Welcome

1. Thig a chèilidh

Lindsey Charnley
Step Wee Cèilidh

Icebreaker – great fun introduction to  using cèilidh dancing and Gaelic songs

2. Taic a bharrachd

Barbara Simons THC
Morna Butcher

Supporting parents whose children have ASN difficulties and accessing support

3. Cò tha siud?

Angus MacLeod
Fèisean nan Gàidheal

Bringing your Books to life, using current Gaelic Books from Bookbug Bags

4. Dannsa agus seinn

Sophie Stevenson / Peggy MacVicar

Games and activities for under 5’s with song , rhythm and movement

5. An Gruffalo

Lindsey Charnley
Step Wee Cèilidh

An Gruffalo story brought to life with songs, drama and movement

1. Support for learning in Primary School – Targeted support

Sarah Ferguson

Different interventions used to support children with early reading and numeracy skills and implementation of support. Using resources available to meet needs of GME learners. Tracking and monitoring individuals to ensure progress.

2. High-quality early learning and childcare in Gaelic Medium Education

Joan Esson and Maeve MacKinnon

This seminar was designed to support strategic leaders and encourage practitioners to consider what constitutes high-quality Gaelic Medium Education (GME) in early learning and childcare (ELC) settings. Joan Esson, HMI advised on:

• creating a rationale, vision and aims to drive change

• analysing the quality indicators that are used in HM inspections to support settings’ self-evaluation

• the national perspective of strengths and key areas for improvement from inspection

• the national perspective on building quality practice from the evaluation of trials for the expansion of the free ELC hours

Maeve MacKinnon advised on:

• the use of National Benchmarks for assessment, moderation and profiling in ELC

3. Environment, Language and Heritage – The Gaels’ View of Nature

Roddy Maclean

Roddy Maclean gave a taste of the course he does annually in which participants learned about nature and the environment through the eyes of the Gaels. Examples of how teachers can simultaneously present our environment and our heritage to pupils were also provided.

4. Using Google Apps in teaching

John Joe MacNeil

In this workshop, John Joe looked at some of the Google apps that can be used successfully in the classroom. Google Classroom, G Suite for Education, Kahoot, Class Dojo and other apps were also considered and reviewed.

5. The Foundations of Literacy: Play, Story and Song

Sue Palmer and Katie Wight

As James Britton memorably put it, ‘Reading and writing float on a sea of talk.’ English-speaking children in Gaelic schools need plenty of oral practice in their second language before beginning to read and write, and for young children the obvious vehicle for oral language is play. There are also two sorts of oral language that are particularly significant for literacy learning, which are naturally attractive to children but which can sometimes be sidelined by the requirement to teach phonics and handwriting skills. These are the foundations upon which homo sapiens developed our capacity for literacy in the first place: story and song.

In this workshop, Sue Palmer (literacy specialist) outlined the academic basis for prioritising play, story and song in the early years and Katie Wight (senior teacher/Early Years lead at Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pairce, Edinburgh) described how her school is introducing play-based pedagogy in P1/2, with an emphasis on story and song.

6. Music

Dolina Munro

Singing games and rhymes can be used to change the mood, stimulate discussion, encourage creativity and to promote individual as well as group interaction.

This workshop was aimed at encouraging teachers to incorporate music into different parts of the day. The songs and games can be used to welcome and end a class, as part of P.E, to practice new vocabulary, to teach musical concepts and to help gain confidence in all aspects of musicianship.

Songs and rhymes suitable for age 4 – 10.

7. Perspectives: Challenges or Opportunities?

Ian MacRae

How can you make homework work for you rather than being work for you?

How can you make it a meaningful part of learning rather than an add-on that’s seen as a burden by teachers, pupils and parents?

How do you encourage families to support their child’s learning at home?

How do you deliver skills-based learning without sacrificing critical elements of the curriculum?

These are challenges which two small rural schools faced and developed trial approaches to. This workshop provided an opportunity to share how ‘Home Learning’ and ‘Skills Days’ have been planned and carried out, and to see how some creative thinking and risk-taking can have positive impacts for pupils, teachers and families.

8. Reciprocal Reading

Jennifer Kearns and Ann Morrison

This session focussed  how ‘Reciprocal Reading’ can be used in a classroom. It’s a reading method which is appropriate for pupils at first and second level. To begin with, attendees received information about Reciprocal Reading, the research, resources and how they can be used with pupils in the Gaelic classes. They then had the opportunity to participate in a Reciprocal Reading lesson so that they saw how it works and with different sorts of books.

9. STEM

Margaret Sproat and Charlotte MacKay

Embedding STEM through inter-disciplinary learning curriculum and extending pupil knowledge and skills of STEM.

