The Scottish Government’s policy, Language learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach, recommends that, ‘a second additional language (L3) be introduced for pupils at a later stage in the primary school.’ The policy also recommends that young people in secondary school continue to experience language education until the completion of the Broad General Education phase, which is the end of S3. At this point, learners will be able to choose to experience further language provision as part of the Senior Phase – see ‘SQA Scots Language Award – a teachers guide’ for guidance on Scots within the Senior Phase.

For many schools throughout Scotland, Scots is the ‘L3’ taught. The language is taught by teachers who have the necessary skills, knowledge and expertise to pass on the leid to children, but there are also online teaching resources available to support the curriculum.

The following websites are just a few examples of the online resources useful for the teaching of Scots within the parameters of 1+2 languages:

Education Scotland’s Scots resources for practitioners

Highlights from Education Scotlandis resources include:

• comprehensive guidance on approaches to 1+2 languages;
• an engaging animation about the History of Scots, as well as audio files featuring Scots from the middle ages to present;
• ideas for supporting writing in Scots; and
• lists of key vocabulary in various dialects of Scots.

Scots in Schools

Scots in Schools is a free online resource for pupils, teachers and parents. Highlights include:

• Bad Broonie, a Scots comic about a benevolent sprite who gets his revenge on two unsuspecting school pupils;
• Hunners o Scunners, an engaging resource to support writing in Scots; and
• a narrated animation of Tam O’Shanter.

Wee Windaes

Wee Windaes, from National Library of Scotland, provides access to Scots texts and learning activities. The texts can be accessed within the site itself. To alleviate any issues regarding access to technology, access to the website and texts is not crucial to completing the activities, which are all downloadable. Highlights include:

• the Popular Rhymes of Scotland resource, which is a downloadable pdf worksheet with stimulus and word banks for writing in Scots;
• the Traveller Tales resource, which is a downloadable pdf worksheet focussing on the story, ‘Rashiecoats’. This resource is suitable for those working within CfE at third and fourth level; and
• the Jessie Kesson resource, which is a downloadable pdf with prompts for group discussion about the languages children and young people use in different contexts.

Scots Learning Centre

This resource was created with the help of teachers and learners at all stages of CfE. The interactive activities are designed to be used by learners with minimal support from teachers and parents. Highlights include:

• Dialect videos, which demonstrate key vocabulary from the Shetland, Orkney, North East/Doric, Borders and West Central dialects of Scots. There are downloadable activities available below. As well as;
• Morag’s Croft, an interactive game to help younger learners become familiar with the Scots vocabulary for animals. There are downloadable activities available below. We also have;
• Pairs, a multi-level game to help learners improve their Scots vocabulary.

For further guidance in learning and teaching Scots, contact us at education@scotslanguage.com and follow our education Twitter account at @LairnScots.