Tá comhlacht arlíne bunaithe i Luimneach atá ag iarraidh deis a thabhairt do dhaoine gur spéis leo Gaeilge a fhoghlaim díriú ar phíosa beag a dhéanamh tré Gaeilge Gach Lá.
Labhair RTÉ.ie/Gaeilge le bunaitheoir Bitesize Irish, Eoin Ó Conchúir, fén gcúis go raibh sé ag iarraidh a leithéid a chur ar fáil.
Cén fáth gur bhunaigh tú Bitesize Irish?
"Bhuel, bhí mé ag déileáil le daoine ar líne ar feadh na blianta roimhe sin fiú, agus chonaic mé go raibh go leor daoine go raibh suim acu sa teanga, ach bhí i gcónaí mar thús acu nár chóir dóibh an teanga a fhoghlaim in aon chor. Bhí siad ró shean nó bhí sé ró dheacair nó ní raibh cúis lena úsáid pé áit ina bhfuil siad sa domhan in Éirinn nó lasmuigh d'Éirinn."
"Mar sin bhí fonn orm bealach nua a thógaint le giotaí beaga a dhéanamh le gur féidir le daoine an Ghaeilge a chleachtadh ach fós gur féidir leo aidhm mhór a bheith acu iad féin a chur in iúl sa deireadh, ar comhrá a dhéanamh le daoine sa deireadh. Ach tógann sé sin am, ag baint leis na bacanna móra sin. Agus is féidir céimeanna beag a dhéanamh gach lá i dtreo aidhm níos mó."
And luckily for those people along came the guardian angel, Eoin Ó Conchúir, to 'make a deeper connection with irish language and culture', as your website states, so what can people expect if they sign up for Bitesize Irish courses?
"The people who come to us to join as members to learn Irish with us do so from the heart, more so than from the mind, I think. They feel that deep connection with the culture and the language. Parents, for example, with kids in school. They have a desire to learn Irish but there is always the cultural aspect and the pride they take in that that they wish to connect with."
"So when people join Bitesize Irish there are two main parts to it. The first piece brings people through the online courses at their own pace. This is important as we all learn at different speeds, and we don’t want to pressurise people."
"The second part is that, which may even be more important or valuable than that is the sense of community, the Bitesize community. And we offer live calls in which people can choose to pursue a daily challenge. Our motto is Gaeilge Gach Lá, Irish Every Day. So they may take up a small challenge, say, to write something, or read the news, listen to a song, try to sing it, but something they can reach, depending on their own level."
"So they’re learning with and within their online community made up of a wide range of people all over the world, practicing Irish on the live calls. And we do it with a script. We have a formula we call Bitesize Beo, which involves role-playing. So you’re given your role and we go into break-out rooms on zoom where you get a chance to practice. Then the group comes back together with the teacher where there’s a chat about the roles and you can ask questions about grammar or anything you need to check."
So people learn at their own pace, and get the social support and inspiration with that community.
Tuigim gur ealaíontóir tú chomh maith agus tá tugann tú deis do dhaoine b'fhéidir píosa ealaíne a dhéanamh le léiriú cad is ciall leis an nGaeilge dóibh?
"Sea, tá dúshlán seachtaine saor in aisce againn ar Bitesize.Irish – One Week Challenge, agus an tuairim ná an rud seo faoi Gaeilge Gach Lá gur féidir leo a fheiceáil gur féidir leo an Ghaeilge a chleachtadh. Is cuma cén leibhéal atá agat is cuma cá bhfuil siad. Agus tá an sórt sin dúshláin cruthaitheacha."
"Rinne mé staidéar a dhéanamh ar síceolaíocht agus ealaín sa Scoil Ealaíne i Luimneach agus tá mé ag tarraingt sin uilig le chéile agus ceann de na dúshláin ná freagra trí péinteáil nó tríd focal nó tríd dán beag cad a spreagann iad a thaispeáint cad a chiallaíonn Gaeilge Gach Lá dóibh féin."
"Agus rinne mise é sin. Rinne mé péinteáil ola ag taispeáint cad é Gaeilge Gach Lá domsa; tá an croí glas sa lár agus an fuinneamh buí uilig mórthimpeall air sin. Mar sin, sin an spreagadh fuinnimhiúil atá ann domsa agus measaim go mothaíonn daoine é sin. Agus feicim dánta beaga álainne agus scéalta ann. Tá an One Week challenge seo ar fáil saor in aisce. Tosaíonn sé gach Luan."
An mhaith ar fad mar sin conas is féidir le daoine teagmháil libh?
"Má théann siad go bitesize.irish, sin an suíomh, agus táimid ar YouTube chomh maith, tá podchraoladh againn. Ach ar an suíomh tig leo, más mian leo, is féidir leo dul ar an One Week Challenge, an Dúshlán Seachtainiúil, agus triall a bhaint as sin."
Is féidir tuilleadh eolais a fháil ag Bitesize Irish.
