Teisteanas mu Fhoghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig: Emily Durie
Gaelic Medium Education Testimonial: Emily Durie
We moved to North Uist from England when our eldest was 10 months old. We loved moving somewhere that had such an active Gaelic culture and that we would hear the language being spoken at the coop or at the cafe next door to where we lived. So many of the locals spoke to the baby in Gaelic and it felt so special.
We now have two children and when they started nursery and then school, we felt that we wanted them to have the opportunity to understand and use the language of their home. We love that our children sing Gaelic songs whilst playing around the house and do their maths work in Gaelic as that is the language in which they have been taught it. We have done a few road trips around Europe and it is clear that the bi-lingual upbringing has embedded not only an understanding of language but also a respect for culture and change. In each country there was a clear understanding that the words we would hear would be different and their respect for this, as well as their ability to pick up and retain new languages, was a joy.
As a teacher myself I was anxious about the language gap when it came to helping my children learn at home, reading their reading books or helping learn lines for the school play. However, we have found a routine and, for us, the benefits, by far outweigh the awkwardness of Mum and Dad not understanding absolutely everything. Myself and my husband are learning Gaelic. I have attended evening classes and we both use Duolingo, it is just a shame we cannot learn at the same rate as the children!
Gluais sinn a dh’ Uibhist a Tuath nuair a bha an leanabh is sine againn deich mìosan a dh’ aois. Bha e na thàladh mòr dhuinn gluasad gu àite far an robh cultar na Gàidhlig cho làidir agus chluinneadh sinn Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn anns a’ bhùth no anns a’ chafaidh ri taobh far an robh sinn a’ fuireach. Bha mòran de mhuinntir na sgìre a’ bruidhinn Gàidhlig ris an leanabh againn agus bha sin, dha rìribh, sònraichte math.
Tha dithis chloinne againn a-nis, agus nuair a thòisich iad san sgoil-àraich, agus an uairsin an sgoil, bha sinn gu mòr airson an cothrom a ghabhail gum biodh Gàidhlig aca mar an dàrna cànan agus gum biodh e comasach dhaibh a thuigsinn agus a chleachdadh san dachaigh. Tha e mìorbhaileach a bhith gan cluinntinn a’ seinn òrain Ghàidhlig fhad ’s a tha iad a’ cluiche agus a’ dèanamh obair-dachaigh matamataig anns a’ Ghàidhlig oir ’s e sin an cànan anns a bheil iad ag ionnsachadh san sgoil. Tha sinn air a bhith air turas no dhà air feadh na Roinn Eòrpa air làithean-saora agus tha soilleir gu bheil an togail a fhuair iad, ann an suidheachadh dà-chànanach, air an dà chuid tuigse a thoirt dhaibh air cànannan agus spèis airson cultaran eadar-dhealaichte cuideachd. Anns gach dùthaich bha deagh thuigse aca gum biodh na faclan a bhiodh iad a’
