San Francisco Bay Area
Irish Language Immersion Weekend

October 1–3, 2010
(6 pm Friday through 4:30 pm Sunday)

Uimhir a Dó Dhéag!
Deireadh Seachtaine Gaeltachta #12

Four levels, intensive tutorials focusing on spoken language and increasing fluency. Our teachers are native Irish speakers.

Meals and snacks provided. Continue practicing Irish over breakfast, lunch,
and dinner!

Seisiúin! Bring instruments and your voices for sessions each evening, when we'll enjoy playing music, and sharing songs, poetry, stories, and craic, as Gaeilge, as well as a dance or two. This year we also plan a special Saturday workshop for all on sean-nós singing, presented by Éamonn Ó Dónaill.

• Leibhéal 1 (no Irish, or a smidgin), for absolute beginners, and those who may have made a start already, but are still learning beginner basics.
  
• Leibhéal 2 (lag), for intermediate learners: those who've studied Irish enough to know the basics reasonably well, can participate in very simple communications, and want to increase their skills.
  
• Leibhéal 3 (sásúil), for higher intermediate students who may understand or read a good bit of Irish, yet lack practice with hearing or speaking Irish, and seek more experience and confidence to help them make that wild leap into more conversation.
  
• Leibhéal 4 (maith), do dhaoine ar mhaith leo snas a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge. Déanfar staidéar ar fhoclóir nua-aimseartha, saibhreas na teanga, litríocht, filíocht, béaloideas agus an saol chomh-aimseartha. Bainfear sult as!

Course Details:

This language course is geared to accommodate adults at all learning stages, from those just starting to those who are advanced but desire practice. There are four levels: beginner, intermediate, high-intermediate, and advanced. Class tuition is by specialist teachers who use proven methods of language instruction and are themselves native speakers. The teachers are coordinated via Oideas Gael, and travel to San Francisco especially for this course.

Each day's study time will consist of intensive tutorials with attention directed toward spoken Irish and aimed at correct pronunciation, proper idiom, and development of vocabulary, particularly contemporary language. The intention is to foster conversational ability and fluency. Between classes, over meals, and during our seisiún each evening, you are encouraged to keep practicing your Irish with people from all levels, while enjoying the craic— it is of great benefit to hear Irish spoken ‘live’ around you, taking part to whatever degree you are able! (There will be the opportunity for an extra seisiún Sunday evening after the course ends, for those who want to stay.)

Fee includes tuition and food (sandwiches, soup & fruit for supper Friday evening; cheese & Irish bread & coffee/tea available each morning; coffee/tea breaks; full meals for lunch and dinner Saturday and lunch Sunday). Out-of-town attendees to make their own accommodation arrangements. We will provide suggestions for nearby motels if needed. The course venue is the United Irish Cultural Center, in S.F.

For more information, call 510-881-5958 or e-mail cce_gaeilge@ccewest.org
—Treoraí na Gaeilge, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Cooley-Keegan Branch.