The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Teachers log on to give Gaelic a virtual boost

21/06/2005

Tha tidsearan Gàidhlig bho air feadh na h-Alba air a bhith ag ionnsachadh gu dian nan sgilean compiutaireachd aca mar phàirt den ullachadh airson àrd-sgoile Ghàidhlig dhealanach.

Bidh tidsearan a' gabhail pàirt ann am bùithtean-obrach sònraichte gus an sgilean TCF (teicneolas fhiosrachaidh is chonaltraidh) a thoirt air adhart. Chaidh an cùrsa seo a dhealbhadh gu h-àraidh do thidsearan Gàidhlig. Tha bùithtean-obrach air thachairt mu thràth ann an Sruighlea agus leanar orra, tràth san ath bhliadhna acadaimeacach, le trèanadh ann an Inbhir Nis is anns na h-Eileanan Siar.

Bidh an t-eòlas seo deatamach don sgoil dhealanach, a chleachdas ionadan sònraichte gus sgoilearan air feadh na h-Alba a chuideachadh le bhith a' leantainn orra le an rannsachaidhean àrd-sgoile anns a' Ghàidhlig.

Tha buidheann-stiùiridh, le Stiùiriche Foghlaim Chomhairle na Gaidhealtachd, Bruce Robasdan na chathraiche, a' leasachadh a' phròiseict dhealanaich àrd-sgoile Ghàidhlig. Bidh caochladh de sgoiltean, nar measg an àrd-sgoil Ghàidhlig ann an Glaschu, ag obair mar ionad airson taic a thoirt gu ullachadh nàiseanta agus gus an curaicealam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig aig àrd-sgoile a leasachadh.

Tha caochladh de stuthan ionnsachaidh-dealain air loidhne gan iarraidh cuideachd agus tha ceanglaichean gan dèanamh ri Am Baile, an stòrlann digiteach da-chànanach de eachdraidh is chultar Albannach.

Thuirt Ministear an Fhoghlaim, Peadar Peacock, aig a bheil uallach son Gàidhlig:

Le àireamhan de sgoilearan a' sìor-fhàs, agus le barrachd air bharrachd clasaichean tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig, 's e soirbheachadh mò a th' ann am Foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Nì na h-òganaich seo cinnteach gum bi Gàidhlig fada beò san àm ri teachd

"Ach bidh adhartas a' fàillneachadh nuair a ruigeas sgoilearan an àrd-sgoil. 'S mi-riaghailteach a tha an ullachadh agus tha na cùrsaichean a tha gan tairgse ag atharrachadh gu mòr bho sgoil gu sgoil. 'S e sin an adhbhar gum bu choir dhuinn a dhèiligeadh ri seo anns a' bhad.

"Bidh Àrd-sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu - a' chiad tè an Alba - na spionnadh mhòr don chànan, agus nì an lìon-dealain àrd-sgoil cinnteach gu bheil na buannachdan gam faireachdainn air feadh na h-Alba.

"Bidh na sgilean TCF cudromach a tha na tidsearan seo air ionnsachadh a' ciallachadh gum bi deagh bhun-stèidh aca airson pàirt a ghabhail anns an leasachadh is an leudachadh den Churaicealam Ghàidhlig san àrd-sgoil.

"Tha fiughair orm cuideachd ri an aithisg fhaighinn bhon Buidheann Gnìomh nan Tidsearan Gàidhlig a tha a' coimhead air dòighean ùr-ghnàthach airson barrachd tidsearan Gàidhlig a sholar is a chumail us ar leigeil an curaicealam seo a libhrigeadh gu soirbheachail."

Thuirt Mgr Robasdan:

"Tha Foghlam Gàidhlig anns an toiseach gu nàiseanta ann a bhith a' leasachadh cothroman ionnsachaidh-dealain do sgoilearan thar na h-Alba. Tha a' bhuidheann air cudthrom a chur air na roinnean den churaicealam a tha beartach a thaobh cànain agus tha stuthan gan ullachadh is gan dearbhadh ann an cruinn-eòlas, eachdraidh is nua-eòlas. Cuideachd, tha sinn gu bhith a' tòiseachadh air matamataics is saidheans.

"Bidh am BBC ag obair gu dlùth leinn gus an stòras cudromach de ghoireasan digiteach a tha aca a thoirt a-steach dhan churaicealam digiteach againn. 'S dualach gum bi seo na phrògram a' maireann tri gu còig bliadhna 's a' tarraing ri chèile na cùrsaichean as fheàrr bho air feadh na h-Alba."

Tha a' Bhuidheann-stiùiridh TCF Gàidhlig, le Bruce Robasdan bho Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd na chathraiche, a' toirt air adhart planaichean airson àrd-sgoile Ghàidhlig dhealanach. Tha buill aig a' bhuidheann bho ùghdarrasan ionadail, Ionnsachadh is Teagaisg na h-Alba, Ùghdarras Teisteanasan na h-Alba, Luchd-sgrùdaidh na Bànrighe airson Sgoiltean agus Comhairle Choitcheann an Teagaisg an Alba.

Tha na bùithtean obrach gan cur air dòigh le Ionnsachadh is Teagaisg na h-Alba as leth na Buidhne-stiùiridh TCF Gàidhlig.

