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03/15/2005: "Review of Irish language teaching"

The Irish Language Commissioner, Sean O'Cuirreain has reportedly called for a review of how Irish is taught in primary and secondary schools. His advice is contained in his first annual report as Commissioner.
"Reports this morning said Sean O'Cuirreain had advised that such a review was essential if the State was truly committed to promoting the Irish language."
If the state was committed to promoting the Irish language such reviews would be done 20 years ago and new systems implemented! Sean is spot on, after learning Irish for approximately 13 years few of us can speak it fluently, we should be ashamed and the government should be bloody ashamed of our poxy education system especially the way Irish [and other languages I might add] is taught.
I am constantly amazed at the fluency level Finnish people achieve in English after just a few years of school. I even know some people who never finished school (roughly our secondary school) yet have fluent English. What are they doing so right that we are doing so wrong? How is it that we learn the language for 2-3 times longer yet can't achieve close to the same level of proficiency? Is it simply students attitude to the language? Teachers attitude? Society's? Or is it attitude at all but just an education system that is failing us? Our useless shaggin government needs to get the finger out.
I have to go for a coffee to get the blood pressure down.