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Comunn Féis An Eilein
News
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Focus Group Evaluation of TIP
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Focus Group Evaluation of Total Immersion Plus (T.I.P.) classes in Christmas Island, Baddeck and Sydney
Christmas Island, April 8, 2006 1:00 B 3:20 p.m.
Background: Féis an Eilein applied for Gaelic Activities funding on behalf of three communities, Baddeck, Christmas Island and Sydney, to run T.I.P classes from October until December. Classes continued after the program was completed, with support from the Gaelic College. Instructor Angus MacLeod rotated between the three communities through the week: all three communities came together in one of the communities on Saturday.
Number of total participant in three communities B 45-60
Classes concluded on April 8 in Christmas Island.
Participants at the evaluation session: Angus MacLeod, Fr. Francis Cameron, Jim MacNeil, Florence MacIsaac, Debi MacNeil, Allison MacKenzie, Colette Thomas, Kaye Anne MacNeil, John MacNeil, Janet Cameron, Beth MacNeil, Clare MacNeil.
Facilitator and report writer: Frances MacEachen (Note: italicized comments in parentheses are comments expressed during the presentations back to the whole group.)
Purpose: To obtain feedback on the T.I.P program you attended and to seek suggestions on ways future T.I.P sessions can be improved.
Ground Rules:
$ No need for consensus
$ No right or wrong answers
$ Every contribution is valuable, even negative ones
$ Report will distributed back to participants and will be shared with Comhairle na Gàidhlig and other T.I.P organizers and groups.
Question #1
What did you like about your Gaelic Course?
Group #1
$ Angus MacLeod B (Without Angus we wouldn=t have T.I.P. He took a gamble and started using this new methodology. Angus acknowledged Féis an Eilein, which applied for funding and co-ordinated the project).
$ The group being comfortable.
$ Focus on speaking B no reading, writing or grammar.( Methodology makes people comfortable, yet it forces you to speak the language.)
$ Thematic approach (that they were working on a special task or focussing on a specific topic each class, e.g. preparing food, gardening, playing cards etc.)
$ Classes relate to everyday life.
$ Input from the native speakers! (Several said that it would be great to see more native speakers attend. They noted that the classes seemed to be greatly enjoyed by the native speakers who attended and returned to every session.)
$ Seeing obvious progress in students (Angus MacLeod said that he liked seeing the obvious progress in participants, Ahow quickly students are picking it (Gaelic) up.@ He said T.I.P renewed his interest in teaching Gaelic.)
$ Seeing the fluent speakers enjoying themselves.
$ It was fun and informal. (There was discussion on how the methodology brings out a lot of laughter and fun.)
$ Courses were in our own communities.
$ Connections made between communities
$ Inclusive to all ages and different levels.
Group #2
$ Method and delivery . . . props, signs, visual clues command attention.
$ Sessions in Gaelic (3-4 minutes). Hearing expressions, idiom, songs, refreshing learning new material.
$ Having native speakers talk amongst themselves. Hearing them speak to each other (in card games, ceilidhs). (Presenter from this group said it surprised him how much he learned from just listening to two native speakers talking as they played cards. Also when they role-played a ceilidh, they said it was great to hear two native speakers do this in their own language. Participants said opportunities for learners to hear two native speakers speak naturally is not easily accessed outside of T.I.P.)
$ Support and encouragement to speak Gaelic. (Every one was supportive of each other).
$ Adjust the level of instruction to the ability of the students (Participants at the end were making up their own stories and telling them to the others. They used as an example a story Janet made up and told the class that morning. Participants really enjoyed her story. One participant said that in other classes, in writing a story you are limited to words you can spell.)
Group #3
$ They listen more attentively when Gaelic is spoken. Rather than just hearing it. (Learners find as they progress they are able to pick out words.)
$ Socialization
$ Helped us to think in Gaelic, rather than translate.
$ Learned to appreciate the humor of Gaelic, that isn=t always present in English.
$ Good to hear a variety of expressions.
$ Positive attitude of participants. (Creates a very relaxing learning environment.)
$ No pressure (their emphasis). You=re not afraid to make mistakes.
$ When you are struggling to say something, people are supportive.
$ Love no reading or writing.
$ Interaction between participants.
$ Encourages Gaelic conversation.
