Scots Government Commitments tae Gaelic an Scots an Scots Langages Bill: consultation

Scots Language

We wull bring forret a new Scottish Langages Bill thit taks mair steps for tae heeze up Gaelic, acts on the Scots leid an taks tent thit Scotland is a multilingual society.

Scots Language Policy Context

The Scots Government haes a Scots langage policy thit wis officially pitten forret in twinty-fifteen. The Scots Government is commitit tae for tae bigg on this foond an for tae tak mair steps for tae support Scots. There a wheen ither statements an commitments thit shaw the policy context thit Scots is set athin an the level o priority gien bi the Scots Government tae Scots.

Scots is spoke aw throuoot Scotland, an the twinty eleeven Census telt us thit ower 1.5 mulȝeon fowk haed theirsels as Scots spikkers. The Cooncil o Europe's Chairter on Regional or Minority Langages recognises Scots. Includit in the provisions for Scots is thit unnertakkins maun be based on recognition o regional or minority leids as a expression o cultural wealth. Athin the unnertakkins is the need for tae tak stieve action for tae promote regional or minority leids sic as Scots. Includit tae in the unnertakkins is thit Scots is facilitatit an encouraged in speech an screivin in public an in private life, the provision o appropriate forms an means for the teachin an the study o Scots, an mair forby.

Scots haes been gied recognition tae in Scots education. The Curriculum for Excellence maks hit claer thit: 'the languages, dialects and literature of Scotland provide a rich resource for children and young people to learn about Scotland's culture, identity and language. Through engaging with a wide range of texts they will develop an appreciation of Scotland's literary and linguistic heritage and its indigenous languages and dialects. This principle permeates the experiences and outcomes and it is expected that practitioners will build upon the diversity of language represented within the communities of Scotland, valuing the languages which children and young people bring to school.'

Follaein fae this, the Scots Government in 2011 agreeit tae develop the concept o Scottish Studies in oor scuils. The Scots Qualification Authority (SQA) developit the Scottish Studies award an the Scots Langage Award ettlin at makkin a distinct threid o lairnin focused on Scotland haudin Scots history, Scots literature, the Scots an Gaelic leids, wider Scots culture an Scots current affairs. Aw pupils hae access tae this threid at baith Primary an Saicondary levels.

Reseirch haes been encouragit intae the attainment levels amang students thit are takkin thir awards. Creative screivin in Scots is encouragit tae an supportit athin the SQA's National Qualifications for Inglis. There wis a significant increase atween 2018-2019 in the nummers o lairners takkin an gettin thir awards, in aw levels fae SCQF levels twa tae sax.

The Scots Language Awards is a event haudit ilka year an different fae the SQA's awards. Thir awards wis furst establishit in 2019 for tae celebrate the wirk thit haes been gaun on in the Scots community ower monie years. The pickle aims o the event is for tae heeze the profile o the leid, for tae promote the wirk gettin duin, an for tae support hit in the media. The awards gies a platform tae a hantle o screivers, groups, an turns, for tae help heeze theirsels in their careers.

Education Scotland haes gied guid support for Scots athin education an haes promotit an developit a online professional development coorse for teachers.

In 2022 the Scots Government is giein fundin oot tae the follaein groups an ither Scots projects:

• Scots Language Centre
• Dictionaries of the Scots Langage
• Association for Scottish Literature
• Scots Hoose
• Scots Radio/Doric Film Festival
• Doric Board
• Scottish Book Trust (Scots Publishing Grant & Scots Bookbug app)
• YoungScot (Scottish Langages Panel)

Informal Discussions

There been informal discussions wi Scots stakehauders an thaim wi interest in the leid. In thir discussions a fouth o misures wis pitten forret for tae strenthen Scots an for tae heeze the profile o the leid. The focus wis maistly on education, the airts, braidcastin, an publishin. Forby there wis discussion on whit new structures micht be wantin for tae support the Scots langage.

In thir discussions there wis braid enthusiasm for Scots tae be gien mair recognition, an for Scots tae hae mair o a profile athin education. Scots representatives brocht tae the fore tae thit there a potential for the uise o Scots in the airts, braidcastin, an publishin. A wheen o groups could mak a significant contribution in thir areas.

There wis suggestions pitten forret tae thit the best wey forret for the Scots leid is for tae bigg up on the wark an expertise o groups thit are weil steidit an gettin support. For tae assist wi this discussion a wheen o thir Scots groups is gien ablow wi a owerview o their ongaun wirk.

Key Scots Bodies

The Scots Language Centre

The Scots Language Centre (SLC) sees fundin fae the Scots Government for tae gie information an cooncil on Scots, raise awareness o an for tae promote the uiss o the Scots leid, hit's culture, an Scots in education. Hit is ane o the main online soorces for educational resoorces for early years tae saicondary alang wi Scots Hoose. The Scots Language Centre employs a General Teachin Cooncil Scotland (GTCS) registert teacher as their education specialist thit hauds pairtnership wirkin wi Education Scotland, the SQA, an a wheen o ither educational organisations, developin professional lairnin an resoorces baith collaboratively an in-hoose.

