A research study by Claire Needler o the University o Aiberdeen, published on the 3rd o June 2024, leuks at the factors that hinner Scots literacy development in schuils. Hauden at Banff Academy in North-East Scotland durin the 2018–2019 academic year, the study explores hoo a lack o staundartised orthography, limited exposure tae written Scots, teacher attitudes, an students’ confidence affect lairnin.

Scots, ane o Scotland’s three indigenous leids alangside English an Gaelic, is spoken by mairn nor 1.5 million fowk. Historically excluded fae formal education, the leid’s role has evolved syne a Scots qualification wis introduced in 2014. The study, based on a schuil-university pairtnership atween the University o Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute an Banff Academy, reveals that while mony pupils speak Scots fluently, they face challenges whan required tae read an scrieve in the leid.

Ae major barrier is the lack o a staundart wey tae spell Scots. A pupil in the study explained, “If there wis a set wey, I hink fowk wid tak it mair seriously.” Ithers noted that speakin Scots comes naiturally, while readin an scrievin demand an extra effort. This lack o a uniform written form results in varyin practices amang baith lairners an teachers.

The research pynts oot that exposure tae written Scots has bin limited. A pupil minded, “In primary, ye’d hae tae scrieve doon an try tae get the spellin richt, but they wir aw English wirds, nivver Scottish wirds.” As fewer Scots texts wur available in classrooms, pupils fund it difficult tae growe literacy skills in their native leid.

Teacher attitudes played a significant role as weel. Negative messages aboot leid uise wur passed fae educators tae students. Ae extract shawed this, “Whit did her mentor say? She got telt by her mentor tae no speak Scots because it’s no proper.” Sic experiences hae lang-lastin effects on students’ self-esteem an their willinness tae yaise Scots in academic settings. Hooanivver, the study shawed positive developments. In a supportive classroom environment, pupils raxed success by owercomin the stigma associated wi scrievin in Scots. For example, a pupil described the classroom experience: “I like scrievin in Scots,” efter haein taen pairt in creative scrievin an poetry activities.

The study forder explores hoo modren communication channels, like social media, are appenin new gates for Scots literacy. Younger yaisers scrieve in Scots on platforms sic as WhatsApp an Snapchat, yaisin creative abbreviations an localised vocabulary. A schuil librarian commented on this chynge, “Sae mair an mair, I am textin in Doric, if I can spell it, an if it disnae loup back intae some predictive text.”

Needler’s research recommends raisin awareness o Scots as a leid an increasin its visibility baith in schuils an in the braider community. Pairticipants cawed for mair quality media an creative airts projects in Scots, as weel as mair support fae national educational bodies. The study suggests that innovative classroom approaches an a shift in leid attitudes can help brig the gap atween oral fluency an literacy proficiency.