Ceudan de sgoilearan a’ gabhail com-pàirt ann an tachartasan dreuchdan Gàidhlig Siuthad air-loidhne
Thàinig suas ri 200 neach òg bho 11 àrd-sgoil ann an sgìre na Gàidhealtachd còmhla airson tachartasan dreuchdan Gàidhlig Siuthad a chuir Leasachadh Sgilean na h-Alba agus Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd air dòigh air-loidhne airson a’ chiad uair air an 12 agus an 19 dhen t-Samhain.
B’ e amas dà thachartas Siuthad a bhith a’ taisbeanadh fiosrachadh mu dhreuchdan Gàidhlig agus a bhith a’ toirt nan cothroman is nam buannachdan a tha an lùib sgilean Gàidhlig am follais. Bha a’ chiad tachartas airson luchd-labhairt fileanta (ÀS3–ÀS6) agus bha an dàrna tachartas airson luchd-ionnsachaidh Gàidhlig (ÀS4–ÀS6).
Air sgàth a’ ghalair mhòr-sgaoilte, cha b’ urrainnear na seiseanan a lìbhrigeadh san dòigh àbhaistich agus mar sin b’ fheudar dòigh ùr is innleachdach a lorg. Chaidh àrd-ùrlar Google Sgoiltean Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd a chur air dòigh le Sgioba na Gàidhlig, oifigearan Foghlaim agus Leasachadh Sgilean na h-Alba le sreath cheangalan gu bùithtean-obrach agus ceangalan gu fiosrachadh mu na buidhnean a lìbhrig iad.
Bha na tachartasan fhèin a’ gabhail a-steach sreath de bhùithtean-obrach eadar-obrachail agus ‘Àite Margaidh’ far am b’ urrainn do sgoilearan bruidhinn beò ri raon bhuidhnean gus faighinn a-mach mun obair a tha iad a’ dèanamh. Am measg nam buidhnean a thug seachad bùithtean-obrach bha Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Leasachadh Sgilean na h-Alba, Care and Learning Alliance (CALA), MG Alba, Theatre Gu Leòr, Tosgairean Òga, FilmG agus Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Am measg nam buidhnean a ghabh com-pàirt san Àite Mhargaidh bha Foghlam Alba, Young Scot, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean.
Dh’fhosgail na tachartasan le fàilte air-loidhne bho Cheit Fhorbais, BPA an Eilein Sgitheanaich, Loch Abar is Bhàideanach agus Ministear Caibineit airson Ionmhais ann an Riaghaltas na h-Alba. Bha a’ Bh-uas Fhorbais fhèin air a dhol tro Fhoghlam tron Ghàidhlig agus dh’inns i gun tug a’ Ghàidhlig iomadh cothrom dhi na dreuchdan ann am bancaireachd agus ann am poilitigs.
Thuirt i: “Chanainn ri duine sam bith a tha ag ionnsachadh Gàidhlig san sgoil gum bu chòir dhuibh cumail a’ dol oir tha iomadh cothrom dreuchdail ann far an urrainn dhuibh a cleachdadh nuair a dh’fhàgas sibh an sgoil. Tha na dreuchdan seo a’ gabhail a-steach na meadhanan, teagasg, ceòl, teicneòlas agus fiù ’s poilitigs.”
Thuirt Catrìona Nic a’ Phì, tidsear Gàidhlig ann an Acadamaidh Rìoghail Inbhir Nis: “Ged a bha beagan iomagain ann ro làimh mu bhith air-loidhne, bha an tachartas fìor shoirbheachail air an latha fhèin. Bha measgachadh math fiosrachaidh ann do sgoilearan agus cothrom air leth dhaibh mòran Gàidhlig a chluinntinn. B’ e tachartas dha-rìribh eadar-obrachail a bh’ ann agus bha cothrom aig sgoilearan ceistean fhaighneachd agus com-pàirt a ghabhail aig ìre sam bith aig an robh iad fhèin cofhurtail."
Thuirt Seonag NicDhonnchaidh, comhairliche dhreuchdan Leasachadh Sgilean na h-Alba: “B’ e eòlas ùr a bha seo do dhaoine òga, gu h-àraid dhaibhsan a bha aig tachartasan dreuchdail Gàidhlig roimhe. Tha am fios air ais air a bhith fìor thaiceil, agus tha daoine òga air innse dhuinn gun do chòrd a’ chiad Siuthad air-loidhne riutha gu mòr agus gun robh iad toilichte gun robh iad air com-pàirt a ghabhail.”
