Lairn Scots

Scotslanguage.com - Scots Language Award resources The Scots Language Centre has published two new resources to support the Scots Language Award at SCQF levels 5 and 6. The Twa Chrisses is a resource that uses Morna Young's short story. It supports th...

FAO Secondary teachers!

Teaching the Scots Language Award this year, at levels 5 or 6?

Check out our new teaching resources.

www.scotslanguage.com/articles/nod...

The resource is the culmination of the Scots Language Centre’s ‘Scots in the Early years’ project, which involved visiting early years centres and schools in East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Moray, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

This short video includes details of how Scots fits with Curriculum for Excellence, perceived barriers to including Scots and how to overcome them, and practical ways to include Scots in everyday practice.

Scotslanguage.com - Embedding Scots within the early years curriculum Embedding Scots within the early years curriculum is a professional learning resource for practitioners working in early years settings. The resource includes details of how Scots fits with Curriculum...

FAO early years practitioners! Interested in incorporating more Scots within the EY curriculum?

bit.ly/ScotsEY

Dae ye ken yer Scots Hallaeen? Hallaeen, wi its strang tradeetions o dookin fir aipples, carvin neeps an guisin, is an ideal time tae practice usin yer Scots. --Treacle Scones Hingin aff a bit o string, scones or pancakes covered in treacle will be nae match for wee anes hungry for a bit o sugar on Hallaeen nicht. Maukit faces guaranteed. --Dookin for aipples Whit cuid be better nor dookin yer face in a pail o freezin-cauld watter, tae try an sink yer teeth intae an aipple? Safties try tae dae it wi thair mooth only, an haud wide o the watter sae thair nebs and chowks dinna get weet. Fearties use a fork atween thair teeth. --Guisin Traipsin roon folk’s hooses covered in face-pent an weirin a guise that yer maw pit thegither, usin bin bags an cheils left lyin in the scullery drawer, is a tradeetion that we keep close tae oor herts. Ye better hae a joke or a wee rhyme ready tae get yer Hallaeen bag, that’ll hae monkey nuts, sweeties an mibby even a siller coin in it. --Bring in the Galoshies! A galoshin play is a play performed in mid-winter, aroon aboot Hogmanay. The phrase, ‘Bring in the Galoshies!’ cam for tae be cryit at the door o ony kin o guisin, an for mony is noo only heard at Hallaeen. --Dae a turn Fir tae get yer Hallaeen poke ye’ll hae tae dae a turn, a poyem, a sang, or yer best joke will be the verra dab! --Hallaeen cakes Naething beats a sponge cake, covered in mallas, joob-joobs and hunners o coloured icin. If yer mooth isna gowpin efter eatin it, ye’ve no done it richt! --Kale pulling Some folk say that if ye pit a stalk o the kail ower the door o yer hoose, the first body tae come ben will either be the body that ye’ll end up mairried tae, or will hae the same first name at least. --Sweethert Nuts This tradeetion is whan a haunfae o sweethert nuts wad be gien the names o aw the single laddies an lassies fae amang the circle o freens, an set oot afore an open fire . Folk say that the twa sets o nuts that sterts poppin, acause o the heat, represents the laddies an lassies that will gae thegither. --Cairve a neep Whither ye cry it a Neepie Lantren, a Tumshie Lamp, or a Baigie, get howkin! Hard gauin but wirth the sweet. Drap a caunle in fir the licht, ye canna baet the rael smell o Hallaeen.

It's thon time o year agin! Fair comes roon quick.

bit.ly/ScotsHallaeen

WN Herbert TO PORRIDGE 'Auld claes and parritch...' Captain of oats, braw brose, fine gruel, you are thi Scotsman’s constant fuel fae New Year’s Dey till end o Yule (we don’t do Simmer): oan ilka morn ye bring renewal, thi stomach’s zimmer. Ye greet us lyk a fu-fissed mune and guarantee tae fill wir spune wi fushion – see, ye’re cratert roond wi seas o bubbles – tranquillity is aa yir tune, and ease fae troubles. Grey revolutionary fur guts, jump-starter fur thi slo-mo slutz that sends us loupin fae wir cots intae wir sarks (a dram in you gets slob and klutz back tae thir wark). When snaa faas owre thi Border’s pale and Southron bairns can plunk aff skail then even English journos hail wir Northern mannah – are sudden experts oan oatmeal tapped wi a sultana.