Fhuair Achd na Gàidhlig Aonta Rìoghail air 2 An t-Òg-mhios

An-dràsta, tha 34 àrd-sgoiltean a' tairgse chlasaichean Ghàidhlig do dh'fhileantaich. Tha 15 cuideachd a' teagaisg cuspairean eile tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig ach tha an ullachadh ag atharrachadh gu mòr air feadh na h-Alba - bidh cuid de sgoiltean a' tairgse iomadach chuspairean ach, ann an sgìrean eile, cha bhi sgoilearan bho bun-sgoiltean Ghàidhlig a' faighinn ach Gàidhlig mar chuspair.

'S e làrach-lìn da-chànanach a th' ann Am Baile do dhuine sam bith aig a bheil ùidh ann an eachdraidh , cultar is cànan na Gaidhealtachd. O chionn goirid, bhuannaich e Duais Riaghaltas na h-Alba airson Libhrigeadh Mathais aig Duaisean Mathais Cho-chruinneachadh Ùghdarrasan Ionadail na h-Alba.

'S e Mata MacÌomhair, ceannard is neach-clàraidh Chomhairle Choitcheann an Teagaisg an Alba, a tha ann an cathraiche Bhuidheann Gnìomh nan Tidsearan Gàidhlig. Chaidh a steidheachadh na bu tràithe a' bhliadhna seo airson cnuasachadh air cuisean fastaidh is togail, cunntas don Mhinistear nas anmoiche air a' mhìos seo. Ach dh'innis Mgr Peacock don cho-labhairt gun robh dùil ann gun toireadh a-steach molaidhean na buidhne:

• Barrachd chùrsaichean air astar is pàirt-ùine
• Adhartas dreuchdan nas fhèarr do Thidsearan Gàidhlig
• Cùrsaichean gus sgilean cànain oileanaich-teagaisg Gàidhlig a leasachadh
• Cùrsaichean gus tidsearan a chuideachadh le gluasad bho theagasg Beurla gu teagasg Gàidhlig
• Roi-innleachd cho-òrdanaichte airson tidsearan Gàidhlig a thogail

English version

Gaelic medium teachers from throughout Scotland have been brushing up their computer skills as part of preparations for the virtual Gaelic secondary school.

Teachers are taking part in Masterclass training sessions to improve their ICT (information and communication technology) skills. This new course is especially designed for Gaelic teachers. Sessions have already taken place in Stirling and will be followed, early next term, with training in Inverness and the Western Isles.

This knowledge will be vital for the virtual school, which will use specialist centres to help pupils throughout Scotland continue their secondary studies in Gaelic.

A steering group, headed by Highland Council's Education Director Bruce Robertson, is developing the virtual Gaelic medium secondary project. Various schools, including the Gaelic secondary in Glasgow, will act as hubs to support national provision and develop the Gaelic medium secondary curriculum.

A range of online e-learning materials is also being commissioned and links are being made to Am Baile, the bilingual digital archive of Scottish history and culture.

Education Minister Peter Peacock, who has ministerial responsibility for Gaelic, said:

"With increasing number of pupils, and more and more Gaelic medium classes, Gaelic medium education is a huge success story. These youngsters will ensure the Gaelic language flourishes in future.

"But progress falters when pupils reach secondary. Provision is patchy and the courses offered vary vastly from one school to another. That's why it's vital that we address this urgently.

"The Glasgow Gaelic Medium Secondary - Scotland's first - will be a major boost for the language and the virtual secondary network will ensure the benefits are felt throughout Scotland.

"The vital ICT skills these teachers have learned mean they'll be well-placed to play their part in the development and roll-out of the Gaelic secondary curriculum.

"I'm also looking forward to receiving the report of the Gaelic Medium Teacher Action Group which is looking at innovative ways to recruit and retain more Gaelic medium teachers to allow us to deliver this curriculum successfully."

Mr Robertson said:

"Gaelic education is at the forefront nationally in developing e-learning opportunities for pupils across Scotland. The group has prioritised the language-rich areas of the curriculum and materials are being prepared and piloted in geography, history and modern studies. We are also ready to start work on maths and science.

"The BBC will be working closely with us so that we harness the very significant resource base they are developing in their digital curriculum. This is likely to be a three-five year programme which will pull together the very best of courses from across Scotland."

The Gaelic ICT Implementation Group, chaired by Highland Council's Bruce Robertson, is taking forward plans for the virtual Gaelic secondary school. The group includes members from local authorities, Learning and Teaching Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, HM Inspectorate of Education and the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

The Masterclass course was organised by Learning and Teaching Scotland on behalf of the Gaelic ICT Implementation Group.

The Gaelic Language Act received Royal Assent on June 2.

Currently, 34 secondary schools offer Gaelic language classes for fluent speakers. Fifteen also teach other subjects in Gaelic but provision varies greatly throughout Scotland - some schools offer various subjects in Gaelic while, in other areas, pupils progressing from Gaelic medium primaries only recent Gaelic language.

Am Baile - the Gaelic Village - is a bilingual website for anyone interested in Highland history, culture and language. It recently won the Scottish Executive Award for Delivering Excellence at the CoSLA Excellence Awards.

The Gaelic Medium Teacher Action Group is chaired by Matthew MacIver, chief executive and registrar of the General Teaching Council for Scotland. The group was set up earlier this year and is due to report shortly. The group's recommendations are expected to include:

• More part-time and distance learning courses
• Improved career progression for Gaelic medium teachers
• Courses to improve language abilities for Gaelic student teachers
• Courses to help teachers transfer from English to Gaelic teachers