26th March 2025
BMS25 Master Class
This masterclass will explore language policies and their role in the maintenance and development of minority languages, focusing on Gaelic, Welsh, and Scots. The session will examine language policy frameworks in Scotland and Wales, providing key insights into their evolution, implementation, and impact.
The master class will situate these policies within the broader context of heritage and minority language policies in Scotland, the UK, and Europe. It will then delve into the ongoing policy-making process in Scotland, the current stage and recent milestones in the policy development concerning Gaelic and Scots. It will thereafter examine the implications of Gaelic language policy on the development and expansion of Gaelic Medium Education (GME) in Scotland.
The second part of the morning will focus on Welsh language policy development, examining the role of legislation, education, and community initiatives in strengthening the language. A key focus will be on the role of new speakers—individuals who learn Welsh as a second language—and their contribution to language maintenance and revitalization.
Speakers:
· Professor Robert Dunbar, Celtic and Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh (Chair)
· Jennifer McHarrie, Director of Education at Bòrd na Gàidhlig
· Claire Cullen, Division Head for Gaelic and Scots Division, Education Reform Directorate , Scottish Government
· Dr. Gwennan Higham, Director of Bilingualism Matters at Swansea University
· Dr Kathryn Jones, Executive Director of IAITH: Welsh Centre for Language Planning
