This presentation examines the practices and pedagogical preferences surrounding form-focused instruction (FFI) within the context of minority language education in Ireland, with a specific focus on the Irish language (Gaeilge) in post-primary Gaeltacht schools. While FFI plays a crucial role in improving grammatical accuracy and language proficiency, many teachers in Irish-medium settings lack formal training in this approach. Utilising a cyclical action research design, which incorporates qualitative interviews, questionnaires, classroom observations and reflective diaries, the study investigates the FFI strategies employed by the research participants, the linguistic forms targeted, and their reflections on the effectiveness and practicality of these methods. The study also explores the FFI approaches used during the blended learning period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal a spectrum of FFI approaches, ranging from explicit grammar instruction to more implicit, task-based activities. The research highlights a tension between traditional, form-centred methods and communicative, meaning-focused approaches, with linguistic proficiency playing a key role in influencing teachers' willingness to incorporate form-focused instruction. The presentation will conclude by addressing the broader implications of these findings for teacher professional development, emphasising the need for accessible and practical training in FFI. Recommendations will be made to foster greater confidence and competence among teachers in delivering explicit language instruction within minority language contexts.

Keywords: Education, Immersion, CLIL, Form-focused instruction, Language proficiency.