I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 3/19/14)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change or
renew existing gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be
submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status.
Group
II. Mathematics
VII: Social Sciences
(submit
X III. Language
VIII: Ethics & Human Values
separate forms
III Exception: Symbolic Systems * IX: American & European
if requesting
IV: Expressive Arts
X: Indigenous & Global
more than one
V: Literary & Artistic Studies
XI: Natural Sciences
general
w/ lab  w/out lab 
education
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies
group
* Require a Symbolic Systems Request Form.
designation)
Dept/Program English Department/Irish Studies
Course #
IRSH 101
Course Title
Prerequisite
Elementary Irish I
None
Credits
3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Instructor
Dr. Traolach O Riordain
Phone / Email Traolach.oriordain@umontana.edu
Program Chair Beverly Chin
Dean
Chris Comer
III. Type of request
New
One-time Only
Renew X
Change
Remove
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Description of change
IV. Description and purpose of the general education course: General Education courses
must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble.
The goal of Elementary Irish I [IRSH 101] is to introduce students to the phonology and
fundamental syntax of the Irish language. This is the foundation on which a comprehensive
knowledge and fluent command of the language is built. Without this foundation, students will
not develop the conversational command to converse with native speakers nor the literary
knowledge necessary to access original literary and historical texts written in Irish. Our
ultimate goal is to help student attain a command of the language that enables them to access
the oral and literary traditions of the Irish language without recourse to translations.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group.
Criteria:
Courses must encompass the comprehensive
study of a natural language, excluding written,
spoken contemporary English, with the aim of
achieving at least a basic functional competency
in that language. The course should follow a
rigorous and pedagogically sound methodology
and practice. Language courses proposed
outside of current MCLL offerings must be
approved by the MCLL Department
The Irish language is taught according to the
principles of a teaching methodology, An
Modh Díreach (Direct Method), adapted
from the Gouin and Berlitz systems and
designed to impart a spoken and written
knowledge of the language. This is the
methodology employed in the educational
system in Ireland and at universities such as
Notre Dame here in the United States. The
emphasis in Elementary Irish I is on
conversational Irish with an increasing focus
on the written language as the student
progress to advanced courses in the
language. Class examinations and the final
examination are designed to evaluate aural,
oral, reading and writing skills.
n/a
n/a
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals.
Upon completion of the Modern and Classical
n/a
Languages sequence the student will have a
basic functional knowledge of a second natural
language sufficient to:
1. read and write if the language is
classical, such as Latin;
2. speak and aurally comprehend, if the
n/a
language does not have a written tradition, such
as Salish;
3. perform all four skills (speaking, aural
Students of Elementary Irish 1 will master
comprehension, reading, and writing) if the
the phonetics of the language, simple
language is modern and has a written tradition,
conversation in the past, present and future
such as Japanese or French.
tenses, and will do written tests and
assignments that ensure they acquire a
sound conversational and literary command
of the language. Student progress is gauged
through weekly tests and oral presentations.
The criteria for oral, aural as well as reading
and writing are more that adequately met in
this course.
4. demonstrate both receptive (visual
n/a
comprehension) and expressive (manual
production) proficiency if the language is
American Sign Language.
VII. Assessment: How are the learning goals above measured? Please list at least one
assignment, activity or test question for each goal.
1. Students take a weekly quiz that focus on different aspects of the language. The first
four quizzes are designed to test students’ knowledge of the phonemes of the language.
The remaining eight quizzes test student’s knowledge of vocabulary and syntax.
Students give two oral presentations in class and ask questions of their peers. These
presentations are graded on pronunciation, syntax, grammatical accuracy and fluency.
2. n/a
3. n/a
VIII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will
carry at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level. If the course has more than
one pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200
level), provide rationale for exception(s).
IX. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.  The syllabus
should clearly describe learning outcomes related to the above criteria and learning goals.
