Irish Courses Online

Irish Courses Online
€220.00
From 22 January 2024
10 Weeks
20 Hours
8 Levels
Online

Description

Would you like to improve your Irish in a fun, interactive class with learners from around the world? Now you can with Gaelchultúr’s live online classes. Each course lasts ten weeks and learners will attend a two-hour class one day per week.

There are 8 different levels of the course available, so whether you’re a complete beginner or a grammar whiz, we have a course that caters to your specific language needs.

This course includes:

• 20 hours of live classes with an expert teacher
• Access to additional e-learning course on ranganna.com
• Digital handbook of high-quality material

To attend the live online classes, the only requirements will be a headset with a microphone (a USB headset, if possible), a laptop or desktop computer and a reasonably good broadband connection. A digital booklet will be sent to learners before the beginning of the course and they will be able to use this material during the classes and for studying between classes.

This course is delivered completely online so you can log in and learn Irish with us from anywhere in the world. We make learning Irish fun by creating enjoyable, engaging classes for our learners. Throughout the course, learners will have an opportunity to raise a virtual hand and ask the teacher questions. Pair work and group work activities will also be an integral part of every session.

Did you know that the content of Gaelchultúr’s courses changes every term? You can take the same level three times (in spring, summer and autumn) and the course content will be different each time!



Book the course

10 Weeks
|
20 Hours
|
8 Levels
|
€220.00

Beginners (A1) This level is aimed at those who have no knowledge of the Irish language or who know only a few words and phrases. The class is not suitable for anyone who has recently attended a beginners course or who has studied Irish at secondary school. The emphasis is on developing speaking and listening skills and grammar is taught in context for the most part. By the end of the course participants will have learnt how to engage in basic everyday interactions, talk about themselves and their background, the work they do, etc. and will have acquired a basic knowledge of grammar.

Elementary (A2) This level is suitable for those who have already attended a beginners class or who are able to communicate at a basic level in Irish (they can greet people, for example, and introduce themselves). The material covered in the beginners class is revised at the beginning of the course but the class then progresses to other topics not covered at the lower level. As with the beginners level, the emphasis is on developing speaking and listening skills and grammar is taught in context for the most part.

Lower Intermediate (B1) This level is intended for those who have studied Irish at school, perhaps a good number of years ago, who understand a great deal of the language but have had few opportunities to use it in recent years. Some basic language is taught at the beginning of the course, but the class then progresses at a faster pace than a lower level class would. The emphasis is on developing speaking and listening skills but students are also given the opportunity to read and to write the language. Grammar is taught in context, as it is required.

Upper Intermediate (B2) Suitable for people who are comfortable speaking Irish and who use the language from time to time – in a social context, for example. Participants have an opportunity to extend their vocabulary and to learn more about Irish grammar. The topics discussed in class are more challenging than those covered at the lower intermediate level and there is also a greater emphasis on reading.

Advanced 1 (C1) Aimed at those who have a reasonable fluency in Irish but who have little experience of discussing more challenging topics (current affairs and technology, for example). Participants have an opportunity to add to their vocabulary and range of idiomatic expressions and to improve their grammar. A wide range of topics is discussed in the classes.

Advanced 2 (C2) Advanced 2 is suitable for those who already have a good knowledge of Irish but who wish to discuss a wide range of topics, and to read and write the language on a regular basis. Participants have an opportunity to learn useful idiomatic and colloquial expressions and to add to their knowledge of grammar.

Accuracy in Irish 1 Aimed at those who have a very good standard of spoken Irish but whose knowledge of grammar is quite limited. There is a focus in class on basic grammatical concepts and on developing participants’ reading and writing skills. Authentic material (e.g. newspaper and magazine articles) is used and there is a wide range of activities in the class. Suitable for those who work through the medium of Irish, e.g. civil servants and teachers.

