LANGUAGES WITHOUT LIMITS

GÀIDHLIG MAR CHANAN EILE
&
GAELIC AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

 

This page is introduced and overseen by Anne Thirkell, Programme Course Co-ordinator (Primary) for PGDE Distance learners and MA/BSc with Education Degrees at the University of Aberdeen.

Ag Ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig mar Chànan Eile

A’ Toirt cothrom do Gach Sgoilear Gàidhlig Ionnsachadh
 

Dè tha ann am Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig?

‘S e dòigh ionnsachaidh a th’ ann far a bheil sgoilearan air am bogadh ann an cànan Gàidhlig bho aois sgoil àraich gu aois àrd sgoile. Chan fheum Gàidhlig a bhith aig an sgoilear mus tòisich iad an sgoil agus togaidh iad an cànan mar dhàrna cànan tro bhogadh. Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh mu Fhoghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig, seall air
http://www.gaidhlig.org.uk/

Dà-chànanas le Gàidhlig – Dè na buannachadan a tha ann?

• Tha foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a’ toirt an aona chothrom do gach sgoilear Gàidhlig ionnsachadh, clann a tha fileanta agus clann nach eil
• Dà dhòigh air coimhead air Alba agus air an t-saoghal
• Tuigse air cultar eile – tha ceangalaichean làidir aig a’ Ghàidhlig ri cultar agus eachdraidh na h-Alba, agus tha seo a’ tabhann tuigse nas fheàrr air cultar dhaoin’ eile
• Barrachd air aona chultar agus tuigse air cultaran eile – tha Gàidhlig beartach ann an cultar agus ann an eachdraidh
• Soirbheachadh ann am foghlam – tha rannsachadh ag innse dhuinn gu bheil clann a tha a’ dol tro fhoghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a’ coileanadh aig an aon ìre neo aig ìre nas àirde na clann ann am foghlam tro mheadhan na Beurla
• Leasachadh pearsanta agus sòisealta
• Barrachd mothachaidh air a’ chiad chànan
• Tro bhith dà-chànanach, tha e nas fhasa gluasad gu bhith ioma-chànanach
• Buannachdan eaconomaigeach - barrachd chothroman cosnaidh

Dè na dùbhlain a tha an lùib foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig?

• Doirbh aithneachadh a bheil duilgheadas a tha aig sgoilear a’ tighinn bho dhìth tuigse no bho dhuilgheadas leis a’ chànan
• Goinnead de thidsearan aig a bheil Gàidhlig a chuireas taic ri ionnsachadh chloinne aig a bheil feumalachdan sònraichte
• Ma tha duilgheadasan cànain aig sgoilear na chiad chànan, neo dùbhlan mar autism neo feumalachdan sònraichte eile, dh’fhaodadh seo a bhith na dhùbhlan do dh’ionnsachadh cànan an sgoileir mur e Gàidhlig a chiad chànan. Ma tha dùbhlan mar seo aig sgoilear, thig pàrantan, an sgoil agus a’ chomhairle gu co-dhùnadh a bheil foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig freagarrach don sgoilear a rèir nam feumalachdan sònraichte.
• Dìth taic anns an dachaigh mur eil Gàidhlig aig na pàrantan
• Diofar ìrean fileantachd anns an aon chlas
   

For Gaelic as an
additional language
click here

Learning Gaelic as an Additional Language

Providing Opportunities for all Children to Learn Gaelic

What is Gaelic Medium Education?

Gaelic medium education is a form of education where children are immersed in Gaelic language from nursery age through to secondary schooling. There is no requirement for children to speak Gaelic before starting nursery school and they will learn Gaelic through immersion in the language. For more information, see:
http://www.gaidhlig.org.uk/

Bilingualism and Gaelic medium education – What are the benefits?

• Gaelic medium education is inherently inclusive as it is open to Gaelic speakers and non Gaelic speakers
• It gives children two windows on Scotland and the world
• Understanding of a different culture – Gaelic language has strong ties with traditional culture and history, as well as greater understanding of the culture of others
• Success in education – research indicates that children educated through the medium of Gaelic achieve at the same level and higher than children educated through English
• Social and personal development opportunities
• Learning an additional language raises awareness of the mother tongue
• Being bilingual means learning an additional language is easier
• Twice the choice and therefore better career opportunities

What are the challenges in Gaelic medium teaching?

• If the child is a Gaelic learner, it can be challenging to determine whether difficulties are due to a lack of understanding of a concept or of the language itself
• There is a lack of learning support teachers who can provide necessary support
• If children have language difficulties in their first language, autism or specific needs in relation to language, this could prove a challenge if in a Gaelic medium environment if Gaelic is not the child’s first language. In a situation such as this, parents, the school and the local authority would decide what was best for the individual child according to his/her needs.
• There can be a lack of language support at home if parents do not speak Gaelic
• Teachers have to deal with varying levels of fluency within the same class

FURTHER READING

Policy and Practice in Education; Nicolson, M. and MacIver, M. (Editors) (2003). Gaelic Medium Education, Dunedin Academic Press, Edinburgh.

