Young primary school aged kids are at the best stage in life to get a good grasp on a language. For this reason, its important that kids get a good introduction to language at an early age. Lots of kids struggle with Irish all the way through school, so why not help your kids out by introducing them to a few helpful apps and websites that may just make that struggle a little easier.
While there isn’t a huge range of sites to choose from, here are a few that may be useful in helping the kids with their homework, or just improving their Irish in general:
Websites
Gaelbhratach.ie
‘Is Féidir Linn’ is easy to use and makes Irish accessible for all parents and guardians, regardless of their own Irish language skills or experience. Using phrases, stories and songs for children about the daily routines of family life, it can be incorporated into everyday family life. It features everyday phrases in both English and Irish, as well as a sound-recording of each to help with pronunciation.
Easyirish.com
Easy Irish aims to teach the language in a fun and easy way. With free podcasts covering a wide range of subjects including likes and dislikes, numbers, days of the week and much more, kids will hopefully get a good grip on the language in no time. The site also includes a few fun games for kids to play, as well as lots of useful links to Irish tv and radio stations, dictionaries and other Irish resources.
Duolingo
Learn Irish in just 5 minutes a day with these game-like lessons. Whether you’re a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo is scientifically proven to work. Duolingo lessons adapt to your learning style. Exercises are tailored to help you learn and review vocabulary effectively. Interactive exercises provide instant feedback to help you improve your Irish skills on the spot.
Cula 4
TG4 offer an educational and fun children’s section to their website called Cula4 which includes cartoons, games and competitions both in English and Irish. As part of their website they have also developed a number of simple learning apps to help kids understand the Irish language through storytelling, pictures, songs, puzzles and more. They offer a number of free apps for younger kids or for first time learners, using easy-to-follow format with pictures and words.
Ranganna.com
Ranganna.com is a user-friendly and comprehensive e-learning website that lets you learn authentic, every-day Irish independently and at your own pace. In short, it is the best place to learn Irish online. Ranganna.com was developed by Gaelchultúr and offers a wide range of courses to inspire learners of all levels to improve their knowledge of the language.
Is Feidir Liom
Is Feidir Liom is a free online service for all types of learners (adults and kids) that lets you learn Irish through simple online lessons. It teaches the basics and foundational Irish to those who have never done Irish before or have very little understanding of it. It can help both parents and kids who are new to the language which can be very helpful for those starting in Junior Infants and learning Irish for the first time.
Click here for more websites to help your child learn Irish.