Accuracy in Irish 2 Builds on what is taught in Accuracy in Irish 1. There is a focus on more complex aspects of grammar in this higher level class and classroom activities are more challenging. Problems that regularly emerge during translation and in writing more complex texts are dealt with. Translators, journalists and native speakers, amongst others, will find these classes useful.

Levels Day Time Start Date

Our teaching approach

Gaelchultúr has developed comprehensive syllabuses and every class at every level follows these syllabuses.

The communicative approach to language teaching is used by Gaelchultúr’s teachers, giving learners the opportunity to play an active part in each class.

A strong emphasis is placed on group and pair work and learners therefore have a chance to practise what they’ve been taught. The main focus is on speaking and listening in all classes (with the exception of Cruinneas sa Ghaeilge), but reading and writing activities also feature.

Learn more about us

FAQs

You will need a laptop or desktop computer, a reasonably good broadband connection and a headset with a microphone (a USB headset, if possible). Headsets can be purchased online on Amazon and other websites.
You will be sent an invitation by email about 20 minutes before the class begins. This email message will come from Zoom, the video conferencing platform used to deliver the classes.
You can, indeed. Every learner will be given the opportunity to do a technical test before the course commences and any technical issues that emerge during this test will be resolved. You don’t need to organise this – we will contact you to arrange a time after you have registered for the course.
You can but you will not be able to participate in pair work and group work activities. It is better, therefore, to use a laptop or desktop computer, if possible.
We recommend that learners switch on their camera during class as it makes the learning experience more immersive. If you do not wish to turn on your camera, however, that’s perfectly fine.
There will be at least six other learners in the class and a maximum of eighteen people.
Pair work and group work activities will be an integral part of each class, therefore you’ll have plenty of opportunities to speak Irish. You will also be able to raise a virtual hand and ask the teacher questions whenever you like.
No. A digital booklet containing all the material you’ll need during the course will be emailed to you before the course commences and you will be able to use this booklet during the classes and for studying between the sessions. The cost of this booklet is included in the course fee. You will also be able to access all of the notes online. The beginners and lower intermediate classes are based on the books in the Gaeilge gan Stró! series but learners in those classes are not required to buy those publications. Note: Those attending Accuracy 1 and Accuracy 2 will be required to buy the grammar book Gramadach gan Stró! before the course commences. They will be able to buy this book at half price (€10), plus postage.
In the case of the beginners and intermediate level classes, there will be written exercises from time to time but the emphasis will be on the spoken language for the most part. We will teach grammar in context, as it’s required, and we will always ensure that there isn’t too much focus on grammatical rules. There will be a greater emphasis on writing and grammar in the higher level classes, particularly in the accuracy in Irish classes.

Terms and Conditions

  • Course fees may be refunded in full to a learner up to five working days prior to the commencement of the course. The refund must by requested by contacting Gaelchultúr’s staff by email or by phone. (Our contact details can be found here.)
  • If, following the first class, the student decides that he/she would like to discontinue the course, 60% of the total fee will be refunded to him/her. Thereafter, no refund will be made to the student.
  • Gaelchultúr Teoranta has the right to cancel a class or to amalgamate classes.
  • If it is necessary to cancel a class, every effort will be made to place the participants in another class or to register them for an online course. A full refund will be made to the customer if these options do not suit him/her.
  • A student may defer his/her registration only once. If he/she wishes to defer registration, he/she must notify Gaelchultúr’s staff of this by week three of the course. No refund will be made to the student if he/she does not accept a place on the next course he/she is due to attend.
  • Gaelchultúr will accept no responsibility in the event that a student registers at the wrong level. We advise our students to do our online Irish test or to seek our advice to ensure that they are undertaking the correct level.
  • If a student wants to move to another level, we cannot guarantee that a space will be available for him/her at that level. Should a space be available, Gaelchultúr will charge a €10 administration fee for making the change. A change may only be made to another level following the first class.
  • Course fees must be paid in full prior to commencement of the course. Attendance on a course is subject to full payment of fees.