An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 44--45, January 1949--December 1950

Gaelic in
Primary
IN “ The Primary School in
Scotland ” (A Memorandum
on the Curriculum), recently
issued by the Scottish Education
Department, Chapter 16 (pages
60-62) deals with Gaelic, and we
take the liberty of quoting the
following extracts.
‘ ‘ In the course of the centuries
the areas within which Gaelic is
spoken have grown fewer and
fewer, but it is still the language
spoken at home by some
thousands of school children, the
language which they bri^g to
school with them. These children
have to be taught English, and
at the same time heir Gaelic must
be maintained and developed.
The schools which they attend
have thus to undertake a task
which is unknown elsewhere in
Scotland.”
“ Before the Education Act of
1918 made instruction in Gaelic
compulsory in Gaelic-speaking
areas, Gaelic was seldom, if ever,
regarded as an integral subject
of the primary curriculum. Since
1918 the position has become some¬
what better, but it is not yet
satisfactory. Education Authorit¬
ies have printed schemes of work,
suitable school text-books have
become procurable, and a number
of teachers have from time to
time attended vacation courses
mainly directed towards improv¬
ing the teachers’ own knowledge
of Gaelic. Certificated Gaelic¬
speaking teachers have been ap¬
pointed, when available, wherever
the educational needs of the child¬
ren required bilingual teachers.
Staffing, however, has been a
troublesome problem. In the
country as a whole there is no
dearth of Gaelic-speaking
teachers, many of whom, having
taken full Senior Leaving
Certificate and Training College
courses in Gaelic and frequently
a degree as well, are fully quali¬
fied for employment in bilingual
schools. Unfortunately, however,
over a period of years a relatively
large number of them have
accepted appointments in areas
where there is no Gaelic, thus
reducing the supply for Gaelic¬
speaking areas almost to a
minimum. The prospects of
securing suitably qualified
teachers might be brighter if
Gaelic-speaking pupils, and
especially those who intend to
take up teaching as a profession,
School*
were encouraged to study Gaelic
in the secondary school.”
, “ Gaelic in the school has a
two-fold place. It can, and often
must, be used as a vehicle of com¬
munication between teacher and
pupil, particularly in the infant
classes ; in this respect it is a
means of instruction. It is also
a subject of instruction, particu¬
larly at the upper stages, and
sometimes it serves both
purposes.”
“ With the child whose mother
tongue is Gaelic, the teacher
should not hesitate to use it in
the initial stages of his school
life. . . Even at the infant stage
the Gaelic-speaking child should
be encouraged to regard his own
language with respect, and to dis¬
cover that it contains matter of
unending interest.”
Having indicated the material
and method of Gaelic instruction
in the various classes of the
primary school, the Chapter ends
with this significant paragraph:
‘‘It is wrong to think of in¬
struction in Gaelic merely from
the linguistic point of view. In
paragraph 266 above, the use of
Gaelic songs and tales at the
infant stage was stressed as an
important means of leading the
child to realise that his native
language contains matter of rich
variety and interest. This fact
should be impressed on the pupils
throughout their course. They
should be brought to understand
that the songs and the literature
reflect the life of an ancient and
famous people; they should be
taught something of the legends,
the traditions, the customs, and
the life of their race, and they
should be encouraged to t^ke
pride in its culture as well as
in the achievements of its sons
in all parts of the world. When
in the school there are non-
Gaelic-speaking as well as Gaelic¬
speaking pupils, it is only fitting
that they, too, should hear these
legends and traditions, sing these
songs, and learn of that civilisa¬
tion and those achievements ; and
it may be that some of them at
least will be stirred thereby to
learn the language for them¬
selves.”
The Schools (Scotland) Code,
1950, states: “In Gaelic-
speaking areas reasonable pro¬
vision shall be made in schemes
162
of work for the instruction of
Gaelic-speaking pupils in the
Gaelic Language and Literature,
and the Gaelic language shall be
used so far as is necessary for
instructing Gaelic-speaking pupils,
in other subjects.”
Coiiiiiiiii na
Oarsaich
Report for 1949-50
THIS energetic Society
reports an increase of
membership as well as a
healthy financial position. Tho
Scholarship Fund—initiated on
the suggestion of General Sir
Philip Christison-—is providing a
year’s free tuition in clarsach
playing for three scholars. Miss
Peggy Macdonald (Barra),
Duncraig Castle School, Boss-
shire ; Miss Isobel Fairbairn,
Edinburgh; and Miss .Combie,
Edinburgh.
A “ Long Week-end Clarsach
School ” was held at Oban at the
beginning of April, with Miss.
K. Barry-Milner as instructress.
It is noted that there is in¬
creasing recognition of clarsach-
playing, whether it be at ceilidhs,
concerts, dr broadcast pro¬
grammes.
The President of the Society is
Mrs. Iain Campbell (Airds), and
the Hon. Secretary is Mrs.
Herbert Y. Wilson, 30 Dirleton
Avenue, North Berwick.
The late Mr. Donald Graham,
M.A., Irverness.
(Photo by Andrew Paterson
Inverness).