The Open University Supports the Scots Language

That the Parliament recognises that the Open University (OU) in Scotland, in conjunction with Education Scotland, has produced the first of its kind professional learning course for teachers on the Scots language; welcomes the partnership working between both organisations; understands that over 200 teachers have signed up to the course since January 2024 using Scottish Government-funded places; further understands that the course creates a Scotland-wide community of practice where teachers realise the transformative role of embedding Scots language and culture in the classroom; recognises what it sees as the educational, as well as equality, diversity and inclusion, benefits of embedding Scots in the classroom; believes that, with teachers participating from across 12 different secondary subject areas and all primary curricular areas, this demonstrates the strong interdisciplinary potential of teaching Scots; wishes all of the participants every success with their studies; applauds the OU’s first research study into the needs and experiences of adult learners of the language, often New Scots, and notes its work in developing Scots and Gaelic language community education for refugees and migrants in the South Scotland region and across the country, as well as the OU’s pioneering collaboration with NHS Education Scotland aimed at embedding the Scots language in health and social care to enhance staff and service users’ experiences. The Member has provided the following translation in Scots: Thit the Pairlament recognises thit the Open University (OU) in Scotland in conjunction wi Education Scotland ir produced the first o its kind professional lairnin coorse fir teachers on the Scots Leid; welcomes the pairtnership wirkin atween baith organisations; unnerstauns thit fae January 2024 owre twa hunner teachers hiv signed up tae the coorse, utilisin Scottish Government funded places; further unnerstauns thit the coorse creates a Scotland-wide community o practice whaur teachers realise the transformative role o embeddin Scots language an culture in the cless; further recognises the educational as weel as equality, diversity an inclusion benefits o embeddin Scots leid in the cless; believes thit wi teachers participatin across twal different secondary subject areas an aw primary curricular areas it shaas the strang interdisciplinary potential o teachin Scots an wishes aw participants ivry success wi thir studies; mairowre, applauds the OU’s first iver research study intae needs an experiences o adult lairners o Scots – aften New Scots; thir wark developin Scots an Gaelic leids language community education fir refugees an migrants, as weel as the OU’s pioneerin collaboration wi NHS Education Scotland aimed at embeddin the Scots leid in health an social care tae enhance staff an service users’ experiences.