Seachtain na Gaeilge runs during the first few weeks of March each year. It is an international festival to celebrate Irish language and culture. Here are some ideas for integration across different subject areas;
Gaeilge
- Choose a theme. The children then draw some pictures based on the theme and add 5/6 speech bubbles with key phrases and labels with key vocabulary.
- Try to use as much Gaeilge neamhfhoirmiúil as possible.
- Choose a Gaeilgeoir na Seachtaine
- Frásaí an lae – choose a different phrase each day/ every second day to teach the children
- Choose a section of the day/ a day during Seachtain na Gaeilge and only speak Gaeilge during that time. Encourage the children to do the same. (Set it as a class challenge!)
Art
- Choose some ‘seanfhocal’ and get the children to illustrate them.
- Celtic art
- Design a poster/leaflet advertising a visit to Ireland
- Create a poster showing what it means to be Irish
- Choose a landmark – draw it, construct it.
Music
- Teach the children songs as Gaeilge; Trasna na dTonnta, Beidh Aonach Amárach, Báidín Fheilimí, Oró Sé do Bheatha Abhaile, Amhrán na bhFiann or popular songs as Gaeilge – lots of options from Coláiste Lurgan here.
- Irish instruments – harp, pipe, tin whistle, fiddle etc. (Ask About Ireland – here.)
Drama
- Dramatise an Irish legend such as the Salmon of Knowledge
- Create a short drama based on one of the themes – children can use key phrases/vocab to create their own drama
Maths
- Teach a maths lesson as Gaeilge
- Can the children count as Gaeilge?
- Add, subtract, multiply, divide as gaeilge (Make a ‘tables champion’ type game!)
- Can the children tell the time as Gaeilge? Do they know the days of the week?
P.E.
- Do the warm up as Gaeilge- Bígí ag …..
- Irish dancing – teach the walls of limerick, siege of ennis, shoe the donkey etc. (PDST link here.)
SESE
- Learn the counties as Gaeilge
- Give directions
- Choose an Irish landmark – write key facts about the landmark, design a leaflet advertising a visit to this landmark
