APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

ON-LINE TEACHING MATERIALS 

There was a presentation by Janet MacLeod who had been seconded by the Council to Learning and Teaching, Scotland to develop on-line teaching materials for schools.

Mrs MacLeod presented to the Committee the wide-range of teaching material and information available on the web-site “gaidhlig.air-loidhne” and explained both the benefits of and the need to increase inter-authority collaborative working.  It was expected that this web-site facility would address a number of the concerns regarding the shortage of Gaelic teaching materials, and would help to develop a culture of sharing among all Gaelic learners and users.

Regarding maximisation of this on-line resource, the Director of Education explained that good access to Broadband services in schools was essential.

GAELIC PRE-SCHOOL AND CHILDCARE PLAN

There was circulated Report No GSC17/04 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport giving details of the Gaelic Education and Early Years strategy adopted by members in November 2002.  The Gaelic Early Years Plan set out a number of development priorities in order to further consolidate the strategy and to provide a more integrated service to children and families in the early years.

The Head of Education, and the Childcare and Early Years Officer (Gaelic Medium), emphasised the need for joined up working between Education and Early Years developments and Community Learning and Leisure developments and other relevant agencies working with pre-school children and their families.

During discussion the following points were raised:

·        Gaelic must have equal status to English, including in areas such as Professional Development;

·        Gaelic should be on the agenda for all the Area Children’s Services Forums, and partnership working with other agencies, such as Families First and Surestart, should continue;

·        The pre-school years were the ideal time for a child to learn a second language and the pre-school sector was therefore critical.   Information on funding opportunities should be sourced for a possible pre-school language unit that could target parents who wished their children to learn a second language but who had not yet been informed about Gaelic-medium education;

·        Non-gaelic speaking parents needed to be encouraged to send their children to Gaelic medium education with clear information of the advantages to the education of their children;

·        Designating areas for Gaelic-only provision, for example where the demand for English medium is extremely low, should be considered; and

RECRUITMENT OF GAELIC TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF

There was circulated Report No GSC 18/04  by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining proposals aimed at increasing the supply of Gaelic speaking teachers and other education staff in the Highland Council. 

The Head of Education explained the need to recruit a range of Gaelic-speaking staff for schools, including support staff and educational psychologists, as well teaching staff.  It was estimated that in August 2004 there were 20-25 students on Gaelic-medium teacher training programmes, and approximately 11 of these were potentially able to graduate in 2005 from courses available in Highland through academic partners operating within Highland. 

During discussion the point was made that although 11 new teaching graduates appeared a sufficient number on paper to cope with the demand from schools in the Highlands, there was no guarantee that they would all choose to work in the Highlands, especially as the forthcoming Gaelic Language Bill may encourage the uptake of Gaelic-medium education in other areas of Scotland, and would increase the overall number of Gaelic-speaking teachers required.  Members also felt that the Careers Service was placing insufficient emphasis on the opportunities available within the Gaelic-speaking economy.  Further discussion will take place with Careers Scotland and CNAG and the Bord na Gaidhleag on this matter.  

The Committee NOTED the report and APPROVED the action proposed in the appended Action Plan.   

GAELIC LANGUAGE PLAN 

There was circulated Report No GSC19/04 by the Area Managers, Lochaber and Skye and Lochalsh, together with draft of the Council’s first Gaelic Language Plan.   

During discussion the following points were raised and suggested alterations to the Plan were made: 

a)      The need for TV broadcasts at sociable hours, with full and continuous sub-titling;

b)      Greater emphasis being placed on the need for the Highland Council to take a lead role in the development of the Plan structure;

c)      A Broadband strategy being incorporated into the Plan;

d)      Reference to all Scottish universities that provide Gaelic courses or resources being included in the Plan;

e)      The key role of Gaelic History, Language and Culture at the core of 2007 Year of Highland Culture being emphasised;

f)        Greater emphasis being placed on Tourism in the Plan;

g)      The importance of bi-lingual signage in the Plan;

h)      The inclusion of points from the European Charter for minority languages;

i)        Greater emphasis being placed on work opportunities within the Gaelic economy by Careers Scotland;

j)        The need to prepare the Plan on a four year, rather than five year, basis; and

k)      It be clarified that Gaelic was the indigenous language of the Highlands. 

The Lochaber Area Manager explained that an Action Plan was required and would be drawn up, and that this would detail the measures to be put in place to encourage staff, for whom a working knowledge of Gaelic would be useful in their day to day work, to learn the language or develop their language skills. 

The Select Committee APPROVED the draft Plan and AGREED as follows: 

·        The Highland Council should play a leading role in the development of a national blueprint for Gaelic Plans;

·        Consideration be given to holding a further meeting of the Gaelic Select Committee to discuss the final draft of the Plan prior to it being submitted to Council on 7 October 2004;

·        Further ideas and feedback on the draft Plan be given to the Area Manager, Skye and Lochalsh, and the Gaelic Development Officer;

·        Regular reports on the 2007 Highland Year of Culture be made to the Select Committee; and

DEVELOPING AND PRESERVING GAELIC IN NOVA SCOTIA 

There was circulated Report No GSC20/04 by the Area Manager, Skye and Lochalsh, informing Members of the launch of a strategy to develop Gaelic in Nova Scotia. 

Members were informed that the Nova Scotia Provincial Gaelic Development Officer, Frances MacEachen, was to visit the Highlands with two colleagues in late October 2004 and that a meeting would be set up with them, which Members would be invited to attend. 

The Chairman informed that Committee that a letter had been received from the Provincial Government of Nova Scotia thanking the Highland Council for their assistance over the summer. 

UPDATE ON GAELIC LANGUAGE BILL

There was circulated Report No GSC21/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer informing Members of developments regarding the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.

The Director of Education informed the Committee that a meeting with the Scottish Executive on the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill may be possible and Members interested in attending such a meeting should liaise with him.

Update report

There was circulated Report No GSC22/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer giving an update of the progress on current issues of interest to the Committee.

Members were informed that:

·        Funding had been obtained from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to take forward the Business Plan for the Place Names Committee; 

·        Ordnance Survey were shortly intending to provide information on the origins of place names for languages other than English, including Gaelic;

·        There was the possibility of a television programme being made about the origins and meanings of Gaelic mountain names;

·        At a forthcoming meeting of the Parliamentary Gaelic Cross Party Working Group, the Chairman hoped to raise a number of issues including Trunk Road signage and the Gaelic Language Bill; and

·        The Education Committee of the Scottish Executive would be visiting the Highlands on Monday 29 November 2004 and the Chairman also hoped to be able to raise a number of key issues with them.