10. Drama

Catriona Lexy Campbell

In this workshop, Catriona will be looking at the different ways in which drama can be used in class to develop language and creative skills. Utilising various theatre games, any subject can be brought to life through the use of drama, giving the children the chance to use their Gaelic in new, exciting ways.

11. Using Storytime to enhance children’s language and understanding in Gaelic

Josie MacLeod

This workshop session  explored different ways children at the early and first level can develop language and comprehension skills through active story-time. During the session strategies to engage and retain attention were shared, along with different practical ideas to make story-time a positive experience.

12. Supporting children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs in Gaelic Education

Morna Butcher and Chris Mitchell

This workshop provided an  opportunity to consider ways to support pupils who have speech, language and communication needs. Advice on when and how to access support from Speech and Language Therapy services and information on a recent project that was investigating ways to assess, in Gaelic, for language disorders was provided.

13. Robotics

Catriona Gilchrist

The VEX IQ Robotics System is a popular computing/robotics system, which has been available in some schools for a couple of years. Schools are now taking part in both regional and national competitions. It is suitable for P5-S3 and uses the study of robotics to introduce key design, technology and engineering principles, with lesson plans to support pupils to achieve second level outcomes in Sciences, Technologies and Numeracy and Mathematics.

The workshop looked at how the kits (which are self-contained and have been provided by a number of Local Authorities) can be used in class. Materials have also been translated into Gaelic and a comprehensive list of Gaelic Terminology is also available.

1. Transitions

Cathie Mary MacMillan

Cathy Mary MacMillan will share information on the transition project she did this year with Gaelic medium teachers in Lewis. Workshop participants will be able to work with other teachers in a group in order to choose and plan a topic which would be appropriate for their own pupils in a transition project.

2. Building capacity in leadership

Joan Esson and David Burgess – Education Scotland

The inspection publication, Quality and Improvement in Scottish Education 2012-2016 highlighted that staff in Gaelic Education are responding well to career-long professional learning (CLPL) which is focused on leadership in GME.   Teachers of Gaelic Education are key to the success of Gaelic within the curriculum. This seminar will give you the opportunity to find out how SCEL’s programmes and activities can assist with:

• staff as leaders continuing to positively influence Gaelic within their establishments
• staff furthering their skills and qualifications as middle and senior leaders

3. National Standardised Assessments

Donald A Macleod and Maeve MacKinnon

Measaidhean Coitcheann Nàiseanta airson Foghlam tron Ghàidhlig (MCNG) have been commissioned by the Scottish Government as part of the National Improvement Framework.

Online assessments have been developed to help identify children’s progress in literacy and numeracy, providing diagnostic information to support teachers’ professional judgement.  All children and young people in Gaelic Medium Education (P1, P4, P7 and S3) will complete MCNG in literacy and numeracy through the medium of Gaelic.

This workshop will provide delegates with an insight into the MCNG: the rationale behind the assessments; the process of developing assessment questions; and an understanding of the diagnostic information generated by the system and how this can contribute to the wider assessment of children and young people.

The workshop will be delivered by Mr. Donald A Macleod, Outreach Manager, MCNG, Scottish Government and Mrs. Maeve Mackinnon, Senior Education Officer, Education Scotland.

1. Writing assignment for learners and fluent speakers  – at National 5 and Higher

Catriona MacPhee – Fluent
Eoghan Stewart – Learners

This workshop took a broad overview of the new writing assignment, looking at how to integrate preparation into learning, effective contexts, target language, opportunities for development and how to surmount potential problems.

2. Ceumannan 5 – language games (practical session)

Emma Burrows

A look at language games and practical activities for Higher level.

Although this session was based on Ceumannan 5, the games/activities were suitable for other classes.

3. SQA

Alasdair Bauld and Jennifer McHarrie

SQA combined workshop with Alasdair Bauld (Qualifications Development Specialist – Gàidhlig) and Jennifer McHarrie (Qualifications Coordinator – Gaelic). Part 1  focussing on revisions to Higher Gàidhlig. Part 2 focussed on broader issues surrounding GME in Senior Phase.

4. Moderation

Ruairidh Macvicar (Fileanta)
Shonagh McLennan (LI)

The workshop addressed Moderation in a Broad General Education, looking at how a comprehensive assessment activity should be planned, what effective learning intentions and success criteria are like, and what the moderation cycle is.

5. Active learning in secondary

Fiona MacNab

This workshop looked at Gaelic and how pupils develop their language skills by working together in an active way.

6. Teaching subjects through Gaelic

Catriona MacPhee

This workshop was an opportunity to look at where we are now and to consider solutions to difficulties. In the second half of the workshop attendees were able to collaborate with other teachers working in the same subject fields.

7 Language and creative subjects

Chris Pendergast

Language, art and technology: the value of an interdisciplinary learning approach in Gaelic medium education