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Saturday Language Workshop, April 12, 2008

Gaeltacht Minnesota and The Center for Irish Studies offer Ceardlann 2008, a day-long workshop on the Irish language for students at all levels, absolute beginners to advanced, on Saturday, April 12, 2008.

You can download a registration form here. (This is an Acrobat PDF form. If you can't view or print the document, e-mail us with your address and we can mail you a paper form.)

We also have a flyer you can print, a very compact and simple notice. Please feel free to post a notice at your community or church bulletin board, to bring to your knitting circle, to distribute by the billions . . .

We must receive your form and payment by Saturday, April 5 (note: received, not just postmarked).

Discount Available for Early Registration!

The regular fee for the day (more info here) is $54, but you can save $5 by getting your form and payment to us by Saturday, March 29. Early registration helps us plan a better workshop, place you more accurately at the right level, and allocate resources efficiently.

So, drop off or mail your form early and attend for only $49!

Ceisteanna agus Freagraí (Questions and Answers)

Just about everything you need to know about our next Irish language workshop should be answered in one of the following links. If not, contact us with your questions and we'll get back to you with specific information.

• What is Ceardlann 2008?
• How much does it cost to attend?
• What will I learn there?
• Who should attend?
• I want to attend your Monday evening classes. Will this get me in?
• What if I've never studied Irish before, or only a very little bit?
• Can I really learn some Irish in just one day?
• How do I know I'll end up in the right class at this workshop?
• How do I enroll in the workshop?
• Where do I park?
• Tell me more about lunch . . .
• What about kids?
• I have more questions. How do I get them answered?

What is Ceardlann 2008?(back to questions)

"Ceardlann" is Irish for "workshop," a day-long event scheduled for Saturday, April 12, on the St. Paul campus of the University of St. Thomas. It is jointly sponsored by Gaeltacht Minnesota and the Center for Irish Studies of the University.

These workshops have been held for a number of years, and provide instruction and practice in the Irish language for students at all levels. Classroom activity begins at 9:00, and is completed by 4:30 (usually with a few songs).

For beginners, this workshop offers a chance to get a taste of the language without investing a lot of time or money. For more advanced students, the workshop offers a rare opportunity to use your Irish language skills in conversation with others at a similar level of ability.

How much does it cost to attend?(back to questions)

The normal fee for the workshop is $54. However, if you get your payment to us by March 29, you can deduct $5 from this fee (pay only $49 ).

This fee covers your classroom instruction, handouts, and refreshments. It also includes a box lunch -- and last year's participants were very pleased with the quality of the lunches St. Thomas provided.

What will I learn there?(back to questions)

Beginners learn how the alphabet works, how to pronounce things they see written in Irish, how some of the basic grammar works. More importantly, they start working with conversation right away. At the end of a day, you'll be able to say who you are, where you're from, and talk about people a little bit.

At the more advanced levels, working in the language and applying your knowledge of Irish becomes the focus. You'll polish up some grammar, but you'll also spend more time using the Irish you know in conversation.

More specific goals and activities for each group are worked out as we learn the composition of each class. In other words, we adapt each workshop, to some extent, to reflect the numbers and abilities of the people attending. For more about how we determine your ability in the language, click here.

Who should attend?(back to questions)

Anyone who is interested in the Irish language, whether you already study it or not. There are any number of reasons why you might like to attend this workshop:

• If you have been waiting to join our regular Monday classes, this is your next opportunity to join!
• If you've always been curious, or always meant to try your hand (or your tongue) at the Irish language, to see if you'd like to study it, this is a very low-cost way to check it out. Afterwards you may decide to enroll in a class, or to take advantage of one of the weekend-long events held in our region.
• You can be confident of learning in a supportive, friendly environment. You'll be in a group of students of similar ability, whatever your level. Beginners are generally our largest group, so if you're worried about being new to this, you'll have lots of company.
• More advanced levels are usually smaller groups at our workshops, so you have plenty of opportunities to participate, and speak, during the classes.
• We have instructors with experience in teaching all levels of students, so you can expect to get a language workout that's appropriate to your abilities.
• You'll meet the instructors from all of the main Irish study groups in the Twin Cities: Gaeltacht Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas, and the University of Minnesota. During our breaks and at the end of the workshop, you can talk with these instructors about course offerings or raise other questions about the language that interest you.
• You'll meet other students who struggle with the same problems you do: finding time to study, finding others to work with and converse with, finding materials and resources. Instructors and textbooks are not the only sources of solutions. Talk with other learners for ideas you can definitely use to help you stay motivated, and make progress, with the language.
• It's just plain fun. It's a stimulating way to spend a day, among people who share your interest, and with supportive faculty and staff, in a pleasant campus environment. The vast majority of participants at our past workshops have indicated, on our feedback forms, that they would probably attend the next workshop we held. They had a good time while learning something, and so will you.

I want to attend your Monday evening classes. Will this get me in?(back to questions)

YES! The day-long lessons in this workshop are the equivalent of the four weeks of instruction through Community Education, and qualify you to begin attending our classes.

And, of course, once you begin attending our Monday evening classes, you can continue to do so as long as you like, for free. (Workshops and special events do carry fees, naturally.)

(Students who have studied the language before should contact us, we can probably work you into an existing class.)

What if I've never studied Irish before, or only a very little bit?(back to questions)

Then this is your chance! Beginners love our workshops.

