APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Clì Gàidhlig (CLI)

There was a presentation by Mr P Morgan on the work of CLI (the Gaelic Learners Association) on the role of the organisation and in particular the work they were doing in the Highland Area.

Based in Inverness, CLI was a registered charity and generated funding from membership subscriptions in addition to assistance from the Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.  The CLI  board, elected by members, was responsible for the operation of the organisation.

Mr Morgan explained that CLI had three main aims which included the promoting of Gaelic learning and the national status of Gaelic; to disseminate information on Gaelic and Gaelic affairs; and to act as the voice of Gaelic learners and non-native speakers.

Mr Morgan went on to explain that CLI intended to move forward and promote the Gaelic language with the help of the Council and other organisations such as Highland Community Learning; Community Learning of Gaelic; Highland Literacies Action Plan; Gaelic Names Liaison Committee; Inverness Urban Areas Map; and Highland 2007 promoting Inverness as the city of Gaelic. 

GAELIC LEARNERS IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL (GLPS)

There was circulated Report No GSC05/04 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport giving details of the report by Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research on the ‘Gaelic in the Primary School Consortium’ and the implementation of ‘Gaelic Learners in the Primary Schools’(GLPS) in the council’s schools.   The report also gave an account of an alternative strategy to GLPS being piloted in Highland schools, the wider context in which these developments were taking place and their implications for staff development and a national strategy for Gaelic Education.

During discussion, it was proposed that the Council should take a more proactive approach and devise an Action Plan to deal with the difficulties in relation to Gaelic education such as recruiting teachers, teacher training, development of Gaelic pre-school education, promotion of careers opportunities etc.

The Head of Education Services explained that the main areas in which Gaelic education could be strengthened were by developing pre-school education, ensuring the successes of primary Gaelic medium education continued into secondary education and by linking into community development.  He further explained that the Council presently had a good Gaelic Education and Early Years strategy but needed to improve on the service delivery of the strategy.

The Committee AGREED:-

(i)                  to note the contents of the report;

(ii)                that further consideration be given to the extension of the GLPS  programme in Highland Primary Schools;

(iii)               the recommendations to progress a national strategy to enhance the staffing infrastructure across all aspects of Gaelic education;

(iv)              that an Action Plan be prepared for consideration by the Select Committee by June 2004 to address the various issues facing the development of Gaelic education from pre-school through to further education and the associated career advice planning and recruitment issues.  The plan should consider how best to progress Gaelic education provision through the further development of pre-school education and ensure that the developed capacity of Gaelic in primary schools was not lost when pupils transferred to secondary school.  The Action Plan should also link Gaelic into community development and set out proposals to improve community infrastructure through signage etc thereby contributing to continuous improvement on the delivery of the Gaelic Education and Early Years Strategy;

(v)                a report be prepared on the progress of Gaelic pre-school education by the Gaelic Pre-School Development Officer; and

PUPILS IN GAELIC MEDIUM EDUCATION

There was circulated Report No GSC06/04 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining details of the current enrolment in Gaelic Medium Education and in Gaelic classes in secondary schools as at September 2003.

In response to a query raised, it was explained that research had shown that children who were taught in two languages or more had higher overall attainment levels and would be at the same stage in both languages as children being taught only in English.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH NOVA SCOTIA: PROGRESS REPORT

There was circulated Report No GSC07/04 by the Skye and Lochalsh Area Manager, updating Members on the progress being made in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nova Scotia.

The report gave details of projects that had been completed during 2003/04 and details of projects that were still in progress.  It was further reported that Nova Scotia’s Government Department of Tourism and Culture had appointed a Gaelic Development Officer, Mr Frances MacEchen, as the lead official with responsibility for the links with Highland.

In response to the suggestion of attracting Gaelic speakers from Nova Scotia to the Highlands, it was explained that their situation was similar to that of the Highlands as there was also a shortage of Gaelic medium education teachers in Nova Scotia.

The Committee NOTED the report and progress of the MOU to date and AGREED to:-

(i)                  circulate to Members the report prepared by HOST on cultural tourism;

(ii)                circulate to Members the report prepared by Nova Scotia’s Gaelic Development Officer on the Future of Gaelic in Nova Scotia;

(iii)               investigate the feasibility of an experienced Highland Gaelic Playgroup Leader visiting Nova Scotia to assist with staff training and introducing Gaelic to pre-school groups; and 

GAELIC SIGN POSTING

There was circulated Report No GSC08/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer informing the Committee of the Council’s current policy in relation to Gaelic Signposting.

The report explained that the Council had no formal bilingual signage policy except for the Gaelic Signposting Policy for directional roads signs which had been agreed at the Transport Services Committee on 24 April 1996.

The report proposed the Council reviewed its policy on Gaelic signposting in view of a number of significant changes that had taken place such as the Gaelic Development Strategy, the Parliamentary Cross Party Working Group on Gaelic, establishment of Bord na Gaidhlig and the draft Gaelic Bill.

During discussion, concern was expressed that the present bilingual directional road signs policy was not being implemented as not all signs were being replaced with bilingual roads signs and those that were often had incorrect spellings and styles.

The Committee felt that bilingual signage throughout the Highlands would generate benefits in both an educational and tourism capacity.  Bilingual signage would provide the opportunity for Gaelic learners and speakers to interact with the language outwith the education environment and it would also promote the language to tourists adding to the unique experience of visiting the Highlands.

However, in contrast, concern was expressed regarding bilingual signs being erected in non-speaking Gaelic areas such as Caithness. The issue of expenditure costs involved in changing signs in all Council establishments to bilingual signage was also raised and it was suggested that perhaps the investment would be better utilised directly on education or improving the state of the roads.  It was explained that, within the existing road signs policy each area could determine the use of bilingual road signs.

The Committee AGREED that:-

(i)                  a Highland Bilingual Policy, covering all aspects of signage, be considered at the next meeting of the Select Committee; and

Update report

There was circulated Report No GSC09/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer giving an update of the progress on current issues of interest to the Committee.

The Chairman informed the Committee that he had attended a conference on the Partnership for Diversity in Germany.  He explained that the conference covered issues such as minority languages, European funding opportunities and also highlighted the lack of awareness of Gaelic in general.   Therefore, it was proposed that the Council offer to host the Conference in 2006, probably in Skye, in order to promote and bring about an awareness of Gaelic and the Highlands to fellow European Union members.

The Committee NOTED the report and that the Chairman had attended the Partnership for Diversity Conference in Germany and AGREED:-

(i)                  to investigate the feasibility of the Conference being held in the Highlands, probably Skye, in 2006;

(ii)                seek further information on European funding for minority languages;

(iii)               to arrange a meeting with a view to becoming part of the Cross Border Working Groups of Wales and Ireland; and

(iv)              to investigate the opportunity of twinning with another European region with a lesser used language.