A chara, - I read Valerie Monaghan's views with delight (Education and Parenting, April 5th) as I have been expressing similar sentiments about teaching the Irish language to children and teenagers for the past 20 years.
I work as a stiúrthóir in a naíonra - an Irish-language pre-school - where all the children attending come from English-speaking homes. They acquire Irish naturally and easily through play because the language is always linked to the child's needs and interests.
Irish only becomes an object of fear and loathing later in school when, as Valerie Monaghan writes, "the initial love of learning a new language is being killed off by books, spelling and grammar". How can anyone be expected to read or write in a language they can't speak? Tuiscint, labhairt, léamh, scríobh - it's that obvious! - Is mise,
MAÍRE UÍ BHROIN,
Coill Mhic Thomáisín,
Co Phort Láirge.