SYLLABUS FOR ELEMENTARY IRISH 1 FALL SEMESTER 2014
Instructors: Traolach Ó Ríordáin – traolach.oriordain@mso.umt.edu
Office Hours:
Grading:
1. Weekly in-class examinations: aural; oral; and written – 60%
2. Class presentations – 30%
3. Final examination: written – 10%
Attendance: An attendance roll will be kept and all students, without exception,
are expected to attend all classes on time. Late arrivals will not be tolerated; if
you are late without a valid reason, you may not join the class. Do not miss class.
If you accrue more than four absences without valid reason, you will drop a
grade. Missing four classes in succession will be taken to mean that you have
dropped the class.
Why Irish?
One of the functions of Irish Studies at The University of Montana is to educate
students on the Gaelic foundations of Irish and Irish-American identity and to
dispel long-held notions that the Irish are fundamentally part of the Englishspeaking world. Their categorization under this cultural rubric originated in the
Tudor period and gained increasing currency over subsequent centuries to
become a part of conventional wisdom, this despite clear evidence that the core
elements of Irish identity are not, in fact, of Anglo-Saxon provenance but
indisputably Gaelic. The popularity of Irish music, dance and the demand for
instruction in the Irish language in the United States speak clearly to this fact. The
failure to recognize the fundamental importance of Irish Gaelic culture to Irish
identity has led to misunderstanding and bogus interpretations of the dynamics of
Irish political and cultural life. Our program addresses these issues and introduces
students to the language and the culture it sustained. New perspectives on the
ideological foundation of Irish Gaelic culture permits alternative interpretations of
the 800 year long battle of civilizations, the Irish revival movement, the evolution
of Irish nationalist politics and the creation of the modern Irish state. Access to
Irish Gaelic culture begins with the language: knowledge of the language
provides an insight to the Irish Gaelic mindset and opens up the door to Irish
Gaelic literature.
Objectives: The primary objective of this course is to provide students with the
foundational knowledge necessary to acquire the highest standards of fluency in
written and spoken Irish. The course is taught according to the imperatives of a
scientific methodology of language instruction known as An Modh Díreach. This
pedagogical system was specifically designed to impart a spoken knowledge of
Irish to students and is based on the following principles: 1) To understand and
speak the language, a students must acquire a phonetic command of the language
and therefore a special emphasis is placed on pronunciation throughout this
course; 2) translation is discouraged and students are instructed to listen and
repeat so as to develop the use of the ear as an effective tool for language
acquisition; 3) good practices in language learning that not only teach the
language but shows the student how to learn the language; and 4) meeting and
working regularly together outside the classroom on oral and written assignments
using the material from class in the manner shown by the instructor is the key to
acquiring mastery of the Irish language.
Beginning Irish I introduces the students to the phonetic system of the language;
it acquaints them with the proper usage of the two verbs ‘to be;’ familiarizes them
with prepositional pronouns and their use in conjunction with the verbs ‘to be,’ in
past, present, and future tenses; teaches them a vocabulary of over 200 words;
introduces them to initial mutations as well as other peculiarities of Irish syntax
and grammar. All instruction is supported by the use of songs and poems as well
as conversational pieces that illustrate the proper usage of each particular aspect
of language. Lessons are thematically arranged to form a graduated and integrated
program so that on the completion of the course each student will be able to give
an account of family, feelings and emotions, talents and abilities, residence,
country of birth and nationality, occupation, food, clothes, weather, place of
residence, and so forth.
LESSON PLAN WEEKS 1-5.
Week 1.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Irish phonetic system: an introduction to long and short vowels.
Vocabulary: Basic introductions and greetings in Irish
Conversation 1
Poem: Tá capall ag Seáinín
Pronouns
Week 2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Class test – Aural examination of material covered in week one.
Pronunciation guide: broad and slender vowels.
Introducing IS and TÁ, the two verbs to be.
Vocabulary: Weather and activities
Conversation 1
Poem: Tá capall ag Seáinín
Pronouns
Week 3.
