Ahead of an ambitious project to attract more people to Gaelic, LearnGaelic has today (Thursday 10th October) launched a redesigned website at the University of Glasgow as part of the Embracing change: The Future of Gaelic in a Global & Digital Age seminar for the Royal National Mod.

Created in 2011, LearnGaelic has become a constant companion for Gaelic learners, with tools and resources useful to all levels of Gaelic proficiency.

With 30,000 unique users currently visiting the site every month, this is expected to grow as a result of developments specifically designed to improve the learning experience.

Users will soon be able to quickly assess their own level of fluency to find the most suitable resources.

All levels of Gaelic learner are catered for, from absolute beginner to advanced fluency, and users can quickly and easily continue their learning journey straight from the website homepage.

LearnGaelic follows the new CLAG proficiency scale which will formally launch in early 2020. Developed by the University of Glasgow as part of the Soillse network and with support from Aberdeen University, the scale will help assess Gaelic speaking abilities for both learners and tutors and will help aid structured learning.

New videos have been produced for the website to aid pronunciation and also to inspire prospective learners to begin their own Gaelic learning adventure.

The site includes videos featuring learners who highlight different learning pathways, providing a roadmap for others who are beginning their journey into Gaelic.

LearnGaelic is a partnership of MG ALBA, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Bòrd na Ceiltis (Alba) as represented by Glasgow University, the BBC and other organisations with a role in promoting the use and learning of Gaelic. The site is operated by MG ALBA.

For more information visit: LearnGaelic.Scot and give Gaelic a go!

Quotes

Donald Campbell, CEO of MG ALBA and chair of the LearnGaelic steering group, said: “LearnGaelic is already a valuable tool for users of Gaelic but now learners at every level will be able to call upon a wealth of resources in a structured and guided manner. Every single learner will have a fantastic opportunity to find resources for them. This relaunch is a huge step in the right direction for the growth of Gaelic.”

Shona MacLennan, Chief Executive of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said, “We are delighted that LearnGaelic.Scot will follow the CLAG framework as a basis, giving clear guidance to people aiming to strengthen their Gaelic skills and to tutors. Ultimately, we aim to increase the number of people using Gaelic language and in a wider range of settings and LearnGaelic.Scot, with CLAG as a foundation will help to achieve this aim. Bòrd na Gàidhlig, in partnership with the Scottish Funding Council and the University of Glasgow, provided funding to develop the CLAG project. We would like to thank the entire team at Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities for delivering this resource.”

Margaret Mary Murray, Head of Gaelic Services at the BBC, said: “LearnGaelic is a fabulous resource for learners of all ages and stages and this refresh offers a systematic approach to learning and optimal convenience within a very attractive site. As users of LearnGaelic grow in fluency, competency and confidence we will welcome and value contributions to, and interaction with, our broadcast services, BBC Radio nan Gaidheal and BBC ALBA.”

Professor Rob Ó Maolalaigh, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Arts, Professor of Gaelic and PI of the CLAG project said: “My colleague Dr Nicola Carty and I have been delighted to work on this exciting project helping to encourage more people to learn Gaelic. We look forward to releasing new resources in the New Year through LearnGaelic to further support speakers, learners and teachers of Gaelic. By increasing levels of Gaelic proficiency, we will hopefully see more speakers using Gaelic in a wider range of contexts in their daily lives. As well as supporting the development of existing Gaelic skills, we hope that this in turn will encourage others to take up Gaelic and help increase the numbers of speakers.”