Ye’re like a clood-occludit sun that casts grey licht oan ivrywun; thi siller ash on grieshoch; grun ablow thi slush that derns oat-germs that sune will wun thru Winter’s crush. Tho Doctir Johnson caaed ye food fur foals – mair fulmar him – ye’ve plooed thru Scotia’s lard-imprisoned bluid and freed oor veins: dae mealie puddins dae us good? Great Oat, explain! Hoo dae we luve ye? Some wi cream, wi hinny, spice or jeely reamed, while Calvin’s crew hae sauty dreams o fare of auld, powred in a draaer fur bothy teams tae slice oot cauld. ‘Auld claes an parritch’ gaes thi creh wance we hae drunk thi Daft Deys dreh and neath a sober, saft grey skeh we view thi year – we’re nae whit bettir, but we’ll treh wi sic guid gear! Editor's Note: Fushion—wholesomeness, strength; slutz—a leap in skating; sark—shirt; grieshoch—red-hot embers; dern–hide.

Happy #WorldPorridgeDay to all who celebrate! 🥣

Captain of oats, braw brose, fine gruel,
you are thi Scotsman’s constant fuel
fae New Year’s Dey till end o Yule
(we don’t do Simmer)…

—WN Herbert, “TO PORRIDGE”
#poem #poetry #porridge
poetryinternationalweb.org/pi/site/poem...

Did ye ken that thir ir #Scots poems fir wee yins oan BBC's Word waves?

Lug in tae the likes o Sheena Blackhall's 'Lollipop' an Thomas Clark's 'Nae Pets Allowed'.

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/top...

Scotslanguage.com - SQA Scots Language Award: A teacher's guide SQA Scots Language Award A qualification in the Scots language is available from the Scottish Qualifications Authority.The Scots Language Award has been available from August 2014 at SQCF levels 3, 4,...

Ir ye a Secondary schuil teacher wha is teaching the SQA Scots Language Award?

Hae a swatch at oor teacher's guide here: bit.ly/SLAteachergu...

Ye ken ye canna miss es een...! #Scots

www.gov.scot/news/boost-f...

Can Dogs Speak Scots? with the Scots Language Centre From Fri 15 Aug - Is your family pet a Scots speaker? Let’s find out! Join the Scots Language Centre’s Laura Green for a fun family session, as we teach our dogs Scots. Bairns are encouraged to bring ...

If ye bide in ir near Auld Reekie, bring yer bairns alang tae this fun session that will let yer wee yins lairn a bit Scots!

Free, but ticketed.

Friday 15th August, 14:00

www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

The Scottish Languages Bill receivit Royal Assent oan 31 July 2025 an has noo become an Act o the Scottish Parliament.

www.parliament.scot/bills-and-la...

YouTube video by Historic Environment Scotland The Maiden’s Leap – a story in Scots

As @handsupfortrad.bsky.social hae announced that nominations ir open fir the 2025 Scots Language Awards, we ir mindit o the braw folk an projects that hae won in previous years, like this animation fae Historic Environment Scotland an the bairns o Perth High School.

youtu.be/YT38Z_3oVBo?...

#Scots events at @edbookfest.bsky.social in August: www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

Scotslanguage.com - Scots Warks: Support and Guidance for writing We write for many reasons – to keep track of our possessions, to plan shopping trips, to reflect on our lives, to aid our memory, to share the words to songs, poems or plays, or perhaps to engage in t...

There a few resources oot there. Ye could stert here: www.scotslanguage.com/articles/nod...

