Creating networks for Highland Gaelic teachers

A total of 43 Gaelic Primary teachers and 22 Gaelic Secondary teachers from schools across the Highlands will be attending the events.

The main aims are to provide opportunities for teachers to engage with national education agencies and keep abreast of the latest developments, to create networks and develop partnership opportunities and links between Gaelic Teachers who are based at schools across the Highlands, and wider afield.  The events will also create a platform to exchange examples of best practice in relation to improving and sharing Gaelic education resources.
Speakers include Senior Officials from Education Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and from Stòrlann (the Gaelic education resources agency).  Senior and experienced teachers within both the Primary and Secondary sectors and officials from other Local Authorities will also be presenting.

Following this day of intensive activity, the Council will be convening a meeting of its Gaelic Education Improvement Group.  This Group will provide the basis for a new Gaelic Teacher network across Highland and act as a forum for consultation and feedback on Gaelic education issues from Pre-school to High School levels.  The Group will be chaired by Hugh Fraser, Director of Education, Culture and Sport and will include representatives from the various education levels.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chair of The Highland Council's Gaelic Implementation Group said; “I’m hugely impressed with the Council and our partners’ efforts in organising this high quality event for our Gaelic teachers.  This will benefit both Gaelic Primary and Gaelic Secondary teachers especially in terms of engaging with national agencies such as Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority.”

He continued, “I am also delighted that we will be pushing forward with the Gaelic Education Improvement Group.  It is important that teachers have the opportunity to network and contribute towards local and national policies; and to feed their practical experience into the prioritisation, creation and delivery of Gaelic learning and teaching resources.”

He added, “The Highland Council is leading the way in relation to the success of bilingualism through Gaelic education; with a highly successful Gaelic Medium Primary school in the City of Inverness, two new Gaelic Medium Primary Schools scheduled to be built in Portree and Fort William and a new Gaelic Medium Department in Mt Pleasant Primary School in Thurso.”

Louise Glen, Senior Education Officer for Languages at Education Scotland will address the group about the Scottish Government 1+2 language policy, she said, “This is a good opportunity for Gaelic teachers to learn about the impact the policy will have on schools, while building on the successes of Gaelic Medium Education.  We’ll be discussing how schools can plan to incorporate language teaching in line with the 1+2 approach.  We will also provide advice on what support is available to them as well as gauging their opinions on approaches to implementation of the policy.  The more that practitioners can share ideas, resources and experiences, the better the outcomes will be for children and young people in terms of their ability and confidence in languages.”

For further information please contact: gaelic@highland.gov.uk