Conversational Irish Start

Overview

In this first lesson of “Conversational Irish for Leaving Cert”, students are introduced to the course and practise basic, real-life Irish for greetings and simple introductions. The focus is on short, clear spoken interaction using everyday language.

Learning intentions

• Students will understand the purpose and structure of the 20-lesson unit and what success looks like in speaking Irish.
• Students will learn and use Irish greetings appropriate for different times of day and common classroom/community situations.
• Students will introduce themselves using basic identity information (name, where they are from, and a friendly question).
• Students will practise listening and speaking through pair and group interaction, showing respectful communication.

Success criteria

• I can greet someone in Irish using at least two appropriate greetings.
• I can say a short self-introduction in Irish (e.g., name and a simple fact) with understandable pronunciation.
• I can ask and respond to a simple “Who are you?” style question during a short conversation.
• I can demonstrate active listening by responding accurately in partner activities.

Curriculum links

• Communicative speaking and interaction in the target language for everyday purposes.
• Listening to short, age-appropriate spoken texts and responding in meaningful ways.
• Language learning through structured practice, reflection, and increasing confidence in use.
• Development of receptive skills (understanding) and productive skills (speaking) in a supported way.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 1–5 minutes: Welcome and course map

• Teacher outlines what will happen across the unit (20 lessons), how speaking practice will be built up, and how students will be assessed through ongoing class interaction.
• Students note the lesson goal: greetings and introductions they can use immediately.

2. 5–10 minutes: Warm-up listening (teacher model)

• Teacher models 3–4 Irish greetings clearly and naturally (e.g., “Dia dhuit”, a morning/afternoon-style option if used in class materials) with gestures.
• Students do a quick “listen and point” or “choral repeat” response to show comprehension and pronunciation.

3. 10–16 minutes: Micro-learning the greeting set

• Students learn the greeting phrases as a short set, practising with different roles: “You greet me / I greet you”.
• Teacher checks accuracy with light correction (stress, endings, and rhythm), then students repeat in pairs.

4. 16–23 minutes: Introductions—model and pattern

• Teacher introduces a simple pattern for self-introduction: name + a basic personal detail + a friendly question.
• Students practise a choral introduction, then swap a key word (e.g., name) so each student produces their own version.

5. 23–30 minutes: Partner conversation rounds

• Students work in pairs for two short rounds:
• Round 1: Greeting + introduction (Student A to Student B).
• Round 2: Reverse roles, then add one question/response turn.
• Teacher circulates using a simple observation focus: did the student greet appropriately, speak clearly enough, and respond to the question?

6. 30–36 minutes: “Find someone who…” game

• In small groups of 3, students use the introduction language to meet classmates.
• Each student must complete one interaction and report to the group using a simple sentence stem (e.g., “X is …” or “Her name is …” depending on class materials).

7. 36–40 minutes: Exit check and reflection

• Students complete a quick spoken exit check: in pairs, they deliver one greeting and one introduction, then swap.
• Students briefly reflect: which phrase felt easiest, which needs more practice, and one personal speaking goal for the next lesson.

Resources

• Teacher-prepared slide or board plan with greeting phrases and introduction pattern
• Audio recording or teacher script for the greetings and introduction model (if available)
• Prompt cards for roles (Student A / Student B), plus question cue cards
• Student speaking frame (sentence stems) printed or written on the board
• Sticky notes or mini self-assessment slips for end-of-lesson reflection
• Timer for partner rounds and game segments
• Optional: small props (name tags, classroom role prompts) to make speaking more authentic

Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment through teacher observation of partner conversations (greetings, intelligible speech, appropriate responses).
• Quick spoken exit check to confirm each student can produce a greeting and a short introduction.
• Student reflection to identify next-step target phrases for the following lesson.

Differentiation

• Support: provide a written speaking frame with key words, allow students to practise with sentence starters, and permit choral rehearsal before solo speaking.
• Support: offer pronunciation support by highlighting stress and using teacher echoing for any difficult words.
• Extension: challenge students to add an extra detail (e.g., a second personal fact) or vary their greeting with time-of-day alternatives if the unit materials include them.
• EAL/SEN: allow alternative response modes for the exit check during rehearsal (e.g., partial oral response from the speaking frame), while keeping the same conversational structure; seat students strategically with supportive partners.