The Scots Language Centre routinely supports an expertly cooncils, at request, individuals, groups, organisations, an public bodies on maitters athort the hale bridth o langage uissage. The Scots Language Centre taen the lead on the 'Aye Can' campaign heezin awareness o Scots aroon the Scots question in the 2022 Census. The Scots Language Centre hae pitten oot split new interactive lairnin materials online for uiss for lairners three tae echteen year auld, teachers an for parents. In Septemmer 2021 the Scots Language Centre launchit "Scots Warks", guidance an resoorces ettlin for tae help fowk gaither confidence in their literacy skills writin in Scots. This guidance wis makkit in consultation wi Scots spikkers an developit bi a expert wirkin group o a wheen o leadin Scots authors.

Dictionaries of the Scots Language

The Scots Government funds the Dictionars o the Scots Leid, thit hauds responsibility for the heidmaist dictionaries o the Scots leid, an unnertak a bridth o educational ootreach wi fowk o ilka age an abilities. The Dictionars o the Scots Leid hae publishit airticles aboot Scots wirds in The Herald newspaper for tae heeze awareness an gar public discussion. As pairt o Book Week Scotland in Novemmer 2019, the Dictionars o the Scots Leid launchit the publication "100 Favourite Scots Words". In early 2021 the Dictionars o the Scots Leid launchit the free "Scots Dictionary for Schools app" available tae aw scuil pupils an lairners alike. The new app haes thoosans o audio files for tae gie lairners a haun wi pronoonciation. Hit wis doonloadit ower a thoosan times in hits first week an stauns as a treisurable lairnin tool for scuils an teachers.

Association of Scottish Literature

The Association of Scottish Literature (ASL) taks fundin fae the Scots Government. The Association of Scottish Literature gies professional development an supports materials for Scottish literature an leids for teachers an pupils, publishes Scottish literature thit is broukit or wantin reddit up for modren readers, an pits oot a threid o scuil-college level study guides an resoorces. The Association of Scottish Literature hauds a Scuils Conference giein CPD for teachers in saicondary for Inglis an Scots.

Scots Hoose

Scots Hoose is the fore-a-haun furnisar o free online Scots leid education resoorces for scuils. In 2022/23 the Scots Government wull gie fundin tae Scots Hoose, hit maks sair wantin fulums, cairtoons, graphic nuvels, new poyums, stories an sangs an lear in Scots for early years, primary, an saicondary domines an pupils. Hits mission is for tae heeze attainment bi improvin Scots furnisin for aw o Scotland's young Scots spikkers, wi a ettle at thaim thit bide in areas o deprivation. Scots Hoose has wirkit wi a reenge o professional airtists fae aw different backgruns an hae involvit scuils in makkin resoorces an even makkin short fulums.

Scots Radio/Doric Film Festival

The Scots Government gies fundin tae Scots Radio, thit successfully stertit an steidit Aberdeenshire's furst e'er Doric Film Festival in 2018-2019. The festival gies a heich-profile boord for tae shawcase short fulums makkit bi individuals, community groups an scuils in the North East o Scotland. At the recent 2021 Celtic Media awards Scots Radio wun the Radio Magazine Show award. The Doric Board wis creatit wi a strang focus for tae support local groups an local projecks bi giein oot smaa grants tae heeze up Doric developments an initiatives.

Scottish Book Trust

In 2018 the Scots publication grant wis launchit, fundit aff the Scots Government an deliverit bi the Scottish Book Trust. Hit wis stertit for tae support Scots Publishers an for tae gar guid faith tae Scots screivers. The grant haes proven a braw success seein a guid mix o publications includin poyetry, fiction, bairns buiks an historical warks. Hit shaws the wealth o talent an interest athin an in the leid an strenthens the case for the Scots Government's support o Scots an thaim thit are wantin for tae uise hit.

The Commitment tae Scots

The commitment tae a Scottish langages Bill wull be the key legislative vehichle for delivery o onie chynges tae primary legislation thit micht be wantit for tae deliver the commitments on Scots an multilingual recognition. As set oot abuin there braid enthusiasm for Scots for tae be gien mair recognition an status, an the discussion abuin haes taen note o the possibility o a expandit role for current Scots groups.

There a weish for Scots tae hae increasit promotion an support athin education tae. An a duty on groups for tae heeze up an support Scots or for tae consider hou they kin tak accoont o Scots in their wirk cuid be deliverit throu a bill.

Consultation Speirins

Consultation repones are invitit on the speirin o support for the Scots langage.

Thinkin on the wirk o the key Scots groups thit wis spake aboot in the paper - Whit is yer thochts aboot the wark o the Scots groups? Whit wad ye dae for tae strenthen an add tae the wirk o thir groups?

Whit is yer thochts on the neist steps thit maun be taen for tae support the Scots leid?

Is there ocht mair thit ye wad like for tae pit forret anent the commitment for tae support Scots?