WEBLINKS

including examples of language immersion in other countries

[links last checked 11.7.11 unless otherwise indicated]
 

Gaelic Education: Building on the Successes, Addressing the Barriers
Published by HMIe, 21 June 2011
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/gebse.pdf

Gaelic Language Plan
Published by HMIe
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/GLP.pdf

Improving Achievement in Gaelic
Published by HMIe, 2005
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/iage.html

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2005/7/contents

Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Bòrd na Gàidhlig advises Scottish Ministers and others on Scottish Education
http://www.gaidhlig.org.uk/

Comann na Gàidhlig
Comann na Gàidhlig co-ordinates various Gaelic initiatives at local, national and international levels.
http://www.cnag.org.uk/

Gaelic Medium Education in Scotland: Choice and Attainment at the Primary and Early Secondary School Stages
Fiona O’Hanlon, Wilson McLeod and Lindsay Paterson. University of Edinburgh, 2010.
http://www.soillse.ac.uk/downloads/Gaelic-Medium-Education-In-Scotland.pdf

Soillse
The national network for Gaelic research
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/Rannsachadh/soilse_en.html

Gaelic Secondary ICT Implementation Group Report
Scottish Government, 2005
http://ictgaelic.blogspot.com/

Stòras na Gàidhlig
Learning and Teaching Scotland's support for Gaelic education.
http://gaidhlig.ltscotland.org.uk/

National Plan for Gaelic
The Plan covers the period 2007-2012
http://www.bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk/National-Plan/National%20Plan%20for%20Gaelic.pdf

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
National Centre for Gaelic language, culture, education, research and economic development.
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/index_gd.html

Sradagan
Youth Clubs for Gaelic speaking children aged 5 to 12.
http://www.sradagan.org/

[30.8.11] Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig
Stòrlann co-ordinates production and distribution of Gaelic educational resources throughout Scotland.
http://www.storlann.co.uk/

[14.10.11] Streap
This is a post-graduate training programme for primary and secondary teachers who are teaching, or who wish to teach, through the medium of Gaelic.
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/education/gaelic/streap.shtml

Teaching in Gaelic medium education: Recommendations for change
A Report to the General Teaching Council for Scotland on Initial Teacher Education Arrangements for Teaching in Gaelic Medium Education
http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/FILES/FormUploads/teaching-in-gaelic-medium-education1659_221.pdf

Comann nam Pàrant
Provides information and support to parents with children in Gaelic medium education.
http://www.parant.org.uk/

An Seotal
Gaelic Terminology Database covering terms for teaching a range of secondary subjects in Gaelic.
http://www.anseotal.org.uk/

[6.8.11] Blog Pàrlamaid na h-Alba
On this blog you can follow the latest news and information about the Scottish Parliament in Gaelic. The blog is written in simple Gaelic so that it can be used by learners as well as fluent speakers. Difficult or technical words are glossed in English.
http://parlamaidalba.wordpress.com/info-for-learners/

[6.8.11] The role of Gaelic in the Language Faculty
An article by Lynne Horn of Tobermory High School in the Scottish Languages Review
http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/faculties/hass/scilt/slr/issues/13/SLR13_Horn.pdf

[19.8.11] Attitudes towards the Gaelic language
This report presents the findings of a survey designed to obtain the views of adults in Scotland towards Gaelic, its use and perceptions of its value as a language in Scotland today. Published 18.8.11.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/08/04160631/0

[13.11.11] Identifying and managing additional support needs in Gaelic medium education
Highland Region's guidance for schools.
http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8D22F2AE-5D0B-4A67-B393-71653D90C927/0/ASNinGaelicMedium5207.pdf

[14.11.11] Foghlam
BBC Alba's Learn Gaelic page
http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/foghlam/learngaelic/

[25.11.11] A new Gaelic Thesaurus / Co-fhaclair ùr Gàidhlig
A thesaurus of synonyms and related concepts.
http://gaidhlig.ltscotland.org.uk/stuthantaic/thesaurus/index.asp

[27.1.12] Early intervention in Gaelic-medium education
A report on research carried out by Fiona M Lyon. in Issue 24 of the Scottish Languages review. Scroll down to find the Abstract and a link to the whole article.
http://www.strath.ac.uk/scilt/slr/iss/2012/24/

LINKS TO EXAMPLES OF LANGUAGE IMMERSION IN OTHER COUNTRIES

[21.12.11] Immersion, learning disabilities and minority languages
This MEd thesis from British Columbia investigates issues around the inclusion of learners with disabilities, gifted and talented learners, and learners from minority language backgrounds in the context of immersion. In this case the language of immersion is French.
http://www.bcatml.org/LLED580/kippan-MEd.pdf

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