Language provision and inclusion in Scottish mainstream education

Increased mobility has required language planning at the local level to respond to the growing linguistic diversity in Scotland, and my wider doctoral research shows that multilingual provision in public services is... [ view full abstract ]

Increased mobility has required language planning at the local level to respond to the growing linguistic diversity in Scotland, and my wider doctoral research shows that multilingual provision in public services is increasingly important. Language provision in the Scottish education system has a role to play in fostering positive attitudes towards linguistic diversity, encouraging teachers and pupils to approach multilingualism as a resource rather than an obstacle, and in developing the language skills necessary to serve the growing multilingual population.

In this paper, I will highlight a number of significant legal and policy instruments relevant to multilingualism and education in Scotland that provide a promising framework, and discuss their often-limited implementation and the implications this has for inclusion in mainstream education and for allochthonous language speakers.

Analysis of legal and policy documents relevant to language teaching and support in Scottish mainstream education shows that, while relatively inclusive approaches are promoted, there is little in the way of a coherent, strategic education policy concerning language provision, or of enforcement of the recommendations that are made, at either supranational or national levels. Local authorities in Scotland retain a significant degree of autonomy with regard to education. There is limited reflection of the linguistic composition of Scottish schools in the languages selected for mainstream teaching; significant allochthonous languages, such as Polish, remain overlooked and in many cases, a preference for a small number of traditionally-taught European languages continues.

My paper will conclude with a discussion of the key challenges, in terms of both resources and attitudes, facing language provision in Scottish mainstream education, and the implications these challenges have for the development of inclusive practices and for English as an additional language (EAL) services in Edinburgh and Glasgow.