Early Steps in Bilingualism: Learning Irish in Irish Language Immersion Pre‐Schools

Abstract

In recent years there has been a growth of interest in Irish language immersion education at every level, including preschool. This article examines the process of the acquisition of Irish as a Second Language in Irish‐medium playgroups (naíonraí) and looks at the role of both the children and their teachers. Data was gathered from two naíonraí in Dublin. The analysis is based on the initial stages of Second Language Acquisition as identified by Hatch and Krashen in the Discourse Analysis tradition. The role of the adults in providing simplified comprehensible input, contextual clues and a supportive atmosphere is found to be significant as is the regularity of routine interactional situations and activities and the language used within them. The active role of the child in language acquisition is emphasised and the need both to allow natural progression to take place and to create opportunities for speaking in the Second Language is highlighted.