Scottish Studies
Last month’s research on Gaelic gave us an additional finding on Scottish Studies, on top of some encouraging views on the language more generally.
Ninety per cent of people surveyed supported the strengthening of Scottish studies in the school curriculum – even before the Scottish Government started talking in detail about our commitment to the subject.
I find that both remarkable and heartening. To set some context, too many people leave school with little or no knowledge of this country’s rich tradition in history, geography, arts or music which I believe is a terrible shame.
I firmly believe there is a role for developing such a sense of national culture and identity as part of Curriculum for Excellence. Scotland is a nation that has played a pivotal role in history, science and the arts, and enhanced knowledge in our young people is surely a must.
I was therefore delighted to be able to chair the first meeting of the Scottish Studies Working Group in Edinburgh earlier today. Around the table were a number of notable academics and educators, as well as our Makar, Liz Lochhead, one of our finest living exponents of the written word.
It was a productive first meeting and there was a broad acknowledgement that the implementation of Scottish studies to the curriculum couldn’t happen overnight. However, I feel this is the right group of people to make it happen.
Scottish music, literature, art, history, geography and current affairs should be taught more widely in our schools. While there may be a way to go before we see it happen, I am committed to it, every step of the way.
Dr Alasdair Allan
Minister for Learning and Skills
Related information
Read the blog by Dr Allan – Attitudes towards the Gaelic language
6 comments
It is heartening to finally see even a brief tangible glimpse of the almost mythical ‘Scottish Studies’ – so long tangentially referred to by the likes of the Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning whilst giving no indication of when there might be consultation about another addition to curriculum overload.
Some questions for the Minister for Learning & Skills:
*The Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning recently got hoisted by his own petard by making some sweeping statements about surveys. Would this survey sample be skewed towards strengthening the demands of a minority interest group? Approximately 5% surveyed were Gaelic speakers, interviewed under special conditions in ‘communities with a high density of Gaelic speakers. Add to this an additional sub sample fluent in Gaelic within the main sample and it grows to 10%. Is this not statistically unbalanced where the % of viable Gaelic speakers in Scotland hovers around 1%?
* You state, with no demonstrated evidence (and thus failing to meet CfE criteria for success) that ” too many people leave school with little or no knowledge of this country’s rich tradition in history, geography, arts or music”. What you wrote was NOT context, it was hearsay – where is your evidence?
*You were ‘delighted’ to state that “around the table were a number of notable academics and educators” – who were they? Where do their political sympathies lie?,
*You also state “implementation of Scottish studies to the curriculum couldn’t happen overnight. However, I feel this is the right group of people to make it happen”. Does this mean it is a done deal? Have you planned to consult teachers and parents as to the viability of these studies when there is already so much to squeeze in to a curriculum rushing too fast into implementation?
On a personal note, I enjoyed learning Gaelic at primary school and believe that if the approach taken by Wales had been copied / developed we might have a viable language now. However, in the current climate there are too many more important things on which to spend what little money we have – and certainly not the disproportionate amount we already do.
Finally, is there not always a danger that a fondness for heritage and culture can, in the hands of unscrupulous politicians, became rampant nationalism of the worst sort. As Banksy (another exponent of the written word, and the graphic image too) wrote:
“People who enjoy waving flags don’t deserve to have one”
I agree – if we randomly sampled typical Scottish citizens that were actually representative of the population – I think you will find most couldn’t give a damn about the Gaelic. I would rather my kids learned Mandarin frankly it would be more use. Better still can we choose between Gaelic and a decent broadband connection.
Here is a link to further information about the Scottish Studies Working Group, including membership and remit, on the Scottish Government website.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/scottishstudies
Thank you D McBryde, ’shame the Scottish Government website only included the information after the fact – perhaps earlier publicity would have allowed at least resigned eyebrows to be raised at some of the names present – truly a representative group!
Your reply does raise another issue, still waiting for replies to questions from the Minister for L&S (5 days) AND the Cabinet Minister for E&LL (10 days) about their interesting use of surveys
AnActualTeacher: There is absolutely nothing disproportionate about the £5m or so spent on Gaelic education out of £4.8 billion nationally. Where is your evidence for that sweeping statement?
frasershaw: There’s nothing wrong with wanting your children to learn Mandarin. But Mandarin is not an official language of Scotland and is not under threat in its native land. Nor is there obvious demand for education through the medium of Mandarin in Scotland, whereas there is plenty of unmet demand for Gaelic education. Even with its importance in terms of world trade, I am willing to bet that the average Scottish school pupil is still more likely to find a use for Gaelic than for Mandarin.
Those lucky enough to undergo a Gaelic education in Scotland come out of it proficient in two languages and perform as well, or better, than their monolingual peers. It is excellent value for
money.
arthurcormack: as you will have seen I made NO mention of how much was spent on Gaelic education, although I do assume that children receive education in subjects and skills OTHER than just the Gaelic language! My point was that Gaelic, through years of poor government policy, would appear to have reached a tipping point in terms of survivability compared to a vibrant language like Welsh. Try and maintain current levels by all means (although natural growth does not bode well as you yourself point out) but in times of fiscal disaster we do have to cut our cloth according to our means. I believe I have a fair competency in English, Welsh, Gaelic, German, French and Latin BUT my big concern right now is making sure the students I teach are at least literate (despite CfE and council cuts)in ONE language – and for better or worse that is English.