Curriculum for Excellence

All Gaelic (learners) experiences and outcomes

Learning a new language encourages children and young people to broaden their horizons as they explore the language and its associated culture.

Through my learning of a new language:

  • I gain a deeper understanding of my first language and appreciate the richness and interconnected nature of languages
  • I enhance my understanding and enjoyment of other cultures within and outwith Scotland, including Gaelic, and gain insights into other ways of thinking and other views of the world.
  • I develop skills that I can use and enjoy in work and leisure throughout my life.

The study of language plays an important role in all language learning and the development of literacy skills.

I develop and extend my literacy skills when I have opportunities to:

  • communicate, collaborate and build relationships
  • reflect on and again explain my literacy and thinking skills, using feedback to help me improve and sensitively provide useful feedback for others
  • engage with and create a wide range of texts in different media, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by ICT
  • develop my understanding of what is special, vibrant and valuable about my own and other cultures and their languages
  • explore the richness and diversity of language, how it can affect me and the wide range of ways in which I and others can be creative
  • extend and enrich my vocabulary through listening, talking, watching and reading.

Listening and talking

Listening for information

Early First Second Third Fourth
Through listening to and joining in with story-telling, games, rhymes and songs, I have explored and experimented with sound patterns, words and phrases in Gaelic.
I can take part in play activities and games linked to simple poems, familiar stories and short role plays, and pronounce familiar Gaelic words and phrases.
I can listen to and show understanding of familiar instructions and language from familiar voices and sources.
I can listen to and show understanding of mainly familiar language and instructions from a variety of sources where the sentences are longer and where there may be more than one speaker.
I can listen to and show understanding of language from a variety of sources, including unfamiliar speakers, where the sentences are more complex, less predictable, and contain some unfamiliar language.
 

Listening and talking with others

Early First Second Third Fourth
I have explored and experimented with the patterns and sounds of the language and can use what I have learned.
I can respond verbally and non-verbally to a range of requests from teachers and others.
I can listen and respond to familiar voices in short, predictable conversations using straightforward language and/or non-verbal techniques such as gesture and eye contact.
I can listen and respond to others in mainly predictable, more extended conversations using familiar language and/or non-verbal techniques.
I can listen and respond to others, including sympathetic fluent speakers of the language, in extended conversations that are less predictable.
  I can use familiar words and phrases to give simple information.
I can take part effectively in prepared conversations by sharing information about myself, others or interests of my choice, using familiar vocabulary and basic language structures.
I can take part effectively in prepared conversations by using a variety of language structures to share information, experiences and opinions, and can offer straightforward reasons for having these opinions.
I can take part effectively in more detailed conversations using an extended range of language structures and Gaelic idioms to exchange information, experiences, feelings and opinions, and can offer more detailed reasons for having these opinions.
Through daily experiences and play I can listen or watch for interesting or useful information.
I can ask for help using simple or familiar learned phrases or words.
I can ask for help confidently, using learned phrases and familiar language.
I can support a conversation by asking for help, seeking repetition and asking simple questions.
I can start, support and sustain a conversation by, for example, asking relevant questions and by seeking help when necessary.
Through listening to and joining in with story-telling, games, rhymes and songs, I have explored and experimented with sound patterns, words and phrases in Gaelic.
When joining in with story-telling, games, rhymes, songs and poems in Gaelic, I can use familiar words and simple phrases.
I can participate in familiar collaborative activities in Gaelic including games, paired speaking and short role plays.
I can participate in a range of collaborative activities in Gaelic including games, paired speaking and structured role plays in a range of realistic contexts and settings.
I can collaborate to prepare and present in Gaelic more open-ended role plays in a wide range of realistic settings, and I can engage with other speakers of Gaelic.
 

Organising and using information

Early First Second Third Fourth
I can listen, watch and use play to explore aspects of Gaelic culture.
I can listen and respond in different ways to the experiences of others when exploring aspects of Gaelic culture.
I can deliver a brief presentation on a familiar topic using familiar language and phrases.
I have contributed successfully to a group to plan and prepare a short talk in Gaelic. Using ICT where appropriate, I can deliver an individual presentation in Gaelic:
  • on an area of personal interest or a topic relating to Gaelic culture or history
  • using appropriate vocabulary and some variety in sentence structure.
Using ICT where appropriate, I can plan, prepare and deliver an individual presentation in Gaelic:
  • on an area of personal interest or a topic relating to Gaelic culture or history
  • using appropriate vocabulary and a range of grammatical structures and idiom.
    I have worked with others, using ICT and other media where appropriate, and can contribute successfully to a presentation in English, supported by Gaelic vocabulary, on an aspect of Gaelic culture and tradition.
   