$ Everyone is on an equal level. (You didn=t have to have a university degree. Whether you had a university degree or Grade Six, it didn=t matter. Everyone was the same.)
$ Insistence on Gaelic only spoken (Big Plus)
$ Use of props is good.
(I asked Flora MacIsaac, a native speaker, how she felt about the classes. She said the classes were good at making her think of Gaelic words. Before the class, she was not using Gaelic much any more. She started to use Gaelic more since taking T.I.P. and described talking to her cousins on the phone in Gaelic and being surprised at how much Gaelic they had. Janet Cameron, whose first language was also Gaelic, agreed that the course made her think of words in Gaelic. AThe words are returning,@ she said.)
Question #2
(Participants assembled in groups different from question #1 to discuss this question.)
What would you do differently next time?
Group #1
$ (They would like to see) more use of verbs in different tenses
$ More field trips (in the discussion they noted that having this during the winter hinders the opportunity for field trips.)
$ Introduction to T.I.P B Basic phrases needed such as I don=t understand . . . Can you say that again . . .What=s the word for . . .
$ Show & Tell
Group #2
$ Continue to add on to hands-on activities
$ Continue encouraging everyone to speak a little more
$ Continue with the simple methodology, small groups and repetition.
$ On-going access to funding. Equal access for everyone regardless of income. (Participants began talking about the constraints of time and money for T.I.P. Because the second part of their T.I.P program had a different funding structure, participants had to pay extra for Saturday sessions. They noticed a drop in attendance at the Saturday session. Some participants need to work, so can=t put in the time to learn Gaelic intensively through T.I.P. One participant suggested Gaelic should be considered a skill to learn, and, as with other skills, there are programs to pay people to learn this skills. They noted that a case would have to be made to tie Gaelic into the economy. )
Group #3
$ More input from students re: next class (Angus said that as a teacher he would check in with students to prepare what they would like to work on for the next class).
$ Separate Classes (Group #3 had various opinions on the pros and cons of having separate classes for pure beginners and those that had some Gaelic. The groups said that it may be beneficial to provide a two-day to one-week course to pure beginners called an Introduction to T.I.P. B similar to Point 3 of Group 1. The group noted that in some of the classes, pure beginners dropped out and also expressed some discomfort with the methodology.)
$ No English at dinnertime!! (Angus strongly recommends this.)
$ Question and Answer period (in English) at the end of the class.
$ More movement.
Question #3
Due to time constraints, we did not break into small groups to discuss this question, but discussed it as a group.
What are the most important actions to take now to move T.I.P. forward in your community?
$ Speak Gaelic in public.
$ Create opportunities to speak Gaelic (Christmas Island group may meet one morning for coffee in Beaver Cove restaurant.)
$ Sydney group is meeting on May 15 to discuss their next step. May also gather somewhere in public to speak Gaelic.
$ Baddeck group had discussed meeting regularly to do activities in Gaelic.
$ Make inexpensive videos
(The discussion on actions brought forward discussion on wants and needs.)
$ Need separate funding for T.I.P. (Can this be connected with Department of Education, HRSDC?)
$ T.I.P. house or centre in Christmas Island (Some difficulty was expressed in running these courses in an actual home. Tutors not comfortable using props in other people=s home; what do other members of the family do when course is on?; difficult to get a home big enough to accommodate 15 people. . . Note: Christmas Island course was held in the fire hall, Sydney course was at Taigh nan Gaidheal and Baddeck was in a home)
$ Need more tutors
$ Need to train someone who can train tutors
$ All groups would like to have more classes
$ Now is the time to act, not to study. (Refers to government.)
Closing comments: Need to get the feeling (of Gaelic language and culture) into the community. Spread the good news of Gaelic culture. Re-attach people to their roots.
Facilitator=s observation: There was great energy in the discussion on how TIP is an enjoyable, effective way to learn Gaelic. Group was positive and had great confidence in presenting their points. Seemed to be strong consensus that TIP was good for them and their communities.
When it came time to discuss actions, participants seemed to be unclear as to how to access resources needed to move TIP forward and whose responsibility it is to do this. Better communication is needed on the role and responsibility of individuals, community organizations, Comhairle na Gàidhlig and government (this would include my position as Gaelic Cultural Officer and the new Minister Responsible for Gaelic Initiatives) to move T.I.P. forward.
A very stimulating and productive session with much valuable information collected. |
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