Graham
08-18-2011, 11:55 PM
18 Aug 2011
New Scottish Studies topic for all pupils
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/new-scottish-studies-topic-for-all-pupils-1.1118333?localLinksEnabled=false
http://www.heraldscotland.com/polopoly_fs/21313498723181-1.1118334!image/1416184909.JPG_gen/derivatives/landscape_300/1416184909.JPG
ALL pupils will be expected to learn a new school topic of Scottish Studies, which explores the country’s history, literature, language and culture, a Government minister has said.
Dr Alasdair Allan, the SNP’s Minister for Learning and Skills, said he was “not interested” in creating a subject to which only some pupils had access.
He also revealed that Scottish Studies – first unveiled in the SNP’s 2011 election manifesto – would result in an externally marked exam in secondary school.
It is not yet clear whether that would be at Higher and Advanced Higher or at the lower level of National 4 and National 5, which replace Standard Grades.
The minister’s comments came on the eve of the publication of research into public attitudes towards Scottish Studies and the Gaelic language.
The content of Scottish history is not particularly political, and it will be taught in an impartial way
Due to be published today, the research shows significant support for the new topic, with 90% of those surveyed backing its introduction.
Dr Allan said the research showed there was widespread support for the SNP’s plans, which he said would correct an “abnormal” situation where Scottish history and literature was not routinely taught.
“You would anticipate that there would be a wide variety of material about Scotland made available in Scottish schools, but it has to be said that, although things have been getting much better, many people’s experience is of learning not much about Scotland,” he told The Herald.
“Although Scotland prides itself on its education system, there is an acknowledgment that where it has failed is in giving people basic information about their own country.
“It is not normal or reasonable to have a situation where it depends on the enthusiasm of teachers whether pupils learn anything at all about Scottish literature or history – there is something abnormal about the situation that we have to normalise.”
Dr Allan said the development of the new subject, which will be taken forward by an expert group which he will chair, would ensure it was a mainstream subject and not an “add-on” available to only a few pupils.
“It is something that we would see as a stream throughout the curriculum in primary and secondary, and we want to see it continue through a pupil’s whole educational experience,” he said.
“If it is valuable for a new generation of Scots to know something about their country, then it is something that has to feed through the entire journey through school.
“We are not interested in a situation where only some young people get access to this. We would foresee a situation where all pupils learn that.”
Dr Allan denied that the subject was designed to promote nationalism.
“That view is becoming so silly. There is no evidence that parents view learning about Scottish history as indoctrination,” he said.
“The content of Scottish history is not particularly political, and it will be taught in an impartial way. The idea that presenting facts about Scotland is indoctrination is not taken particularly seriously today.”
The Scottish Government will now set up a working group on Scottish Studies and will be inviting contributions from academics, teachers and cultural bodies.
Dr Allan was elected MSP for the Western Isles at the May 5 election. He was born in Ashkirk in the Scottish Borders in 1971 and attended Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, gaining a PhD in Scots Language in 1998.
Prior to becoming an MSP, Dr Allan was senior media relations officer for the Church of Scotland. He regularly wrote Gaelic columns in various newspapers and was named Gaelic journalist of the year in 2006. He was also the national secretary of the SNP from 2003 to 2006.
This is good, only Scottish education we got in our high shool was the country dancing. Although in primary school, alot of it was dedicated to Scottishness.
Of coarse Labour are moaning, nationalism bad in every way :rolleyes:. It's no wonder why they loose the elections
New Scottish Studies topic for all pupils
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/new-scottish-studies-topic-for-all-pupils-1.1118333?localLinksEnabled=false
http://www.heraldscotland.com/polopoly_fs/21313498723181-1.1118334!image/1416184909.JPG_gen/derivatives/landscape_300/1416184909.JPG
ALL pupils will be expected to learn a new school topic of Scottish Studies, which explores the country’s history, literature, language and culture, a Government minister has said.
Dr Alasdair Allan, the SNP’s Minister for Learning and Skills, said he was “not interested” in creating a subject to which only some pupils had access.
He also revealed that Scottish Studies – first unveiled in the SNP’s 2011 election manifesto – would result in an externally marked exam in secondary school.
It is not yet clear whether that would be at Higher and Advanced Higher or at the lower level of National 4 and National 5, which replace Standard Grades.
The minister’s comments came on the eve of the publication of research into public attitudes towards Scottish Studies and the Gaelic language.
The content of Scottish history is not particularly political, and it will be taught in an impartial way
Due to be published today, the research shows significant support for the new topic, with 90% of those surveyed backing its introduction.
Dr Allan said the research showed there was widespread support for the SNP’s plans, which he said would correct an “abnormal” situation where Scottish history and literature was not routinely taught.
“You would anticipate that there would be a wide variety of material about Scotland made available in Scottish schools, but it has to be said that, although things have been getting much better, many people’s experience is of learning not much about Scotland,” he told The Herald.
“Although Scotland prides itself on its education system, there is an acknowledgment that where it has failed is in giving people basic information about their own country.
“It is not normal or reasonable to have a situation where it depends on the enthusiasm of teachers whether pupils learn anything at all about Scottish literature or history – there is something abnormal about the situation that we have to normalise.”
Dr Allan said the development of the new subject, which will be taken forward by an expert group which he will chair, would ensure it was a mainstream subject and not an “add-on” available to only a few pupils.
“It is something that we would see as a stream throughout the curriculum in primary and secondary, and we want to see it continue through a pupil’s whole educational experience,” he said.
“If it is valuable for a new generation of Scots to know something about their country, then it is something that has to feed through the entire journey through school.
“We are not interested in a situation where only some young people get access to this. We would foresee a situation where all pupils learn that.”
Dr Allan denied that the subject was designed to promote nationalism.
“That view is becoming so silly. There is no evidence that parents view learning about Scottish history as indoctrination,” he said.
“The content of Scottish history is not particularly political, and it will be taught in an impartial way. The idea that presenting facts about Scotland is indoctrination is not taken particularly seriously today.”
The Scottish Government will now set up a working group on Scottish Studies and will be inviting contributions from academics, teachers and cultural bodies.
Dr Allan was elected MSP for the Western Isles at the May 5 election. He was born in Ashkirk in the Scottish Borders in 1971 and attended Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities, gaining a PhD in Scots Language in 1998.
Prior to becoming an MSP, Dr Allan was senior media relations officer for the Church of Scotland. He regularly wrote Gaelic columns in various newspapers and was named Gaelic journalist of the year in 2006. He was also the national secretary of the SNP from 2003 to 2006.
This is good, only Scottish education we got in our high shool was the country dancing. Although in primary school, alot of it was dedicated to Scottishness.
Of coarse Labour are moaning, nationalism bad in every way :rolleyes:. It's no wonder why they loose the elections