Thuirt Cathraiche Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd Còmhairliche Calum Rothach, a bha air facal a thoirt seachad san dealachadh: “Bha an tachartas soirbheachail dha-rìribh oir bha com-pàirteachas is ceangal nan daoine òga is an luchd-taisbeanaidh sna bùithtean-obrach air-loidhne fìor mhath. Fhuair na daoine òga fios mu na cothroman a bha ri fhaotainn dhaibh nan cumadh iad a’ dol leis a’ Ghàidhlig anns an àrd-sgoil agus thar sin. ’S e Siuthad a’ chiad tachartas dreuchdan air-loidhne agus tha mi airson an cothrom a ghabhail meal an naidheachd a chur air na daoine òga, na tidsearan, na sgoiltean uile agus an luchd-taisbeanaidh a ghabh com-pàirt agus taing a thoirt dhaibh, gu h-àraid seach nach deach tachartas dreuchdan air-loidhne a chumail roimhe agus aig a h-uile duine ri feum a dhèanamh de dh’àrd-ùrlaran foghlaim is teicneòlasan diofraichte.”
Gheibhear tuilleadh fiosrachaidh bho:
Hundreds of pupils attend first online ‘Siuthad’ Gaelic Careers Events
Up to 200 young people from 11 Secondary schools in the Highland area joined Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) and Highland Councils first online Siuthad Gaelic careers events which took place on 12th and 19th November.
The aim of Siuthad‘s two events was to showcase information on Gaelic Careers and highlight opportunities in sectors where having Gaelic skills is an advantage. The first event was targeted at fluent speakers (S3-S6) and the latter event was for Gaelic learners (S4-S6)
With the current pandemic these sessions could not be delivered in the standard way, so a fresh and innovative method of delivery had to be implemented. Highland Councils Schools Google platform was set up by the Gaelic Team, Education officials and SDS to incorporate a series of links to Workshops and links to information about the organisations who delivered them.
The events themselves largely comprised of series of interactive workshops and a ‘Marketplace’ where pupils could speak live to variety range of organisations and find out about the work they do. Workshops were provided by a range of organisations such as Bord na Gaidhlig, SDS, The Care and Learning Alliance (CALA), MG Alba, Theatre Gu Leor, Young Ambassadors, FilmG and Sabhal Mor Ostaig. Exhibitors contributing to the Marketplace included Education Scotland, Young Scot, University of Edinburgh,The Highland Council and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
The events opened with a virtual welcome from Scottish Government Cabinet Minister for Finance Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.
Ms Forbes who went through Gaelic Medium Education herself stressed the many advantages that speaking Gaelic had given her in her career in banking and latterly as a politician.
Ms Forbes said: “I would say to anyone who is studying Gaelic at school to keep going with it as I think there are many career opportunities where you can use it when you leave school. These include careers in the media, teaching, music, technology and even politics.”
Inverness Royal Academy Gaelic teacher Catriona MacPhee said: “While the thought of being online was rather daunting beforehand, it was very successful on the day. There was a good variety of information for pupils and an excellent opportunity for them to hear so much Gaelic. It was a genuinely interactive event that allowed pupils to ask questions and participate at whichever level they felt comfortable."
SDS careers adviser Joan Duncan said: “This was a different experience for young people, especially those who have been along to previous Gaelic careers events. The feedback has been really positive, with young people telling us they had enjoyed the first online Siuthad and were glad they had taken part.”
The Chairperson of Highland Council Gaelic Committee Councillor Calum Munro who delivered the closing remarks virtually said, "The event was extremely successful as the participation and engagement by the young people and the exhibitors during the online workshops was excellent. The young people were informed of the opportunities which are available to them should they continue to study Gaelic in secondary education and beyond. Siuthad is the first online careers event and I wish to take this opportunity to both congratulate and thank the young people, teachers, all the schools and exhibitors who took part in the event, especially as a virtual careers event has not taken place before and everyone had to adapt to maximising the use of different educational platforms and technologies."
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