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Summary

1. Community languages: an asset for Scotland

Scotland has a long history of multilingualism. Several languages in addition to English can be considered 'indigenous' to Scotland: these include Gaelic, Scots, British Sign Language and the languages of Gypsies/ Travellers. A very wide range of other languages are also currently in use, as a result of labour force mobility within the European Union, immigration from elsewhere in the world, and the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees. However, there are no national data on the range of languages, or the number of people who speak them.

There is growing recognition of the benefits of plurilingualism for individuals, their communities and wider Scottish society. These include the practical advantages of being able to communicate with a wider range of people than is possible with one language alone, the cognitive advantages associated with early plurilingualism, and cultural, economic and social benefits for communities and societies which can use several languages to support trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange in an increasingly 'globalised' world, and also support for social inclusion and participation in democratic institutions.

Capitalising on these linguistic resources requires investment. Although many people in Scotland speak other languages apart from English, little is known about the extent to which they can study these languages formally and develop the skills - particularly literacy - which would enable them to take full advantage of their plurilingualism. There is therefore a need to establish what provision is currently available to support community language learning and whether this provision needs to be expanded or enhanced in any way.

2. The Scottish Community Languages Survey

The Scottish Community Languages Survey was conducted between October 2004 and January 2006. The aims were:

• to collate existing information about provision for community languages for children of school age (i.e. between 5 and 18 years old);
• to collect more detailed information directly from providers about the goals of provision and how these are achieved.

Similar surveys were conducted in England and Wales at the same time, in order to construct a picture of provision across Great Britain.

There were three phases to the survey:

Phase 1: a trawl of all local authorities in Scotland for information about provision for community languages in mainstream or complementary schools.

Phase 2: questionnaires to all providers of community language education identified in the course of Phase 1, to collect more detailed information about the rationale for provision, student achievements and the support needs of providers.

Phase 3: consultation with specialists in the field of community languages on issues arising from the findings from Phases 1 and 2, and on how best to develop provision in the future.

3. Findings

The range of languages in use in Scotland

At least 106 languages are spoken by at least 12,000 children attending Scottish schools. These figures are almost certainly an underestimate as fewer than half the local authorities in Scotland collect data about the languages spoken by school pupils.

Increasing multilingualism

Although there is not historical data on the languages spoken in Scotland to allow comparisons to be made, it is likely that the range of languages spoken in Scotland and the number of people who speak them have increased considerably in recent years, as a result of increased labour mobility within the European Union, immigration, and greater numbers of asylum seekers and refugees coming to Scotland.

Provision for community language learning

There is provision for children of school age to study at least 21 community languages. Almost 200 primary and secondary schools were identified as making mainstream provision for community languages (principally Gaelic) along with over 100 complementary classes, schools or centres. However, it would appear that there is no provision at all for some 80 languages in use among Scottish schoolchildren.

Gaelic

Gaelic is the language with the most extensive provision, including Gaelic-medium units in mainstream primary schools, Gaelic as a second language classes in mainstream primary and secondary schools, and some subjects delivered through the medium of Gaelic in a small number of secondary schools. There is also complementary provision for Gaelic, principally in the form of Gaelic youth clubs to encourage its social use.

Other 'indigenous' languages

Provision for other 'indigenous' languages is limited. No provision for the study of Scots was identified, although it is known that many schools encourage pupils to study Scots literature, and a few may devote some time to the study of the language. There seems to be no complementary provision for Scots. It proved difficult to identify the sources of provision for British Sign Language through this survey. It appears that there is no formal provision for the languages of Gypsies/ Travellers.

Urdu

Of the other languages, Urdu has the most extensive provision, both in mainstream primary and secondary schools, where it is taught as a second or modern language, with the option in some cases for students to sit Standard Grade and then (in the absence of Higher Urdu) A/S and A-level Urdu. In addition, 42 complementary classes, schools or centres making provision for Urdu were identified.

Other community languages

There is very limited mainstream provision for other community languages, despite the possibility of entering students for GCSE, A/S and A-level examinations in some 20 languages. However, some mainstream schools act as examination centres for those who study these languages in complementary classes, schools or centres. The trawl identified over 100 complementary classes, schools or centres in Scotland, making provision for at least 21 languages: Arabic, Bengali, British Sign Language, Cantonese, Dutch, Farsi, French, Gaelic, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish, Makaton, Mandarin, Punjabi, Polish, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu.

Resources for community language teaching

Mainstream schools were able to access a wider range of resources than complementary providers, particularly in the case of Gaelic, but all providers were keen to expand the range, to include more audio-visual and internet-based resources. There was also demand for more materials specifically designed to support children's literacy development and more formal aspects of the community languages they were studying, similar to those available for English language and literacy teaching at school.

Assessment and reporting of progress

Mainstream schools used a wide range of methods to assess and report children's progress in learning community languages, drawing on the mechanisms used generally in the context of the 5-14 curriculum and standard school procedures. Almost all schools provided written reports to parents. It was less common, however, for schools to encourage pupils to assess their own progress, or to include community languages in records of achievement. Almost all secondary schools entered students for examinations in the community languages offered. Complementary providers used a narrower range of assessment approaches, principally tests from textbooks or other sources. Few made reference to 5-14. Just over three quarters of complementary providers entered their students for Standard Grade, GCSE, A/S and A-Level examinations.

Teacher qualifications and professional development

All primary and three quarters of the secondary schools reported that their community languages teachers had Scottish teaching qualifications. In most mainstream schools, community languages teachers could undertake continuous professional development ( CPD) but would like more opportunities to:

• share expertise and learn from others doing similar work;
• learn more about language development;
• learn how to provide differentiated work for students with a range of linguistic abilities.

