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Ag múineadh Béarla, ach ag scaipeadh cultúr na hÉireann

| fionnuala |

Aoife Ní Chrualaoich

Chaith mé an bhliain seo caite sa Fhrainc mar chúntóir teanga agus anois, oibrím mar mhúinteoir Béarla (TEFL mar a déarfá) in Éirinn. Is iad príomhaidhmeanna an dá ról ná cabhair a thabhairt dos na heachtrannaigh ag foghlaim an Bhéarla mar dara teanga, béim a chur ar an ngné labhartha agus an rud is tábhachtaí, do chultúr féin a roinnt leo.

Cheapfá go forleathan gur ionann an Béarla agus an cultúr Briotanach nuair a bhíonn daoine ag foghlaim an Bhéarla mar dara teanga. Aontaím leis sin i slí ach caithfidh mé a rá, ó mo thaithí féin, níl gach scéal cosúil leis sin. 

Thóg mé an deis chun an Béarla a mhúineadh sa Fhrainc chun níos mó taistil a dhéanamh ar dtús, an Fhraincis a chleachtadh, gan amhras, ach chomh maith leis sin, an cultúr Gaelach a scaipeadh thar lear. Ní gá a rá go bhfaightear fianaise na nÉireannach i mbeagnach gach cathair thar lear, ach an bhfuil eolas ag daoine ar ár gcultúr (seachas cultúr an óil), ár stair agus, níos tábhachtaí fós, ar ár dteanga féin seachas an Béarla? Bhí suim láidir agam a fháil amach cad a fhoghlaimíonn daltaí meánscoile Fraincise faoi Éirinn agus faoi thíortha eile ina labhraítear Béarla. Tá sé soiléir go bhfuil i bhfad níos mó faoin dromchla i ngach tír ina bhfeidhmíonn an Béarla mar an chéad teanga. Mar shampla, muintir na hAstráile. Tá blas iontach agus uathúil ar a gcuid cainte, agus ar ndóigh, tá stair fhíorshuimiúil acu freisin, le nósanna agus traidisiúnta difriúla, ach faraor, ní mhúintear mórán faoina gcultúr féin sna scoileanna. 

Is é an ghné is fearr de mo phost sa Fhrainc ná gur bhuail mé le go leor comhghleacaithe ó áiteanna difriúla; daoine ó Cheanada, ó Mheiriceá, ó Albain, ón Bhreatain Bheag agus ón India. Maidir leis na daltaí, caithfidh mé a admháil go raibh ionadh orm faoin méid a bhí ar eolas acu faoinár dtír. Bhí a fhios ag gach aon dalta faoinár dteanga féin agus an tábhacht a bhaineann leis. Bhí cúlra difriúil ag go leor daltaí, labhair siad cúpla teanga sa bhaile agus dá bharr sin is daoine an-oscailte iad ó thaobh na teangacha agus an bród a thagann leo. Chun a bheith macánta, bhí níos mó ceisteanna acu faoin nGaeilge ná mar a bhí acu faoin mBéarla uaireanta!

Faoi láthair, táim lonnaithe in Iarthar Chorcaí ag obair le scoil Bhéarla agus is iontach an rud é a bheith in ann ár nósanna agus ár dtraidisiúin a thaispeáint dos na daltaí. Cé go bhfuil béim curtha ar an mBéarla, faightear ceachtanna soiléir faoi stair na hÉireann, na comharthaí Gaelacha timpeall na háite, agus béaloideas na tíre.

Mar sin, cé go gcuireann na cúrsaí sin béim ar an mBéarla mar theanga chumarsáide, aithnítear go forleathan go bhfuil sé fíorthábhachtach freisin an cultúr Gaelach agus an Ghaeilge a scaipeadh i measc na heachtrannaigh trí na cúrsaí sin. Nuair a roinnimid ár dteanga agus ár gcúlra le daoine ó thíortha eile, cinnte bíonn meas níos doimhne ag daoine ar an tír agus ar na hÉireannaigh timpeall an domhain. Má tá deis agat ár gcultúr agus teanga a scaipeadh le daoine trí aon teanga, tóg é!