This is a perfect opportunity for you to get a taste of the language, because:

• It requires a very small investment of time and money. No books, tapes, or other materials to buy, no long term commitment, and minimal class fees. If you decide, after this experience, that you really aren't interested in studying the Irish language seriously, you've only spent $49 (if you register early for the discount) and a Saturday to find that out.
• We work with lots of beginners. Beginning students form the largest group at our workshops. Our instructors are experienced in teaching beginners, and you'll have plenty of company as you learn some basic conversation in Irish.
• You can explore the resources of the Twin Cities. Instructors from all the major Irish study groups will be at the workshop, and can answer your questions about opportunities to learn Irish. And other students of all levels can be valuable sources of information for the beginning students.
• Motivation and support can have more to do with your success in a language than books, tapes, and other resources. Our participants leave our workshops excited, ready to tackle Irish seriously -- and looking forward to attending the next workshop, according to the feedback they give us. If you start with an enjoyable, supportive class, and make connections with the instructors and students in the Irish-speaking community, you'll have the best possible beginning to your Irish studies.

Can I really learn some Irish in just one day?(back to questions)

YES! We've been at this a while, and by lunchtime people are greeting in each other in Irish. By the end of the day, you know enough to meet someone and say a few things, to sound out Irish proverbs or other material you might see, and -- most importantly -- you know whether you want to keep doing this.

How do I know I'll end up in the right class at this workshop?(back to questions)

This is a concern for both the beginner and the more advanced student. First, if you're an absolute beginner, relax, we'll put you in a class full of other people who have little or no experience with the language.

We are continually working to improve our ability to meet the needs of students at all levels. That's why we ask you to answer some questions about your language abilities on the placement section of our registration form, to ensure the best fit between student ability and instruction activities.

• When you complete your registration form, we ask you to answer a few simple questions about your experience in Irish. We also ask you to tell us whether you could easily produce several basic statements in Irish.
• As registrations come in, we review the placement information and group students into levels of similar ability. If we aren't sure where to put you, from your placement data, we may give you a call for more information. (Or we may be able to add information for students who are already known to one of the instructors or staff of the workshop.) We want to take both your ability and your confidence into account in placing you in a section at the workshop.
• Placements are not carved in stone. If, after the workshop begins, you feel that you have been placed in a level that is too hard, or too easy, you are completely free to move to the next section.

Our placement system is designed to make the workshop experience more enjoyable and more worthwhile for you. We have been fairly successful at this sort of placement in our past workshops, so most people find themselves at the right level. And if we aren't quite right, you can easily change.

How do I enroll in the workshop?(back to questions)

You enroll by sending in a registration form, with complete information, and a check.

• You can click here to download an Adobe PDF registration form to print and mail it to us. (You cannot submit your registration directly over the Web, because we don't accept registrations that don't include payment.)
• You can send us an e-mail at to request a form. Include your name and mailing address, and we will get a form in the mail to you.
• Forms are also available in our regular Monday evening classes.

Payment must accompany the registration form, and placement information is required. We need a name and contact information, payment, placement information, and meal information for each participant, so if several members of a family or group want to register together:

• either make copies of the form and mail them all together, or
• indicate each individual's placement and meal preference separately on the form you return.

You can pay for everyone with one check.

Forms must be received (not postmarked) no later than April 5 (March 29 for the $5 discount).

Very Important Note! once you send in your check, we cannot refund your fee if you do not attend. We incur expenses based on registrations received, so even if something comes up (or you forget), we will not issue a refund.

Where do I park?(back to questions)

Parking is free on Saturdays on campus, and we will send you a map to the parking area when you register.

Now, we have to offer a little disclaimer:

From time to time, St. Thomas schedules a special event that takes over the parking lot, and we usually hear about that at the very last minute, if at all.

We try to keep on top of that, and participants have always been able to find free parking for the event, but once in a while the parking lot is filled and it is a little trickier than expected. We'll have more information in the confirmation we send you.

And you can always check with St. Thomas Public Safety and Parking for more information (651-962-5100).

Tell me more about lunch . . .

Lunch and refreshments are included in your workshop fee. We offer beverages and snacks at mid-morning and mid-afternoon coffee breaks, as well as something to get you started in the morning.

Lunch is in a box-lunch format. People gather in our classrooms to compare experiences while they enjoy their meals. Our workshop participants from last year gave good grades to these lunches, they are high-quality midday meals, provided by the St. Thomas catering service.

We are offering three options this year:

1. Oriental Chicken Salad: Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast with Mixed Greens, Water Chestnuts, Red Peppers, Mandarin Oranges, Scallions, Ginger Sesame Dressing and Fried Wontons
2. Vegetarian Wrap box lunch: Hummus, Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Spinach Leaves Rolled in a Spinach Wrap, chips, apple, and cookie
3. Roast Beef box lunch: Sliced Roast Beef, Cheddar Cheese, Sliced Tomato, Horseradish Mayo on Flat Bread, chips, apple, and cookie

People sometimes ask if they can skip the lunch and pay less for the workshop, and the answer is, "No!" We view the refreshment and lunch times as practice opportunities. Students are encouraged to use a little of their Irish socially during these times, and we view these relaxed practice opportunities as integral parts of the workshop experience.

What about kids?(back to questions)

We don't have a separate section for children, but younger kids have come along successfully to several of our workshops. In fact, more and more often we see families coming to these events together, whether adult siblings, spouses or partners, or parents and children. (Sometimes the kids drag the parents to the workshop!)

Basically, teenagers are ready to take their place with adults in the classroom. We often have high school students in our classes. We think it's important that any students who do come want to be there. We don't recommend dragging a kid along who really has no interest.

For younger kids, we would want a parent or responsible adult to be with them, and we would ask you to think about whether your child can focus on these kinds of activities for an entire day.

If you have questions about whether the workshop is appropriate for your child, e-mail us with your question and phone number, and we'll get back to you.

I have more questions. How do I get them answered?(back to questions)

• You can e-mail us with questions, or
• Call Will at (763) 533-3271

Comments and questions are welcome via e-mail

(our e-mail address, broken down to reduce spam from 'spambots', is info at gaelminn dot org)