Languages

The guidance will cover experiences and outcomes in both the language the child or young person needs in order to engage fully in society and in learning (English, Gàidhlig or, for children or young people who need additional support, the form of language which enables them to communicate most effectively) and additional modern and classical languages. The guidance will encourage schools to support children and young people in maintaining their own first language.

There will be a strong emphasis on the development of literacy. The literacy outcomes will be specifically identified.

The expectations of experiences and outcomes at the revised levels will take into account the good progress being made in developing children and young people’s literacy and will raise expectations where appropriate.

The guidance will emphasise the contributions which teachers in all areas of the curriculum should make to the development of language and literacy.

There will be emphasis on the implications and appropriate use of technologies and digital texts.

The guidance will retain reading and writing as lines of development, and will group listening and talking together. The main lines of development for English language and Gàidhlig and for modern languages will therefore be:

• reading
• writing
• listening and talking.

The lines of development will include knowledge about language, including competence in spelling and grammar.

Classical languages will cover translating/interpreting texts and knowledge about language.

The guidance on learning other languages will take account of developments to define language competence across Europe.

Very strong connections between learning in languages and learning in other areas of the curriculum are essential - each supporting the other. There will be close links, for example, between the expressive arts and creative writing, and modern languages and social studies. Interdisciplinary projects are likely to involve both research and a strong element of presentation and will provide valuable opportunities to extend language skills.