Féiniúlacht agus Inspreagadh i gcás Cúntóirí Teanga i Scoileanna Gaeltachta

San alt seo, cuirtear i láthair taighde a rinneadh ar ghnéithe éagsúla de chur i bhfeidhm Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga (an Scéim feasta) atá á reáchtáil ag an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus na Meán. Cuireann an Scéim, atá ar bun ó bhí 1999 ann, cúntóirí teanga ar fáil do scoileanna Gaeltachta d’fhonn an Ghaeilge a láidriú mar theanga labhartha i measc daltaí scoile sna ceantair sin. Ba é aidhm mhór an tionscadail taighde ná iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar staid reatha na Scéime agus ina dhiaidh sin moltaí chun feabhais a chur ar fáil. Úsáideadh ceistneoirí, agallaimh agus grúpaí fócais le sonraí a bhailiú ó pháirtithe leasmhara na Scéime. San alt seo, dírítear ar shonraí a bhaineann le féiniúlacht agus inspreagadh na gcúntóirí teanga a tháinig chun cinn sna grúpaí fócais ar ghlac 50 cúntóir páirt iontu. I gcomhthéacs na féiniúlachta, is iad na téamaí a d’eascair ó na comhráite ná féindearcadh na gcúntóirí orthu féin, a ról i suíomh na hoibre, agus ról na hoibre a dhéanann siad i dtacú leis an phobal lena mbaineann siad. I dtaca leis an inspreagadh, bhain na téamaí leis an teanga féin, na páistí a mbíonn siad ag obair leo, tacú le céad ghlún eile chainteoirí na Gaeilge agus todhchaí na Gaeltachta. Pléitear ráitis na gcúntóirí i gcomhthéacs na litríochta ar fhéiniúlacht teanga agus inspreagadh múinteoirí teanga, mar aon le cás na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta. [In this article we present data from a research project which reviewed various aspects of the implementation of Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga (The Language Assistants Scheme), which is run by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The Scheme, established in 1999, provides language assistants to Gaeltacht schools in order to strengthen spoken Irish among pupils in those regions. The main aim of the research was to evaluate the current state of the Scheme and to make recommendations for its enhancement. Questionnaires, interviews and focus groups were used to gather data from the Scheme’s stakeholders. The present article focuses on issues of identity and motivation which were discussed by the 50 language assistants who took part in the focus groups. In relation to identity, the themes that emerged were assistants’ self-image, their role in the workplace, and the role of the work they do to support their own community. As for motivation, the themes were connected to the language itself, the children they work with, supporting the next generation of Irish speakers, and the future of the Gaeltacht. The assistants’ statements are discussed in relation to the literatures on language identity and language teacher motivation, as well as the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.