LEARNER OF THE MONTH

Clì Gàidhlig website, Learner of the Month, Robyn Phuetan

There are a few Gaelic speakers in my family but I didn't start learning the language until I was in high school. I really enjoyed it as a subject and kept going to Advanced Higher level in sixth year.

When I left school last year I did an Cùrsa Comais at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Although there was a lot of work involved I would recommend this course to anyone who has some Gaelic but would like to become fluent. You have to be diligent about using Gaelic outside of the classroom and, although it was far from easy at the start, I think it made the biggest different to my speaking.

I have recently finished work-experience with Clì Gàidhlig. Comunn na Gàidhlig run a work-experience scheme to give placements to students for ten weeks during the summer. I really enjoyed working at Clì and this placement has really helped strengthen my spoken Gaelic and has given me a good insight into the work of Gaelic organisations.

I'm now going to be starting work on a distance course for a Diploma in Gaelic and Related Studies with Sabhal Mòr. I am also going to be tutoring an Ùlpan class and helping at a Gaelic playgroup.

I was recently awarded two prestigious awards.

I received the Student of the Year award at the Gaelic college in Skye, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and also the award of Gaelic Learner of the Year which was presented at the National Mod in Caithness.