Families
Introduction
In addition to the items found in the parents section, there is a range of related material targeting other family members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbours etc. Of particular interest and possibly of the greatest benefit, are fluent Gaelic speaking grandparents, for being from an older generation, their Gaelic is generally of a much higher calibre.
Yet another innovative and exciting language acquisition course based on the hugely effective Total Immersion Plus TIP centred Gaelic In The Home courses.
And in another format the “Learning Together Family Courses” whereby families consisting of parents, grandparents, children of varying ages, uncles, aunts, cousins etc. can all come together to learn conversational Gaelic as a unit.
In this format, we envisage 5 or more families per course, as being the ideal size learning group; this arrangement ensures that everyone involved gets the most out of the course. Moreover, if any family members are already fluent in Gaelic, so much the better , as they will be an enormous asset for any family group.
New Courses For Families
Admittedly the information given here is very similar to that found in
the parents section. We are after all speaking about the family both in its immediate format but also in its wider context.
In support of the work, we now have an innovative and unique course whereby one, or even better, both parents are fluent in Gaelic and they or the fluent one, take on a tutoring role for the rest of the family learning the language. Moreover, an added attraction of this course, is that it can all take place in the family home; such a venue is much more likely to be a conducive learning environment.
Of course, one would not expect parents to instantly take up tutoring without help and instruction and to this end we have listed below three, plus two other, very helpful and highly relevant manuals for parents to consult.
- Total Immersion Plus The Students Handbook
- Total Immersion Plus The Course Handbook
- Total Immersion Plus The tutors Handbook
- Gaelic In The Home Course
- Altrum/Bumps & Babies Course
There will also be available to the prospective tutors a highly effective Total Immersion Plus (TIP) ten day tutor training course.
Email finlay@ti-plus.co.uk for information regarding where and when such courses are to be held.
Grandparents
As was stated earlier, grandparents are of enormous importance in Gaelic language acquisition and as such, this invaluable resource should be cultivated and nurtured for the good of the whole family.
And again, one would not expect grandparents to instantly take up tutoring without help and instruction and to this end we have listed below three, plus two other, very helpful and highly relevant manuals for grandparents to consult.
- Total Immersion Plus The Students Handbook
- Total Immersion Plus The Course Handbook
- Total Immersion Plus The tutors Handbook
- Gaelic In The Home Course
- Altrum/Bumps & Babies Course
- Gaelic Language Tracker
There will also be available to the prospective tutors a highly effective Total Immersion Plus (TIP) ten day tutor training course.
Email finlay@ti-plus.co.uk for information regarding where and when such courses are to be held.
Courses For The Whole Family
Based on Gaelic In The Home courses, it is our intention to provide in another format the “Learning Together Family Courses”.
In this new arrangement we will bring together a number of families, say around 30 people, who will then participate on this course, specifically designed with these parameters in mind.
One may see at such proceedings fluent/non fluent parents, grandparents, children of varying ages who may be immersed in Gaelic education and uncles, aunts, neighbours, friends etc.
The whole family concept in learning Gaelic will also pay homage to intergenerational transmission. A fundamental element in all successful language revivals, whereby Gaelic is conscientiously passed on to the next generation.
Once again, the following manuals and relevant email finlay@ti-plus.co.uk will also be of great help to the whole family course project.
- Total Immersion Plus The Students Handbook
- Total Immersion Plus The Course Handbook
- Total Immersion Plus The tutors Handbook
- Gaelic In The Home Course
- Altrum/Bumps & Babies Course
- Gaelic Language Tracker
Gaelic Language Tracker
The information given here, quite frankly is exactly the same as may be found in the parents section. The reasons for this are simple, for its value and importance as a learning tool as outlined, serves families equally well.
The Gaelic Language Tracker is drawn up and added to, on a day by day basis and over many months. In doing so, it allows both fluent Gaelic speakers and learners to measure the percentage of Gaelic they use as they go about their daily tasks. Having said that, there are a number of other, subtle benefits derived by using the tracker.
But perhaps the two most interesting advantages, are firstly, it shows how much or how little Gaelic one has used during any given day; the results will very often be surprisingly positive or negative. Either way it will give a fairly clear indication of what action one needs to take in order to improve a current situation. Secondly, and again either way, it will be an extremely effective motivating device to improve or learn more.
It is also well worth knowing that the Gaelic Language Tracker
has a very important role if one is a student on a Gaelic in the Home Course or Altrum/Bumps & Babies Course or indeed, if one is implementing a Gaelic Family Language Plan.
This invaluable document may also serve those parents etc. who attend Gaelic Family Language Plan meetings, whereupon, they can add to the tracker’s information and thus it becomes part of a permanent, highly visible and valuable record
Gaelic Activities
As a result of a whole range of Gaelic cultural and language acquisition incentive strategies, the number of people learning Gaelic, steadily grows ever larger day by day. Accordingly, we must not overlook the next but vitally important step for sustaining the newly fluent speakers which is
a range of unique, stimulating and inviting Gaelic activities that will use, stretch, enhance and support newly acquired language skills.
If we do not create such a backup for the language to be used and always in a relevant way, it will surely wither and die, almost before it has got going. It is quite simple really, if a long term or newly acquired Gaelic speaker has no place to use their language, then what’s the point of bothering with it at all?
Below is list of some of the activities under discussion.
| Sport |
Cooking |
Food preparation |
| Games |
Computer work |
Diet/healthy eating |
| DIY |
Gardening/horticulture |
Arts/crafts |
| Music/songs |
Fitness |
Walking/running |
| Boat building |
Story telling |
Community projects |
| Politics/current affairs |
Books/writing |
Exchange/UK/abroad |
| Environmental issues |
Animals |
Farming/crofting |
| Drama |
Personal appearance |
Holidays |
| Business studies |
Lifestyle/design |
Camping |
If you are interested in any of the above or indeed, if you have a special skill apropos the above, please contact us finlay@ti-plus.co.uk
Then again, we would be delighted to hear your suggestions for other activities appropriate for Gaelic, as yet not listed here.