Page:Handbook of Irish teaching - Mac Fhionnlaoich.djvu/47

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HANDBOOK OF IRISH TEACHING.

method may be turned to account in teaching children. Many Gaelic Leaguers are bringing up children in surroundings in which it is not easy to make them Irish speakers. Now, suppose either of the parents is an Irish speaker, and gives the children a half-hour's lesson daily for six months, using at the same time Irish phrases to them during the day, the children will, at the end of that period, know as much Irish as will entitle them to be classed as Irish speakers thereafter.

The Use of the System by Students.

Learners who understand the method may use it effectually to increase their knowledge of the language. They have but to find an Irish speaker—and, fortunately, the Irish speaker is becoming easy to find—and get their Series from him or her with a selection of subjective phrases. Suppose our learner visits the "forge" or smithy of a blacksmith who speaks Irish he may ask the blacksmith to tell him in Irish how he blows his bellows, how he makes a nail, how he shoes a horse; he can get the Series of the bellows, the nail, or the horseshoe, with all the verbs involved and all the technical terms. His blacksmith can also give him various other Series, not necessarily connected with his own trade. By suitable questions our learner may get the Series cast in any mood, tense or person he requires. He may also obtain subjective phrases by asking questions, by making remarks, and by "drawing out" his man in Irish conversation. He will have some trouble at first in getting his Series in the form required, as the Irish speaker, not knowing what