Sciennes Loves Reading

P4-P7 Book Reviews by Ms Wendy French

There are two parts to learning in languages. The first is about the language your child needs to be fully involved in their society and in learning English. The second is learning additional languages. [See 1+2 page]

Your child will develop a secure understanding of how language works, and will use language to communicate ideas and information in English and other languages. They will develop their ability to communicate their thoughts and feelings and respond to those of others.

What will my child learn?

Each area of the curriculum is broken down into experiences and outcomes. These are clear and concise statements about children’s learning and progression from pre-school to S3.

You can download experiences and outcomes for:

• literacy and English
• literacy and Gàidhlig
• modern languages
• Gaelic (learners)
• Scots language
• classical languages.

Scots language

​The European Commission for Minority Languages, the UK Government and the Scottish Government all recognise Scots as a minority language that needs to be supported – but what does this mean for your child at school?

Just like English and Gaelic, Scots is one of the three ‘home’ languages of Scotland. While all three languages receive the same respect, English is the main language that is taught in most Scottish schools, with Gaelic the main language in Gaelic Medium Education.

Scots is a language that is often celebrated at certain times of the year, such as St Andrew’s Day, Hogmanay or perhaps at a Burns Supper in January. It isn’t just kept for special occasions though, as Scots is also spoken and understood by many people on an everyday basis. A great way for children and young people to explore aspects of Scottish culture, Scots can be used along with English and Gaelic as an engaging approach to develop literacy skills throughout the year. If you would like to explore Scots with your child, the National Library of Scotland have a fun introduction to the language on their Oor Wullie website.

How can I support my child’s learning?

Parentzone’s Supporting literacy at home section has simple suggestions on how you can help develop your child’s literacy skills at home.
There are many interesting suggestions on the SCILT (Scotland’s National Centre for Languages) website, including a parental leaflet on the 1+2 policy, Leading on Languages.