Scottish Languages Bill passed Growing Gaelic and Scots

Plans tae forder and uphaud the uise o Gaelic and Scots hae been passed by the Scots Pairliament.

www.gov.scot/news/scottis...

Young Scots Writer o the Year Award We’re on the lookout for talented young folk aged 11–18 writing and creating in Scots.

FAO teachers!

There's still time tae enter yer pupils' wirk intae the @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social Young Scots Writer o the Year competition.

www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-...

Applications shut oan Wednesday 18 June ⬇️🤞

Ye can find sangs an rhymes in #Scots here: bit.ly/BookbugScots...

OPPORTUNITY: Join the Scottish Languages Panel Young Scot’s YSHive is looking for a diverse group of 15 young people aged 11 to 25 to volunteer on […]

Dae ye ken ony Scots speakers, aged atween 11 an 25, wha micht be interestit in jynin the Young Scot panel?

young.scot/get-involved...

Schools Screen Education Fund Funding to support schools across Scotland in their delivery of film and screen education.

Ony teachers keen tae help their bairns mak a #Scots film?

www.screen.scot/funding-and-...

Hae ye had a luik at the interactive map oan the 'Scotland's census' website?

The census speirt at folk aboot whether they could unnerstaun, speak, read ir write Scots.

Explore the results: bit.ly/ScotsCensusMap

Hae a luik at oor interactive lairnin games tae support lairners in primary an secondary schuils.

www.scotslanguage.com/learning

A Gallimaufry of Poetry, Speech and Song | Perthshire Box Office

A Gallimaufry of Poetry, Speech & Song
25 April, Perth – free, ticketed

A gala evening of music, speech & poetry to celebrate @tippermuirbooks.bsky.social publication of William Soutar: Collected Works vols 1 & 2, & the 127th anniversary of Soutar’s birth
www.perthshireboxoffice.com/whats-on/a-g...

Royal blue book cover with light blue waves, text saying Len pennie, poyums annaw, the instant Sunday Times bestseller, a poet who redefined what poetry is and who it is for. Lemn Sissay

So excited to announce my second collection POYUMS ANNAW in a special colour in collab with Portobello Bookshop! Signed and dedicated copies are available here.

www.theportobellobookshop.com/978183726547...

YouTube video by Miss PunnyPennie let's agree! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

Agree! youtube.com/shorts/0xpYL...

Scotlan’s Spring Donald Smith Frae the bud leaves are breakin Trees are dauncin, branches sway Blossoms in the wind are blawin Spring has come tae flooer the day Tide o green we’re lang awaitin Noo we’re waukin tae the licht Gin we’re leal tae yin anither Comin days could yet be bricht Chorus Daurk the warld wi cruel violence Fowk denied their daily breid Gin we pit brave herts the foremaist Earth kin rise frae dearth an dreid Chorus Sae come all ye an yoke thegither Sisters, brithers haund tae haund Wi the pooers o life oerflowin Joy may flourish laund tae laund Chorus

Frae the bud leaves are breakin
Trees are dauncin, branches sway
Blossoms in the wind are blawin
Spring has come tae flooer the day…

—Donald Smith, “Scotlan’s Spring”
via @byleaveswelive.bsky.social
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/scotlan...

Hae ye tried oor 'Mak a Sign' feature? www.scotslanguage.com/make-a-sign/

FAO Secondary teachers!

Ir ye teachin the Scots Language Award nixt year? Oor Education Specialist haes pit a couple o new resources thegither an is luikin fir feedback. Email education@scotslanguage.com tae get a copy an let us ken yer thochts.

YouTube video by Scots Language Centre Dr Michael Dempster - Dignity

Currently wirkin oan a teachin resource, fir lairners daein the @sqanews.bsky.social Scots Language Award, tae accompany this video.

...we legitimise it every time we uise it, whan we're no feart tae talk it in public, whan we refuse tae stigmatize it...

youtu.be/GkKmoGn0YfY?...

#Scots