Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register on a taught course?
Use the contact form to register your interest, specifying which course you are applying for and what days/times you are available for lessons. Always check the course availability on the upcoming courses page and if you meet the course entry requirements.
How do I pay for a taught course?
I will send you an invoice. Once payment is received, I will send you a course registration e-mail with further information. Some courses and events are available for self-registration on the events-page. F
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For new students, immediate payment is due on receipt of invoice to secure your agreed lesson time slot, by Paypal or by sending evidence of bank transfer within 24 hours of booking a course. We do not reserve spaces beyond 24 hours and the invoice will be cancelled.There are no refunds once courses have been paid for and you've accepted a lesson slot. It can not be transferred to another start-date.
Can I try a lesson for free before I decide?
No. All teaching services have to be paid for.
When do I get access to the course?
You will get access to the course immediately if it is self-study. For supported study, 1-1 and group study, you will get access about a week before the course starts.
What if I dropped out, can I pick up the course where I left off in the future?
No. If you drop out of a course before completion with due notification, you can not resume with the same course at another time. You will have to sign up again and start from the beginning.
If you drop out without any notification, you will no longer be able to join any of our taught courses.
If the course says 2 lessons per week, can I do it as 1 lesson per week?
No. The course format and length can not be changed. Everything has to be completed within the booked time. If you cancel your second lesson during the week, it can not be rescheduled as there won't be any available time slots. Every month is booked to full capacity months in advance and teaching time any one week may not be exceeded.
Can I take a break from the course and come back at another time?
No. The course has to be completed within the stated time (weeks) it is booked for.
Can I reschedule a lesson?
Yes, but only if you notify me at least 24 hours beforehand. You will have to reschedule within the same week as the course may not exceed the time (weeks) it is booked for. We can't guarantee a suitable timeslot will be available as our diary is usually pretty full weeks in advance
Will I keep access to the online resources once the course is finished?
Make sure you download everything before you click the final complete button as you will no longer have access afterwards. You will not be given access again the course you already completed.
How do I know what course is suitable for me?
If unsure, feel free to book a 15 minute call so I can check what you need to move up a level. It is your responsibility to read the entry requirements for each course before applying and to provide truthful information on your ability and learner level in respect to each skill. Our conversation levels are usually be much higher than the learning level you are used to.
Can I pay in instalments?
No, the fee has to be paid in full to secure your place on a course, If you do not pay the invoice by the due date without any communication on the reason why, your reserved place on the course and invoice will be cancelled. You will no longer be able to sign up. Only apply for a place if you are absolutely sure you have the funds in place.
Do you have any busaries/grants/discounts?
We do not have funding available. You can however try to apply for funding with councils, colleges, universities or organisations who have a Gaelic Language Plan in place and support those interested in Learning Gaelic.
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The course fee has to be paid by the funder no later than 30 days before your course starts, so apply early! If the fee has not been paid on time, your reserved place will be given to someone else on the waiting list and the invoice to your funder cancelled. Your funder will be informed of your attendance and performance.
Can I reserve a place without paying?
No. Only when the invoice is sent out will your place will be reserved until payment is received in line with payment terms. If not paid by the due date, the invoice will be cancelled, your place will be given to someone else and you will no longer be able to join our courses.
Can I put my name on a waiting list?
Occasionally I will open a waiting list for a course or an event and registrations will happen at a later date.
Do you offer anything else / conversation outside the listed courses?
No. With thousands of Gaelic learners looking for conversation opportunities, we do not have the capacity to offer more than we already do. All our courses are structured as they have proven to deliver the exact results you are looking for.
Can I arrange an online lesson in the evening or weekend?
We do not provide 1-1 online lessons outside business hours as we work on the croft in the evening, especially during and after lambing time plus we run evening group classes and Gaelic immersion events as well. You can visit us on the island or in Glasgow and if we are free, book sessions.
I just want to speak Gaelic. Do I have to do a course, lesson preparation and homework?
Yes. We only run structured courses as the give the exact results you are looking for. Tasks completion is a pre-condition to access each lesson. Late submissions won't be reviewed and the cancelled session will be deducted from the total amount of lessons booked.
I don't want to work on pronunciation or work in your dialect.
Speaking Gaelic and keeping the language alive is a big responsibility. Out of respect for the language and the diverse dialects of the Gaelic Communities, you are expected to make the effort to learn to speak Gaelic in our dialect in our lessons (Uist/Skye Gaelic only used). If you want to work in another dialect, you need to find another course provider. This is to prevent the bastardization of dialects and protect minority dialects from being erased by a more dominant one.
I need help with a course run by another course provider, can I book some lessons?
We don't provide support for courses run by other course providers. You can however sign up to one of our courses at the appropriate level, which in turn will help you get higher grades on the other course.
Can I get help preparing for my Gaelic College/University exams?
You can sign up for one of my courses at appropriate level, which in turn will help you get better grades on the other course. We are teaching students who are similtaneously studying at SMO, Glasgow / Edinburgh / Aberdeen University and AGA (Atlantic Gaelic Academy). We do not offer support for SQA Nat 4-5-Higher exams.
Can you teach me any dialect?
No. We teach Skye/Uist Gaelic only. It is your choice which dialect you want to acquire eventually but whilst doing our courses, everyone uses the same language which facilitates faster progress.
What happens if someone in the group is holding everyone back by not doing preparation work or tries to dominate the lesson by attempting to work outside the syllabus scope or learner level all the time.
All students have to prepare in order to access the lesson and not to work beyond the course level. Only questions on the course syllabus are allowed. Any questions relating to other levels of learning will be dealed with in other courses.
Does everyone get equal chance to speak during a lesson? Do I have to speak?
Yes, we plan every lesson carefully and make sure everyone gets an equal amount of uninterrupted time to speak Gaelic. The lessons are not lectures where you can sit back and listen or where you are muted throughout. Everyone is expected to equally participate and interact when required. Don't worry about making mistakes, you are here to learn.
What if another students tries to contact me privately?
It is upto students to decide if they want to meet outside the lessons and I do not take responsibility for that nor will I distribute student's details at any point (in line with GDPR). If you are a site member, you can keep your profile private as well if you prefer.
If you get a request to connect, you can either accept or politely decline. Should the other person persist in sending you messages or pressure you to connect, you can report it to the police who will give you further guidance.
Could you share my promotion/request with everyone on your database?
No. Under our Company Privacy (GDPR) Policy, we do not allow the use of my database for promotions or other purposes by external parties.
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Can you translate something for me?
No. We are a school, not a translation business.
You can contact a certified translator for a quotation. e.g. Akerbeltz (Michael Bauer).
Can I pick your brain about something? It won't take long.
No. All our business services and work time have to be paid for, just like you get paid for all the work you do. Every year we have over 150,000 requests with so-called 'small' requests, each taking up at least 15-30 minutes of our time (that is a lot of full-time unpaid working months). We are a small business and need to pay our bills at the end of the month as a priority to survive. There are plenty free courses out there to help you learn Gaelic as well as a great choice of learning providers offering courses with tutors who are paid to help with your questions.
Could you help me with a project?
If the project is mutually beneficial and isn't a conflict of interest with the running of our own business, I will review the offer of a collaboration. As my business works at full capacity, there may not be enough time available to take on projects from third parties.
Are you hiring anyone?
At the moment, we don't have the capacity to hire anyone. We do sub-contract projects and give work referrals where possible.
Can I visit you on the island?
Check the Upcoming Courses page and North Uist Lessons page for our availability in the office for face-to-face lesson.