European Certificate in Irish (TEG) Preparatory Course

€745.00

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You can pay a deposit of €100.00 to reserve a place on the course

From 05 March 2025

3 Month course

30 Hours

2 Levels

Online

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Description

This course is a part-time preparatory programme aimed at those interested in undertaking European Certificate in Irish (TEG) exams. This course will assist learners in developing and improving their proficiency in Irish, and it will prepare learners for TEG exams. This course is suitable for anyone preparing for TEG exams in a professional capacity as well as those wishing to sit TEG exams for their own interest.

The aim of the course

This course seeks to develop learners’ confidence, ability and language skills. The course will also assist learners in using Irish in social contexts while preparing them for success in TEG exams. Learners sitting TEG exams can choose to complete an oral exam only (Partial Certification) or they can complete a full exam (Full Certification: listening; reading, writing and speaking). This course will focus on preparing learners for the oral exam but it will also develop all of the language skills required to undertake the full exam.

Levels

This course is available at two levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, namely Intermediate 1 (B1) and Intermediate 2 (B2).

Various resources are available to assist you in assessing your level of Irish. It is strongly recommended that you complete TEG's Online Language Test before registering on this course.

Course structure

This course involves blended learning:

Live online classes
Independent study on our e-learning website

Learners attend a 3-hour live online class one evening every week. In addition to 30 hours of teaching, an account is created for every learner on ranganna.com, Gaelchultúr’s e-learning website. Learners have the opportunity to complete interactive exercises on that site and receive instant feedback. It is expected that learners use this resource to strengthen and enrich their learning as they revise what was covered in class and prepare for upcoming classes.

Tasks

The learners undertake tasks throughout this course and they receive individual feedback on each piece of work submitted. This involves nine submissions of work (3 Reading Comprehensions, 3 Listening Comprehensions; 3 Writing Tasks) that are based on the various sections of the TEG exams. This feedback greatly supports learners in preparing for the exam.

Material

This course will cover the relevant materials and topics based on the TEG syllabi in order to prepare learners for the exams.

Teaching approach

Teachers on the European Certificate in Irish (TEG) Preparatory Course use a communicative, learner-centred teaching approach in the online classroom. Pair work and group work, role play activities and language games feature prominently. This approach provides learners with opportunities to practise what they’ve been taught.

Book the course

3 Month course

30 Hours

2 Levels

€745.00

Intermediate 1 (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.

Intermediate 2 (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.

Levels Day Time Start Date

Intermediate 1 (B1) Wednesday 6.15pm - 9.30pm

Space available

05 March 2025 Register now

Intermediate 2 (B2) Wednesday 6.15pm - 9.30pm

Space available

05 March 2025 Register now

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.

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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.
Every student must abide by our Code of Conduct when attending a course with us.
People under 18 years of age are not permitted to attend courses other than those specified as being suitable for those under 18 years of age. Our Child Protection Statement can be found here.