I was recently introduced to the book/CD ''Bróga Nua'' by Aine Ni Shuilleabhain. This is all about enjoying Irish with young children. It includes 100 rhymes and songs, 2 C.D's and English translation.
It was a very easy book for Kerri and I to pick up and work through with our children in a fun way. I really enjoyed letting the CD run while we played in the playroom together. Every now and then I would take up the book and spend some time singing the songs with the CD. The girls would listen and turn the pages to look and discuss the images of the book. I personally found it to be a very child friendly book.
The book is aimed at all those who wish to introduce Irish in a fun and playful way. I loved that;
You do not need to be an Irish speaker to use this resource. All instructions are in English.
I liked that it included festival/ celebration songs such as Happy Birthday and Halloween songs. I found it great for exposing my children to Irish vocabulary in an easy and fun manner.
Above shows how easy the book is to use, and how the cartoon images make it approachable for the non Irish speaker and introducing a young child to a new language.
The book is colourful, bright and enticing to the reader. I liked how it could be used by a playschool/Montessori or primary school. For example there are lunchtime songs/rhymes to sing. With repetition these songs would be learned in time and enjoyed by teachers and pupil.
I suppose it is worth mentioning that parents should not just expect children to speak Irish over night. Aine Ni Shuilleabhain was very realistic when informing me of how children learn language and that is through play. There is a natural order to language learning: listening, understanding, isolating words, phrases and sentences. We can of course help our children acquire Irish naturally by joining the children in their work and activities and singing or reciting the many rhymes /songs that occur throughout the book.
The adult's job would be the introductory use of the language and bringing the children, through daily repetition, to the stage of understanding before they reach the actual stage of acquisition and mastery. The children will most of all enjoy the new words and sounds and gradually make their own of the sentence structures and vocabulary they hear in daily use and of the songs and rhymes that appeal to them.
It is important to understand the 'Silent Period' in acquiring language. We see this with our own children. Theorists believe that it can take one to two years before children begin to speak the new language. It also depends on the personality of the child. Krashen (1992) ''It is important to let children take time to 'simmer'. There is a dormant stage to language learning. First children absorb language. Later they begin to speak.''
We both loved this book! We get great use from it at home and in the car on our daily travels. We are giving away a copy over on our Facebook page, make sure to check it out!! #GIVEAWAY
To order your copy contact Aine @0876334084 or email: enjoyirish@gmail.com or broganua@gmail.com
Twitter is https://twitter.com/HowToEnjoyIrish
Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/BrogaNua
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Thanks for reading,
Orla & Kerri Xx
