Irish Parents and Gaelic-medium Education in Scotland

This is the final report of the project 'The Output of Gaelic Education', funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Tertium comparationis, 2004

Language Revitalisation in Gaelic Scotland: Linguistic Practice and Ideology, 2019

Gaelic-medium education (GME) has been offered in Scottish primary schools since 1985. Situated within the interrelated disciplines of sociolinguistics and sociology of language, this book explores the language use and attitudinal perceptions of a sample of 130 adults who received GME at primary school. As the first students to have received a bilingual education are now in their late 20s and 30s, this volume offers a timely examination of the long-term outcomes of the system in its earliest years, and of the future prospects for Gaelic language maintenance and revitalisation in Scotland. The book presents in-depth discussion and analysis of narratives in order to demonstrate former Gaelic-medium students’ present-day relationships to the languages they speak, offering fascinating insights into the possible reasons – historical, ideological and personal – for these relationships. This book presents the first open assessment of the outcomes of Gaelic-medium education in Scotland, and offers suggestions for individuals and policymakers seeking to revitalise languages internationally. KEY FEATURES - Explores the long-term outcomes of bilingual education and their implications for language revitalisation - Surveys the history of Gaelic-medium education in Scotland and the use of Gaelic beyond the classroom - Samples 130 participants to examine language practices and attitudes to bilingualism - Uses an ‘ethnography of speaking’ approach to explore 46 interviewees’ beliefs and ideologies about Scottish Gaelic - Provides the first in-depth assessment of language use and attitudinal perceptions among adults who received an immersion education in a minority language

Executive Summary This research has revealed a far higher level of interest in Gaelic revitalisation in the north west than was anticipated. It has also revealed that there is a latent ability for Gaelic amongst ‘lapsed native speakers’ and those who grew up hearing a great deal of Gaelic but have never used it to any great extent. Demand for access to Gaelic learning opportunities has been expressed by parents for their children but equally by the older generation keen to speak to each other or their grandchildren. Interest in using Gaelic for singing and exploring local poetry such as the work of Rob Donn was also mentioned frequently. The questionnaire results showed that:  22 people in households and businesses were described as people who can ‘speak, read or write Gaelic’  12 ‘native speakers’ were reported  34 individuals were reported as wanting to learn  9 were reported as being basic learners already  4 were reported as learners at a moderate level and 1 at an advanced level The main fear was for inappropriate pressure on scare financial resources and concerns that since school rolls are falling considerably, working towards establishment of a Gaelic Medium Unit for the three western parishes might endanger existing school provision and teacher numbers. On balance the research locally shows that even amongst those who do value Gaelic and bilingualism there is little sense of possibility and a generally low awareness of the wider benefits of any sort of level of bilingualism. As the quote below illustrates most people therefore have mixed feelings and little sense of potential: “Gaelic language is finished - that’s a fact. You cannot retrieve the language. I believe that for those going through GMU, that bilingualism is a positive element in their lives. Makes you cry when you think what we have lost.”1 In spite of this the research does illustrate:  An appropriate critical mass of people who would like to do more and learn more  A hope, even amongst those who fear it is hopeless - that the profile, use and status of Gaelic locally can be improved – and should be improved  A constant statement that Gaelic needs to be taught from pre-school stage through till the end of secondary school – for some people that is specified as Gaelic Medium education while others describe this as Gaelic being available as a subject in its own right. specified as Gaelic Medium education while others describe this as Gaelic being available as a subject in its own right

