Benefits of bilingual teaching generate demand for new generation of Gaelic teachers (29/09/09) Latest figures from The Highland Council reveal significant attainment for Gaelic Medium pupils. Figures compiled by the local authority for SQA attainment levels set against mainstream pupils demonstrate that pupils receiving Gaelic Medium education attain a higher proportion of Credit level awards than their counterparts in English.

A report to The Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee (25 September) on SQA attainment in Gaelic highlighted that initial results from Highland Secondary Schools in 2009 indicate that pupils do well not just in learning Gaelic but also in their other core subjects.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee said: "These results demonstrate very clearly the benefits of giving children a bilingual education. Far from holding pupils back, as some critics would have it, this is proof again that pupils learning in Gaelic Medium schools not only do well in Gaelic but match and better their peers in other subjects.

“This is why demand for Gaelic Medium Education is strong and why we need to do everything in our power to try and accommodate that growth by attracting and training a new generation of Gaelic Medium teachers."

Members of the Council’s Gaelic committee were informed by Hugh Fraser, Highland Council’s Director of Education, Culture and Sport that in S1 and S2, pupils are achieving a good standard of Gaelic reading and writing.

He said: “This is a creditable achievement given that many of the young people come from families where Gaelic is not spoken. This may also have helped their English medium reading and writing where the same pupils have a higher level of achievement than the year group as a whole.”

In the report he gave examples that by the end of S2, the average percentage achieving level E in Gaelic over the past 5 years has been 72.6% in reading and 58% in writing. The equivalent English Medium reading and writing scores for these pupils are 79.7% and 68.2% respectively. These are around 9% higher than the average for the year groups as a whole.

Gaelic medium pupils give a good performance in Mathematics. By the end of S2 the average percentage of Gaelic medium pupils over the past 5 years at 74.2% is around 8% higher than the average of the year groups as whole.

Almost all Gaelic medium pupils continue to the end of S4 where they sit exams formerly designed for native speakers. Their achievement is sound with a higher proportion gaining Credit level awards than the overall cohort in English. Gaelic learners also do particularly well with a high level of Credit and General awards and standing well in comparison with French and German.

By the time pupils reach S5 and S6 numbers become too small for percentages. 25 out of 28 pupils sitting Higher Gaelic Medium gained and A – C award. There was not such a good performance this year from Gaelic Learners in S5 but it is thought that the SQA Appeals process may make a difference here. An encouraging 18 pupils took Higher Gaelic Learners in S6 and 13 gained A – C awards.

There were very small numbers in S6 doing Advance Higher. 3 Gaelic Medium and 8 Gaelic Learners gained awards at A-C.

CÒMHRADH FOSGAILTE & COINNEAMH BHLIADHNAIL
PANEL DISCUSSION & AGM

Cuspairean / Topics for discussion:

Àrd-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis /
A new Gaelic secondary school for the area

Ionad ùr aig Cùram Chloinne Inbhir Nis /
Proposed Gaelic pre-school centre

Ionad Gàidhlig ùr airson Inbhir Nis /
The proposed Gaelic “hub” for Inverness

Luchd-labhairt / Panelists include:
Arthur Cormack (Chair of Bòrd na Gàidhlig)
Cllr Roy Pedersen

Comhairle nan Leabhraichean
The Gaelic Books Council
Cothrom leabhraichean Gàidhlig a cheannach
Opportunity to buy Gaelic books

Fàilte air a h-uile duine/buidhean aig a bheil ùidh ann an Gàidhlig
All people/groups interested in Gaelic matters welcome

Còmhradh Fosgailte / Discussion: 7pm-8:30pm
C. Bh. / AGM: 8:30-9pm

Càite / Where    
Bunsgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis, IV2 6BA

Cuine / When
Oidhche-luain / Monday
28 Sultain / 28 September
7:00 f. / p.m.

NEWS RELEASE

Issued: Monday 31 August 2009

For immediate use

GAELIC PARENTS TO RECEIVE BOOST THROUGH WORKSHOPS

Comann nam Pàrant Inbhir Nis (the association to support parents of children in Gaelic medium education in the Inverness area) have received funding from Bòrd na Gàidhlig to host a series of workshops to assist parents on their Gaelic language skills and to encourage them to use the language at home with their children.

The workshops will cover a number of topics including, story reading skills, Gaelic games, Gaelic awareness, Gaelic taster sessions, helping with homework, domestic vocabulary, and Gaelic online resources.

Chairman of Comann nam Pàrant Inbhir Nis (CNP-Inbhir Nis) Brian Ó hEadhra has warmly welcomed the support - “we are delighted to receive this grant from Bòrd na Gàidhlig to assist us on this important project. As a parent it is not always easy to access information and guidance on extra-curricular Gaelic medium activities and we hope these workshops will assist parents in their own Gaelic acquisition and parenting skills.”

Comann nam Pàrant Inbhir Nis continually seek to develop and grow Gaelic medium education, at all levels, in the Inverness area. They will hold their AGM on the 28th September at 7pm at Bunsgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis. A number of guest speakers and local Gaelic groups will attend to discuss a number of pressing issues relating to Gaelic education including – a new Gaelic Secondary School for the area, Cùram Chloinne Inbhir Nis's proposed Gaelic pre-school centre & the proposed Gaelic “hub” for Inverness.

Mr Ó hEadhra concludes “Gaelic primary medium education has been a great success in the area and we now have to look to the future to accommodate and develop the preschool and secondary provision. All of the related organisations are working hard to make the Highlands a fully bilingual/multilingual society and we welcome anyone who would like to partake in these exciting cultural innovations.

The parents workshops will start in October with exact dates and times to follow.

Ends.

See site: www.cnp-inbhirnis.com

27 An Lùnastal, 2009 - Air fhoillseachadh aig 11:10 BST

Plana a bheireadh na buidhnean Gàidhlig còmhla

Tha Bòrd na Gàidhlig air sgrùdadh òrdachadh feuch an gabh ionad mòr a thogail ann an Inbhir Nis fon deadh na buidhnean Gàidhlig uile còmhla.

Thathar cuideachd a' beachdachadh air ionadan mar seo a stèidheachadh ann an Steòrnabhagh, Glaschu agus Dùn Eideann.

Tha co-dhiù dà làrach ann an Inbhir Nis a dh'fhaodadh a bhith freagarrach - tè ri taobh na bun-sgoile Gàidhlig, agus tèile air fearann far a bheilear airson togalach ùr OGE a thogail aig Beechwood.

Dh'innis Riaghaltas na h-Alba do Bhòrd na Gàidhlig gum feum iad beachdachadh air leithid a ghluasad airson an cuid airgid a chosg ann an dòigh nas èifeachdaiche.

Tha dùil gun cosgadh an leithid na milleanan notaichean.

Tha Ministear na Gàidhlig, Mìcheal Russell, air iarraidh air na buidhnean plana a chur an gnìomh a bheireadh àrdachadh air na tha de luchd-labhairt a' chànain.