What is it?
Gaelic Medium Education is available in Local Authorities across Scotland is seen as one of the most effective ways of achieving fluency in Gaelic.
Children from Gaelic speaking homes and non-Gaelic speaking homes attend Gaelic Medium Education.
Children in Gaelic Medium Education learn all areas of curriculum through Gaelic until the end of Primary 3 (although this may vary in some authorities). They are totally immersed in Gaelic. The teacher will carefully plan activities that support language learning.
Around the end of Primary 3 some English is introduced into the learning but the language of the classroom is always Gaelic.
Children tend to progress quickly in English reading as they have been learning reading skills in Gaelic which they can transfer into another language. By the time they leave Primary school they generally tend to be at the same level in English as children who go through English medium education and they are also fairly literate in Gaelic.
When children move to secondary school they will be taught at least Gaelic language. Some secondary schools offer a range of subjects through the medium of Gaelic up the qualification level.
Weblinks to Local Authorities providing Gaelic Education
Aberdeenshire Council (GLPS only)
Comhairle na Eileanan Siar (Western Isles Council)
Clackmannanshire Council (GLPS only)
Falkirk Council (GLPS only)
West Dunbartonshire Council (GLPS only)
Economic and Linguistic Benefits
Many employment pathways are discussed in this video. Regarding the media, Victoria Kilgour speaks about the media and the opportunity to combine professional skills with Gaelic. In creative terms, Fiona Dunn explains the expansive relationship between Gaelic and the arts. There have never been as many opportunities to use Gaelic in the workplace, states Wilson McLeod, agreeing with Fraser Lauchlan that bilingualism is a must-have skill for many of today’s employers, both in the public sector and Gaelic-specific environments.
