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Do you attend your local Irish Gaelic classes? Why, or why not?
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11 thoughts on “[Email] Yes, I have local Irish Gaelic classes”
In Madison, WI we have beginner Irish language classes once a week for a semeseter through the University’s dept. of continuing studies. http://www.wisc.edu/dcs The rest of the year, and for more advanced levels, they sometimes arrange to keep meeting with the instructor Dineen Grow at a coffee shop. pub or her house to keep learnig. Anyone in the Madison are who’d like to know more can look on http://www.celticmadison.oom. There should be a link there to the Celic Cultural Center with more language info.
Yes, there are. The Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (Official School of Languages) in Madrid, Spain, which is a public, state-run institution, offers Irish classes (among other languages, more than 20). You can choose one of two options: either two hours on Mondays, two hours on Wednesdays every week and two hours a Friday per month or two hours on Tuesdays, two hours on Thursdays every week and two hours a Friday per month. A one-year course costs around 100 euros, and there are six levels. There is no possibility of a shorter course. I did level 1 and passed with a fair note. We had grammar, reading and writing on Mondays and Wednesday, and Fridays were focused on conversation.
Boston’s Cumann Na Gaeilge offers classes at the beginner, “ongoing” beginner, and advanced levels with a few different instructors. Currently, classes are held in the Dorchester and Brookline sections of Boston – an hour’s drive for me, but fairly central for many people. The skill of the instructors, both in the language itself and in teaching skill varies. I like to have both class instruction and online lessons to supplement. I find Eoin’s combination of phonetic spellings and audio recordings most helpful with pronounciations. I need to see it (phonetic spelling) and hear the words. I also find the organization of the lessons very helpful and motivating. The quizzes let me know that I need to review and to write out the words/phrases to test my mastery.
Joan, a chara, thanks for the nice feedback!
The DFW Gaelic League of Dallas has classes in Dallas,Lewisville, and Allen,Texas.
Here in Oklahoma City there is an informal class taught at Sean Cumming’s Irish Pub twice per week that I attend when possible. I use a supplemental book/cd program and plan on utilizing an online course as well.
At the Irish Cultural Center in downtown Phoenix.
The Elms College in Chicopee, Mass. hosts a couple of classes, one beginner, one more advanced. Recently, they have had as guest professors, two young men from Galway, native Irish speakers, who taught students at the college as well and interested folks from outside the college. I took classes there for about 5 years, but gave up b/c I’m hopeless with it!
Lynn, I don’t know, but you might speak more than you think! But since you’re around here you obviously are still interested in Irish. Are you going to try once again?
My local community college (Brookdale in Lincroft, NJ) has Irish language classes. They are organized by Daltaí na Gaeilge, a nonprofit corporation founded in 1981 that is dedicated to promoting and teaching the Irish language. The classes are given weekly in four sessions, for a total of 24 classes per year, and at four levels (beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate and advanced). I attend these classes (currently intermediate level), but that still leaves 28 weeks without classes. I try to supplement by reading Irish-language publications and using Rosetta Stone.
Gaelic League Detroit sponsors a class which meets monthly. I live 65 miles away and often fear to drive that far in our nasty winter weather. Winter lasts 4-5 months here.
Also the class has not gelled. There is no set curriculum. And I already have “cuple focal” and aim to actually converse and read Irish.