Modern Languages Blog

A range of statistics relating to pupils in Scotland’s publicly funded schools has been published.

• There were about 19,000 pupils identified as having English as an additional language
• There were 147 different languages spoken as the main home language, with Polish overtaking Punjabi and Urdu and now being second only to English
• There was a six per cent increase in the number in Gaelic medium education

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/02/23125339/0?

The Scottish Government has announced the appointment of Arthur Cormack as Chair of the national development agency for Gaelic, Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/25104012

The Scottish Government has announced that a group of Scottish pupils will undergo a Chinese immersion course this summer on a two and half week visit to China. A total of 51 pupils and nine teachers will have the chance to learn Chinese and gain first-hand experience of Chinese culture.

The study visit is being organised by Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) and the British Council, alongside the Hanban in China – the Office of Chinese Language Council International.

Read more from the Scottish Government news.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/20104349

BBC reports:

Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop is opening a Chinese hub to be used by pupils and the wider community. The North Lanarkshire Confucius Classroom will provide a central learning point for Chinese culture and language and is the sixth of eight hubs being opened across Scotland. Pupils will have access to language courses, take part in Chinese cookery lessons, and learn about the country’s history.

As part of the partnership with Clyde Union – part of the Clyde Blowers group – a Chinese assistant from the school will teach about 30 engineers Mandarin. In return the engineering firm, which makes pumps for the Chinese market, will provide pupils with business training and an insight into the company’s work.

At the official opening the Education Secretary is also expected to make an announcement about a summer visit to China for a group of Scottish school pupils.

Read the full story on the BBC website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7900487.stm

CILT reports:The European Commission’s interpreting service faces a potential succession crisis of linguists with English as a native language, according to a statement released today. Without an increase in the number of qualified graduates, the EU Institutions are set to lose at least one third of their English language interpreters by 2015 due to retirement.

Read more http://www.cilt.org.uk/news/latest/2009/19_02_interpret.htm?

A range of services are available at the Parliament for Gaelic speakers and those learning the language, including an extensive range of web pages and publications. The Gaelic pages of the website are comprehensive and mirror the English language pages as far as possible. If you are a Gaelic speaker you can also write to us in your native tongue. Find out more about the Gaelic service and view the Gaelic homepage.

Director of the Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies and the Confucius Institute for Scotland in the University of Edinburgh, Professor Natascha Gentz will deliver a special lecture on Tuesday 24 February. Entitled, ‘The Birth of Tragedy in China: Global Routes of a Local Genre’ the lecture will take place at 5.15pm in lecture theatre B of the David Hume Tower, George Square.  A reception will follow. If you would like to attend this lecture please email patricia.mcclory@ed.ac.uk to book.

The SQA have created a web page with the most up-to-date information, available for download, on the Scottish Baccalaureates.

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/33765.html 

The Scottish Government announces that pupils in East Dunbartonshire are set to learn about China following the opening of a new Confucius Classroom Hub. The Hub is based at St Ninian’s High School, Bishopbriggs, recognised for its outward-looking approach as winner of the International School’s Award at the 2008 Scottish Education Awards. As Scotland steps up its engagement with China, this is the fifth of eight Confucius Classroom Hubs being opened across the country. The East Dunbartonshire Confucius Classroom Hub will provide the area with a central learning point for Chinese culture, language, heritage, history, art, food, music and sport. The Hub will offer young people a stimulating and engaging way to gain the skills needed to succeed in a global society.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/13133020

The BBC reports: More and more state school children in the UK are being taught in Welsh, Gaelic and Irish.

In 1997 just 112 Scottish pupils learned Gaelic. In 2007, 2,601 students were learning it, either in an exclusively Gaelic school, or in a bi-lingual one.

Read more of this article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7885493.stm?