, but Ms Scott seems to be somewhat confused between how to teach a native language and how to teach a foreign one. The direct method has time and again been proven as the best method for teaching a foreign language. One could argue there is too much English used in Irish language classes and more of the direct method should be used. Isn’t it through this complete immersion that we see concrete results such as in the Gaelscoileanna and Summer Colleges?
Ms Scott then turns around and contradicts herself, vaunting the success of the Buntus cainte of old, which was a communicative method of immersion using no English. Don’t you think a little continuity should be introduced to the Irish language question if we are to make any progress?
CIARAN O CEALLAIGH,
AUDERGHEM, BRUXELLES
Irish Independent – Litir chuig an Eagarthóir
