Ulster-Scots in schools - move to the next stage!

An exciting package of educational and cultural materials for primary school children is in its the final stages at Stranmillis University College in Belfast.

An Ulster-Scots primary school project has been commissioned by the Ulster-Scots Agency and, since September 2002, two teachers, Andrea Gilbert and Rob Evans, have been preparing a variety of activity packs to introduce primary school children to Ulster-Scots language, history and culture. This will be trialled in some primary schools next year and will be available to primary schools across the Province from September 2004.

Project director Hilary Avery explains: “This educational development will give recognition, for the first time, to the enormous contribution that Ulster-Scots people have made to our Province.” 

Hilary adds:  “The aim is not to teach Ulster-Scots as a language, but to recognise the rich oral tradition which exists in many parts of Ulster where Ulster-Scots expressions are part of everyday speech. Children using these materials will become aware that many of us are bilingual.

“Recognising each language will empower children from Ulster-Scots speaking areas to choose their method of communication and speak English or Ulster-Scots as they wish to suit the occasion. It will also ensure that the next generation can enjoy the richness and diversity of our heritage.”

The curriculum materials will be accompanied by two booklets for teachers. One on language will explain how both the Scots language and the English language developed separately from Anglo Saxon. The other booklet will give an overview of the historical connections between Ulster and Scotland.

For lower primary children there are a variety of attractive, brightly coloured materials which they will find fun to use, including a big, colourful storybook about a family visit to Scotland.

Hilary Avery says: “Teachers and parents will be delighted to find that these materials have also been designed to develop pupils’ English reading and writing skills. The Ulster-Scots dimension is included for use as teachers consider appropriate in their area of the Province.”

For upper primary, an anthology of Ulster-Scots poetry and prose has been produced. It is hoped that contemporary Ulster-Scots writers such as Charlie Gillen and Charlie Reynolds will feature as well as Scots writers Robert Burns and William Soutar. This is attractively illustrated and comes with an activity book.

Ulster-Scots history and culture will be covered by activity packs for upper primary pupils. The ‘What is an Ulster-Scot’ pack will include a series of interactive web pages. It will be possible to click on to databases of Scottish surnames, clans, tartans and Ulster place-names. Integrated in the text will be web addresses such as www.easyjet.com for planning a journey to Scotland, www.clans.com for surnames and family history or www.visitscotland.com for heritage and tourism.

The ‘Great Ulster-Scots’ activity pack will supply data-bases and appropriate words and phrases for accessing information from internet search engines. It will also provide guideline help about various ways to present information. Pupils will be invited to explore the theme of famous Ulster-Scots and to design and prepare a factfile to record information about individual Ulster-Scots who have much contributed to our Province.

Hilary Avery confirms: “The challenge in our project was not only to introduce Ulster-Scots into schools, but to do so in a way which takes account of what  is best in the newest teaching and learning initiatives”.

This is an exciting educational advance. It presents Ulster-Scots as a new curriculum area, and shows how the new emphasis on learning skills in the Northern Ireland curriculum can be made integral to classroom activities. Clear guidance for the development of skills is given in all the project packs.

Pupil choice is a feature of these teaching materials; pupils will acquire new skills and knowledge through wanting to follow up exciting learning opportunities offered using internet and other media sources.