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I’m concerned that we won’t be able to ‘share’ the education experience in the same way.

If you are interested in learning Gaelic, your child’s first years in Gaelic-medium education are an ideal time. Your child will not judge you or correct you, and you can share the learning experience as you both reach fluency. Many local authority Community Education departments offer Gaelic courses for adult beginners, or those at intermediate or advanced level.  Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and other colleges offer intensive summer courses and distance-learning options.

You can also support your child’s language acquisition in a range of ways, for example by:

  • learning and using the vocabulary on this site
  • creating a Gaelic environment in the home with the downloadable printable    doorsigns etc on this site
  • playing the BBC’s Gaelic radio service, Radio nan Gàidheal (103.5-105FM) in the car, and in the background at home
  • accessing BBC Alba television programmes now  available on both Sky and as well as terrestrial Gaelic television programmes as and when these are shown.
  • logging onto some of the wide range of websites for young Gaelic speakers, such as www.bbc.co.uk/alba
  • enrolling your child for your local Fèis, or Gaelic arts youth festival or by basing a family holiday around a Fèis in another area – you’d be free during the day to enjoy yourself! See www.feisean.org for more info
  • enrolling your child in a Sradagan youth club, or setting up a Sradagan in your area if there isn’t one already. See www.cnag.org.uk for more info
  • encouraging Gaelic-speaking friends and relatives to use Gaelic when speaking to your children, or perhaps arranging for a teenager who has been through Gaelic-medium education in your area to ‘babysit’ for a couple of hours in Gaelic

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