Gaelic-medium education (GME) as it exists today started in 1985, when two classes offering instruction through the medium of Gaelic opened within primary schools in Glasgow and Inverness. GME grew rapidly throughout the first decade of its availability, and 1258 students were enrolled in the system by 1995. This thesis examines outcomes of this system in terms of the degree to which former pupils who started in GME during this period continue to use Gaelic in their daily lives, and provides an assessment of their language ideologies and attitudes in this regard. The 2011 census appeared to demonstrate a diminution in the decline of Gaelic speakers in Scotland, and for the first time marginal growth of 0.1% was recorded in the number of speakers under the age of 20. Whilst this growth has been understood by politicians and policy-makers as evidence of the role of GME in revitalising the language, the census figures give a limited picture of the actual language practices of reported speakers, the extent to which they use Gaelic, or of their beliefs, feelings and attitudes regarding the language. Internationally, little research appears generally to have been done on the life trajectories of adults who received a bilingual education through a minority language; that is to say, on the effect that the bilingual classroom has on such individuals’ relationship to the language after formal schooling is completed. The first students to receive GME at primary school are now in their late 20s and early 30s, and prospects for the maintenance and intergenerational transmission of Gaelic by this group are currently uncertain. The principal research questions of this investigation comprise the following: What role, if any, does Gaelic play in the day-to-day lives of these former Gaelic-medium students; how and when do they use the language? What sets of beliefs and language ideologies do they express in relation to it? How do these ideological and affective stances relate to their actual language practices, their attitudes concerning the language, and to future prospects for the maintenance of Gaelic? Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, I provide an assessment of Gaelic use, language ideologies and attitudes among a sample of 130 Gaelic-medium educated adults. A thematic, ‘ethnography of speaking’ methodology is employed to analyse qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 46 informants. Additionally, responses to an electronic questionnaire are evaluated by statistical analysis using Spearman’s rank order correlation co-efficient to investigate the relationships between non-parametric variables of reported language use, ability, socialisation and attitudes. The results are discussed with reference to extensive research literatures on the relations of language, culture and identity, language revitalisation in the international context, and limitations of GME which have previously been identified with regard to the revitalisation of Gaelic.

Europa Ethnica, 2014

Since the mid-1970s, efforts to sustain and revitalise Gaelic in Scotland have gained new momentum and prominence, even as the language has continued to decline in demographic terms. Public and institutional provision for Gaelic, most notably in the fields of education and broadcasting, have grown substantially in recent years, and Gaelic has increasingly been perceived as an essential aspect of Scottish cultural distinctiveness, and as such connected (indirectly rather than directly) to the movement for Scottish self-government. This new recognition of Gaelic has now been enshrined in legislation, the Gaelic Language Act (Scotland) 2005, that grants official status to the language for the first time. The Act also establishes a Gaelic language board, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, with powers to undertake strategic language planning for Gaelic at a national level. The continuing decline in speaker numbers and language use suggests that the policies put in place up to now to sustain and promote Gaelic have been inadequate; better integrated and more forceful strategies are urgently needed if the language shift in favour of English is to be reversed.

Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish-language week), Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, 2022

This article considers the main differences between the situations of the Irish language in Ireland and the closely related Gaelic language in Scotland. The linguistic and political histories of the two countries are significantly different, and provision to support the maintenance of Irish much more extensive. The key reason for this divergence is that Irish is much more connected to Irish national identity than Gaelic is for Scotland, largely through the impact of the revivalist ideology that became dominant in the early 20 th century. The article reviews the comparative history of the two languages and the demographic trajectory in recent centuries and considers the linguistic relationship between the two varieties and the corpus planning issues that have come to the fore. A central difference between the two cases is the much more extensive provision for Irish in the education system. Almost all school pupils study Irish until the end of secondary school, while only a very small minority in Scotland study Gaelic. This has significant consequences in terms of the societal awareness of the language and willingness to accept public expenditure to support it. It is difficult to calculate the level of expenditure on language policy measures but it is clear that provision in Ireland is much more substantial. Irish also has a higher international profile than Gaelic does, partly because the Irish Government provides different kinds of supports, including funding the teaching of Irish at foreign universities. For Gaelic, though, the survival of Gaelic in Nova Scotia plays an important role for which there is no real Irish counterpart.

Educational Review

The philosophy of comprehensive education embedded in Scottish policy has long been recognised as an exemplary feature. The commitment to language learning is evident in recent policy supporting primary pupils who will learn two languages as well as the language of their school. For most children, this will involve English and two other languages, one of which could involve Gaelic. For children enrolled in Gaelic medium education, Gaelic is identified as the first language, coupled with English and a further modern language. Although this policy can be applauded, it may further complicate Gaelic medium education provision where the outcome is to provide pupils with an equal footing in Gaelic and English languages. The paucity of research focused on assessing and diagnosing language difficulties in Gaelic is particularly concerning. This paper approaches this need by reviewing available research and literature around this topic. A summary of policy, research and related fields is provided, including suggestions for potential future activity. This paper identifies compelling evidence that the development of support resources for children becoming bilingual through Gaelic medium education should take place as a matter of urgency.