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“Gaelic Medium Education is an option within Scottish education that gives children and young people an opportunity to become fluent in Gaelic. As children and young people move from stage to stage, they will continue to develop their fluency. In so doing, they also fulfil all the aims and goals of Curriculum for Excellence and accrue all the benefits of bilingualism.” Education Scotland Parentzone

 

What does Gaelic Medium Education look like at Riverside?

 

When your child starts P1 they will be immersed in the Gaelic language from the beginning through songs, rhymes, expressive arts, visual resources, Gaelic language displayed in the classroom and around the school. 

 

Your child will learn their numeracy and mathematics through Gaelic and apply their learning in a play based context.

 

P1 have opportunities to play with their Gaelic speaking peers in other classes but also have opportunities to play with their friends from nursery who may be in another class.

 

Your child will be learning Gaelic phonetics and how to read and write in Gaelic.  Children will naturally immerse themselves in the language and become fluent throughout their primary schooling.

 

Children who are accessing Gaelic Medium Education do not need previous experience of the language due to the full immersion when starting school.

 

Please do not worry about having to do home learning in Gaelic at home as all home learning and letters go home in English.  This makes it fully accessible to parents/carers who do not speak Gaelic.  Reading books can be listened to online to support with this when they start going home.  Gaelic4Parents is a great website for this.

 

There are many online resources available via the below links.  This is a great way to begin Gaelic immersion at home.  Encouraging interest in the language and having it visible and heard at home before starting P1.

https://parant.org.uk/index.php/gd/goireasan-covid-19/ro-sgoil

 

https://gaelic.education/trath-irean

 

For answers to any other questions you may have click here or for a printable version click here.

 

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We look forward to meeting you all when you start Clas 1/Primary 1.

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