‘Is Féidir Linn' (Yes We Can) is a new digital Irish language resource that was inspired by the challenges parents faced while homeschooling during the pandemic.
The new project, launched in Ireland by Gael Linn, grew from a social media resource, #GaeilgeSaBhaile, that the organization created during the pandemic to support families who were home schooling.
According to Gael Linn, which supports schools in promoting the use of the Irish language beyond the classroom, the project aims to make the language accessible for all parents and guardians, regardless of their own Irish language skills or experience.
The interactive resource, which is accessible on computer and mobile devices, features everyday phrases in both English and Irish, as well as a sound-recording of each to help with pronunciation.
An bhfuil tú réidh?
Hundreds of phrases – as well as songs and rhymes – to help parents use níos mó Gaeilge sa bhaile lena bpáistí ????
Téigh trí na caibidlí anseo | Go through the chapters here ? https://t.co/F5VcEk0ei1 pic.twitter.com/XWOxHYaCFw
— Gaelbhratach (@Gaelbhratach10) April 11, 2022
‘Is Féidir Linn’ was launched by broadcaster and parent Maia Dunphy on April 11.
“This is such a useful resource for anyone hoping to use more Irish at home with the kids in their life. It’s interactive and gives families practical phrases they can use day-to-day, which is so important for language learning," she said.
“I know from my own little boy, children embrace language learning with such enthusiasm, and they’re not held back by fear of making mistakes, we could learn a lot from them in that sense.”
What a lovely time with my brilliant, funny new pals Aoife, Cherry and Dan, launching #IsFeidirLinn yesterday! Find all the information at https://t.co/YR5vBiA4cs and bring a little more Irish into your home. Maith sibh! #sp (And yes, Cherry made me try and match her jump?). pic.twitter.com/ytO4B0Qjn2
— Maïa Dunphy (@MaiaDunphy) April 12, 2022
Edel Ní Bhraonáin, Gaelbhratach Project Co-ordinator at Gael Linn, said that while homeschooling during the pandemic, many parents and guardians found themselves using more Irish with their children, some having not used the language themselves since school, or having never learned it at all.
"While it may have been a challenge at the time, we’ve heard from many who were also inspired to reignite their love and use of the language, or to begin learning Irish for the first time," she said.
“This resource has been designed with the parent in mind, as much as the child, with accessible stories and songs that lift the language off the page and the screen, to give families the language for everyday activities at home like getting ready for school or the bedtime routine. Incorporating Irish into the everyday like this is an easy and effective way for parents to bring Irish out of the classroom and into the home.”
Funded by Foras na Gaeilge, ‘Is Féidir Linn’ is available for free online here.
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