1. Class Test – Aural examination
2. Pronunciation Guide: diphthongs
3. Poem: Tá/bhí Capall ag Seáinín (Seáinín has a horse)
4. Vocabulary: weather and activities
5. Using the verbs IS and TÁ with subject, object and emphatic pronouns.
Week 4.
1. Class Test – Aural examination
2. Pronunciation Guide: diphthongs
3. Poem: Tá/bhí/beidh Capall ag Seáinín
4. Vocabulary: Adverbs of time, place and means
5. Using the verb TÁ and the preposition AG (in simple and pronominal
forms) to convey possession.
Week 5
1. Class Test - Vocabulary
2. Pronunciation Guide: Digraphs.
3. Poem: Tá/Bhí/Beidh Gaeilge ag an Éireannach
4. Vocabulary: Family and colours.
5. Use of the verb TÁ and the preposition AR (in its simple and pronominal
forms) to express emotions and feelings: ‘I’m sad,’ ‘He is hungry.’
6. Using ‘Bhí,’ the past tense form of TÁ, in conjunction with the
prepositions AG and AR to convey possession and express emotion and
feeling.
LESSON PLAN WEEKS 6-10.
Week 6.
1. Class Test - Vocabulary.
2. Pronunciation Guide: Broad Consonants
3. Poem: Bíonn brón orm.
4. Verb TÁ in the past, present and future tenses to convey possession,
feelings, emotions, language ability
5. Vocabulary: Emotions and feelings; Food
6. Use of the verb IS to classify: ‘I’m a German woman.’
Week 7.
1. Class Test - Vocabulary.
2. Pronunciation Guide: Broad Consonants
3. Poem: Bíonn brón orm and Is Éireannach é
4. Verb TÁ in the past, present and future tenses to convey possession,
feelings, emotions,
5. Vocabulary: Food; Language; Countries; and nationalities
6. Use of the verb IS to classify: ‘I’m a German woman.’
Week 8.
1. Class Test – sentence translation
2. Pronunciation Guide: Broad and slender consonants
3. Poem: ‘Is Éireannach é Seáinín,’ a poem illustrating the proper use of IS to
identify and classify nouns.
4. Vocabulary: Occupations
5. Using verb IS to identify: ‘I’m the German woman,’ ‘I’m the teacher.’
Week 9.
1. Class Test - vocabulary.
2. Poem: Is Éireannach é
3. Pronunciation Guide: Slender consonants
4. Vocabulary: Pastimes
5. Paragraph: Is Mise
Week 10.
1. Class Test - vocabulary.
2. Pronunciation Guide: Aspiration and eclipses
3. Poem: ‘Is le Seáinín an leabhar,’ a poem illustrating the use of the verb, IS,
and the preposition, LE, to convey ownership.
4. Use of IS with the preposition, LE, to express ownership.
5. Vocabulary: Adjectives
6. Possessive adjectives: the rules of aspiration and eclipses as they apply to
each adjective.
7. Paragraph – Is Mise
LESSON PLAN WEEKS 11-15.
Week 11.
1. Class Test – translation.
2. Pronunciation Guide: Aspiration and eclipses.
3. Poem: Tá aithne agam ar…, illustrating use of two prepositions to express
acquaintance.
4. Vocabulary: Clothes and town facilities.
5. Possessive Adjectives.
6. Preparation for Class presentation
Week 12.
1. Class Test - Vocabulary.
2. Pronunciation Guide: Double consonants
3. Poem: Tá aithne agam ar
4. Vocabulary: Furniture and body parts.
5. Preparation for Final class presentation
Week 13.
1. Class Test.
2. Pronunciation Guide: the internal ‘abh, amh, obh and ogh’ combinations
3. Preparation for final Class presentations.
Week 14.
1. Class Test
2. Preparation for final Class presentations and Revision.
Week 15.
1. Final Exam preparation.
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and
corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.