Scottish Learning Festival: Details of the seminar for Gaelic Education
Seminar Title: Early learning, early gains in reducing the attainment gap in Gaelic Medium Education (GME)
Date: Wednesday 19 September 2018
Time: 9.30am
Venue: Leven
Seminar Code: L1A
Registration for the seminar: http://ow.ly/oO8n30k1UGB
The Scottish Learning Festival (SLF) is Scotland’s key educational event. We look forward to inviting you to a seminar for the Gaelic sector at 9.30am on Wednesday 19 September. This will have a focus on raising attainment and promoting excellence and equity for learners through an improved GME curriculum.
The programme
- We are delighted that John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills will make some opening remarks at the seminar. This will set the national, strategic direction for Gaelic Education from the recently-published National Gaelic Language Plan, 2018-2023.
- Joan Esson, HM Inspector of Education will share the successes and challenges of the free GME ELC hours, and how solution-focused approaches are being implemented. This will be based on our evaluations of the quality of experiences, as part of The Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) GME trials, which will be augmented with our inspection findings on GME ELC.
- Angela NicIllebhràighe, Course Co-ordinator: Childcare Programmes and Seonaidh Charity, Programme Leader, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig University of Highlands and Islands will share how they can support GME post-16 pathways to support workforce planning. This will include:
- The Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services: Children and Young People, which is a two-year programme delivered by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI through the medium of Gaelic. This is for young people in S5 and S6 and combines college-based learning with work placements.
- HNC Childhood Practice, which is delivered by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI over two years on a part-time basis. The HNC Childhood Practice is a nationally recognised qualification, with the opportunity to study by distance learning. On successful completion, you will be eligible to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
- The BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education is a new four-year GME teacher education programme. The programme can be studied through distance learning, or by on-site delivery. It has a focus on the distinctive pedagogy required for GME. Students gain a degree, as well as a teaching qualification. This allows a direct route into teacher education, in an area in which there is a recognised shortage of teachers. The programme is designed for teaching Gàidhlig and Gaelic (Learners) at the secondary stages, or GME Primary Teaching. It includes 18 weeks of teaching experience within schools.
Please register for the seminar here:
