Gaelic is a language rich in culture and history and is spoken by around 57,000 people in Scotland. It’s now being taught in many schools and if you want to help your child to learn their mother tongue, here are a few tried and tested tips from parents across Scotland.
Tips to try at home
Tip #1: Gaelic labels
Put Gaelic labels on everyday objects in the house and read them with your child. Play a game asking your child to put the correct label on the objects!
Tip #2: Gaelic cartoons
Watch Gaelic Cartoons with your child and ask them to write a couple of sentences about what happened.
Tip #3: Gaelic shopkeepers
Do you know any Gaelic speaking shopkeepers? Ask your child to write a shopping list in Gaelic and then to read it to the shopkeeper.
Tip #4: Word of the day
Ask your child to teach you a new Gaelic word each day. Go through the alphabet so each word begins with a different letter.
Tip #5: Flash cards
Try putting up flashcards in the house. You can find audio files of words and sounds here so you and your kids can listen to the words while looking at the flashcards.
Tip #6: Board games
Next time you play a family board game, why not try using Gaelic words and phrases as much as you can.
Tip #7: iSpy
Try playing games such as ‘I spy’ in Gaelic ‘Chì mise le mo shùil bheag’.
Tip #8: Audio books
Listen to the audio files of reading books before starting to read with your child. That way you will be more confident of the sounds. Audio files can be found on the Gaelic4parents section of Stòrlann’s website
Tip #9: Find the word
Say a word or phrase (from the audio file of the activity bag book) and ask your child to find it in the book.
Tip #10: Out of the house
Before you leave the house, why not try making a list of some of the things you might see outdoors. Let your kids have the list next time you’re out and about and get them to count the number of objects they spot in Gaelic. You could also ask your kids to say the shapes and colours as well.
Tip #11: Family chats
Try speaking Gaelic around the house with other members of the family.
Tip #12: Silly sums
Play ‘silly sums’ with your child in Gaelic. List some numbers in the wrong order (or you could try adding them up or taking them away incorrectly). In Gaelic, ask your child to ‘put you right’.
Tip #13: Book worm
Say a word or phrase (from the audio file of activity bag book) and ask your child to find it in the book.