Second-language Acquisition of Irish and the Role of Reading

Abstract

A variety of sociolinguistic factors significantly affect success in promoting the acquisition of Irish as a first (henceforth L1) and second language (L2). These include societal attitudes toward Irish, parental support for Irish, teacher proficiency in Irish and pre-service preparation to teach it, the type of instructional methods adopted, the availability of appropriate materials and competing demands in schools. Given the small numbers acquiring the language as their first or dominant language, the majority of those engaged in learning Irish today are learning it as a second or foreign language. Here, we consider the sociolinguistic context of Irish language acquisition in today’s Ireland, with particular emphasis on L2 acquisition and the role accorded to the development of Irish literacy in L2 contexts. We discuss the shift of focus in primary and secondary education to the development of oral language skills, which, in the context of continued losses in the native speaker population and limited exposure for L2 learners to Irish outside the classroom, has contributed to a serious decline in Irish reading, with concomitant negative effects on overall language skills. We argue that literacy in a second language offers a lifeline for minority languages, especially where learners are dispersed or have limited access to other proficient speakers, as is the case in most areas of Ireland outside Gaeltacht regions.