Irish Beginners 1

The following will be covered across Beginners 1 and 2:

• Greetings
• Nationalities and occupations
• Likes and dislikes
• Counting, alphabet, spelling, dates, days, etc.
• Telling the time
• The most frequent and basic structures for talking about the present
• The most frequent and basic structures for talking about the past
• Coping with basic travel situations – directions, at the airport, train station, etc.
• Talking about family, your town, holidays, clothes, your home, transport, food and drink
• Money, ordering and paying in cafes and shops
• Making and accepting invitations

The aim is for students to learn to understand others and make themselves understood in these areas. Basic grammar and vocabulary will be presented and practised in the contexts above.

The above is a sample of the core topics typically covered at Beginners level and gives an indication of the likely content of the course. The content will vary from language to language.

The emphasis of all of our courses is speaking and listening. The lessons focus on language that is required for communicating in real situations.

The lessons include whole class activities and pair or small group work, role-play, responding to short texts and dialogues and watching video clips. Grammar is introduced in context. More extensive written exercises and reading texts are normally only set as homework.

Learning is assessed informally throughout the course with the teacher providing feedback on practice tasks at the end of the course in revision and tests.

Typically, the primary language used in the class is the language being learnt.

On completion of all 2 Beginners courses, students will be able to

• communicate in the most basic everyday situations

• introduce themselves and others

• ask and answer questions about personal details such as where people live, what people know and the things people have.

By the end of Beginners 2, students will have reached level A1.1 in Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions

To study this course you will need the course book. Your tutor will advise you on the purchase of the textbook at your first class.

Éamonn Ó Dónaill (2011). Gaeilge Gan Stró! - Beginners Level. Gaelchultúr, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-9563614-4-8