Page:Handbook of Irish teaching - Mac Fhionnlaoich.djvu/19

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HANDBOOK OF IRISH TEACHING.

SÍNIM. Out = AMAĊ, SÍNIM AMAĊ, SÍNIM AMAĊ. The word for take hold, is BEIR, to seize or grasp, BEIR, BEIR, BEIR. I take hold = BEIRIM, BEIRIM, BEIRIM, BEIRIM. I shut has been already given; you remember it: DRUIDIM, DRUIDIM, DRUIDIM. Return is FILL, FILL, FILL; I return, FILLIM, FILLIM, FILLIM, FILLIM, FILLIM, FILLIM. Sit down is SUIḊ, sit, and SÍOS, down, SUIḊ SÍOS, SUIḊ SÍOS, but I sit down is SUIḊIM SÍOS, SUIḊIM SÍOS, SUIḊIM SÍOS.

Having brought my pupils successfully over the verbs, I give them a little rest, so that they may assimilate what they have just heard. Relaxation is afforded by change as much as by idleness, so I utilise the pause by introducing a few sentences of another sort, very few at a time, but these will be constantly used thereafter.

ÉIST LIOM! ÉIST LIOM, A ĊAILÍN. TÁIM AG ÉISTEAĊT. TÁ GO MAIṪ; MAIṪ AN CAILÍN ṪÚ.

These sentences I explain to the class and repeat until they can be spoken by each member. I also write them on the blackboard, and thereafter they pass into our ordinary language, so that we have already begun to teach the subjective and abstract language. I now return to the verbs and teach them over again, indicating the actions by pantomime and repeating the words. I may or may not return to the English explanations, as I judge that they are required. But I take care to repeat the words in Irish. It is one of the principles laid down by Gouin that telling is not teaching, and we rest everything on constant repetition with such gestures or emphasis