Complementary providers reported that around a fifth of their teachers had formal teaching qualifications, from Scotland or elsewhere. In at least a third of the schools, teachers were unpaid volunteers. Complementary school staff sought further opportunities for CPD, including:

• training specific to the teaching of languages;
• more general teaching competences;
• knowledge of British education and examination systems;
• opportunities to gain formal accreditation as teachers;
• sharing expertise and learning from others doing similar work.

Rationales for community language learning

All providers were asked to state what they thought were the main reasons for their students wanting to learn community languages. The emphasis varied considerably between primary and secondary schools, between mainstream and complementary providers, and also between Scottish providers and their English and Welsh counterparts. Key points to emerge from these comparisons are:

• Parental motivation is likely to be seen as more important than the students' own views, among providers catering for children in the primary age range.
• Scottish providers tend to view parental motivation more positively than their English and Welsh counterparts, describing parents as 'encouraging', rather than 'pushing' their children to study community languages.
• Mainstream secondary schools saw gaining qualifications as one of the most important rationales, and gaining access to the culture, history and religion associated with the language as the least important.
• Complementary providers saw gaining access to the culture, history and religion associated with the language as among the most important rationales, and gaining a qualification in the language as the least important.

Other issues

Other issues of relevance to emerge from the survey include the difficulty of making provision when student numbers are low, and the need to support parents of children studying community languages, so that they could help their children with the work. It was also very clear that many complementary providers are severely hampered by lack of funds, limited resources and absence of professional development opportunities for their staff.

4. Discussion

Four key issues for further discussion emerged from the review of the findings of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the survey, during the consultation phase:

• the implications of increasing linguistic diversity;
• advantages and disadvantages of different models of provision;
• training and professional development for teachers;
• the need for an inclusive and joined up languages education policy.

Increasing linguistic diversity

Although there are probably greater numbers of plurilingual schoolchildren than ever before in Scotland, increasing diversity in terms of the range of languages spoken means that making provision for all to learn these languages formally remains a major challenge. Partnerships, among groups of schools, between schools and further education providers, and between mainstream and complementary providers, are one way of helping to ensure broader coverage. A more systematic approach to provision requires improvements in determining demand, and supportive local and national policy.

Advantages and disadvantages of different models of provision

Three models of provision for community language learning are currently in use, based on three different perspectives:

• that community language learning is essentially a distinctive branch of language learning, requiring different materials and teaching approaches from modern language learning;
• that community language learning is similar or identical to modern language learning and can therefore be accommodated in similar ways;
• that community language learning is best achieved when the language is used as the medium of instruction.

It is not feasible, on the basis of this survey to say which of these models is most effective. It seems likely each of these models is more or less effective in different circumstances, depending on the learners' backgrounds and aspirations. A flexible approach which takes into account the needs and interests of the learners and their communities, and those of wider Scottish society is needed.

Professional development for community language teachers

There is widespread consensus on the need to increase opportunities for community language teachers' professional development. Some of their needs in this context are similar to those of modern languages teachers, while others are more specific to community language teaching. Networking opportunities which would allow community languages teachers to meet up with each other and with modern languages teachers, to share expertise and learn from each other is identified as one of the key ways in which professional development could be enhanced. Web-based support, in development in England for mainstream staff working with plurilingual pupils, could be expanded to Scotland and more specifically for community languages teachers. There is a need for community languages teachers, particularly those working in mainstream schools, to gain formal teaching qualifications specifically in languages education. Approaches developed in England may be relevant for Scotland.

An inclusive and joined up languages education policy

The importance of community languages for achieving higher levels of plurilingualism in Scotland, the UK and in Europe is gaining greater recognition. There is a need both for an inclusive language policy, which values all language learning, and seeks to break down power and status differentials; and for joined up policy which recognises the benefits to Scotland firstly of linking policy areas which impact on the development of communication skills, and secondly of auditing and reviewing the communication needs associated with all policy domains.

5. Conclusions: realising potential

Scotland's languages are a valuable resource with the potential to bring a wide range of benefits to individuals, their communities and wider Scottish society. For these benefits to be realised, better provision to enable plurilingual children to maintain and develop competence in their community languages is needed. This survey has shown that the extent and nature of such provision currently is very variable. While there are some excellent initiatives, and the level of commitment among providers is high, much provision is poorly funded and community language teachers suffer from a very marked lack of professional development opportunities. For many languages, there is no provision at all. Therefore, Scotland is not currently in a good position to capitalise on its linguistic resources.

Experts in the field of community languages education have a vision of the future in which:

• inclusive terminology is used in the context of language learning;
• plurilingualism is nurtured;
• ICT plays a key role in linking children who speak the same languages but live in different parts of Scotland, and supports distance learning of community languages;
• there is effective assessment of learners' community language competence and planning for their progression;
• there is enhanced professional development for community language teachers;
• the contribution of complementary schools is valued and supported ;
• employers recognise the value of plurilingualism and actively seek to recruit plurilingual employees;
• multilingualism is promoted as part of Scotland's contemporary identity, as a social, cultural and economic asset.

To achieve this, they recommend:

• awareness raising campaigns at all levels;
• a range of new initiatives, including content and language integrated learning ( CLIL), the use of new educational technologies and assessment approaches such as the Asset Languages Assessment Scheme to improve provision for community language learning in mainstream primary and secondary schools;
• partnerships between a wide range of educational bodies to ensure coherent and effective provision for community language learning in the wider context of Scottish education;
• a strategic approach to provision post-16, particularly to opportunities to link community language learning with vocational studies at different levels;
• development of responsive and flexible educational approaches which tie the goals of community language learning into wider educational goals: A Curriculum for Excellence is a good opportunity to do this for the 3-18 age range.

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