 

Using knowledge about language

Early First Second Third Fourth
Through listening to and joining in with story-telling, games, rhymes and songs, I have explored and experimented with sound patterns, words and phrases in Gaelic.
When reading on my own or with others, I can read familiar words and simple phrases and sentences.
I can use my knowledge about language and pronunciation to ensure that others can understand me when I read aloud or say familiar words, phrases and short texts.
I can apply my knowledge about language, intonation and pronunciation to:
  • ensure that others can understand me when I pronounce familiar words or phrases
  • help me work out how to pronounce unfamiliar words
  • read a short text aloud with accuracy and confidence.
I can apply my knowledge about language, intonation and pronunciation to:
  • ensure that others can understand me when I pronounce familiar and unfamiliar words and phrases
  • help me work out how to read aloud familiar and unfamiliar texts with accuracy and confidence.
 

Reading

Finding and using information

Early First Second Third Fourth
Through listening to and joining in with story-telling, games, rhymes and songs, I have explored and experimented with sound patterns, words and phrases in Gaelic.
I have worked on my own and with others and I can demonstrate my understanding of words, signs and phrases containing familiar language.
I have worked on my own and with others to understand texts using appropriate resources. I can read and demonstrate my understanding of sentences and simple texts containing familiar language.
I have worked on my own and with others to understand texts using appropriate resources. I can read and demonstrate understanding of more complex texts which contain familiar and unfamiliar language.
Using a variety of resources, I can independently read texts which are more detailed and which contain complex language, including a range of tenses and Gaelic idiom, and can demonstrate my understanding.
 

Reading for cultural appreciation

Early First Second Third Fourth
  I have worked with others to read and discuss simple Gaelic texts. I can share simple facts about the life of Gaelic communities in Scotland.
I have worked on my own and with others to read and discuss Gaelic texts. I can share simple facts about life in some of the countries where Gaelic and related languages are spoken.
I have worked on my own and with others to read and explore Gaelic texts. I can demonstrate my knowledge about life and culture in countries where Gaelic and related languages are spoken.
I have worked on my own and with others to read and research Gaelic texts. I can demonstrate my knowledge of different cultures and acknowledge similarities/differences between countries where Gaelic and related languages are spoken.
 

Reading for interest and enjoyment

Early First Second Third Fourth
  I enjoy engaging with simple texts on my own and with others.
I have selected and can read, on my own and with others, a variety of straightforward texts of different types, which may have been adapted.
I have chosen and can read for enjoyment a range of texts, in a variety of styles, which may have had some adaptation.
I can select and read for enjoyment a variety of texts which use familiar and unfamiliar language and may have had some adaptation.
 

Using knowledge about language

Early First Second Third Fourth
I have explored and experimented with Gaelic words and phrases.
I have explored sounds, letters and words, discovering how they work together, and can use what I have learned to help me read.
I can understand how a bilingual dictionary works and use it with support.
I can use a bilingual dictionary independently to help me understand new language.
I can use my knowledge about language and other strategies to help me to understand and analyse more detailed texts containing some unfamiliar language and more complex structures.
    I can make comparisons and explore connections between spelling patterns in English and Gaelic.
I can recognise features of words in the language I am learning and use them to make sense of vocabulary and of the connections between words.
 
    I can recognise and comment on other features of my own language, which help me to make sense of words in Gaelic.
   
 

Writing

Organising and using information

Early First Second Third Fourth
I have explored and experimented with Gaelic words and phrases.
I can write familiar words and simple phrases in Gaelic.
I can use familiar language to describe my circumstances and exchange straightforward information. I can make reference to aspects of Gaelic culture and tradition.
I can create, amend and present more extended information for different purposes about myself and others, my experiences or a topic of my choice.

I can write simple facts about life in some of the countries where Gaelic and related languages are spoken.

I can write about life or culture in countries where Gaelic and related languages are spoken.
      I can express opinions and can offer straightforward reasons for having these opinions.
I can write more extensively over a widening range of topics in a range of formats, using some variety of structures, tenses and linking words.
        I can write about experiences, feelings and opinions and can offer reasons for having these opinions.
 

Using knowledge about language

Early First Second Third Fourth
I have explored and experimented with Gaelic words and phrases.
I can use a variety of sources to help me check the accuracy of my Gaelic spelling and punctuation.
I have used my knowledge about language and success criteria to help me, and I can check that I have written familiar words and phrases accurately.
I can check the accuracy of my writing using my knowledge about language, the support of others, and appropriate reference materials including success criteria.
I can use my knowledge about language, including structure, spelling and punctuation, to take responsibility for the accuracy of my writing.
      I can use some Gaelic idiomatic expressions accurately.
I can use a range of appropriate Gaelic idiomatic expressions accurately.