The position of Scots in the Scottish education system has often been a precarious one. It has been met with indifference or hostility or granted only a token presence in the curriculum.
Fortunately, the status of the Scots tongue as a vital part of Scottish life and culture has become increasingly accepted. The 5-14 National Guidelines in the early 1990s, although falling short from treating Scots as a separate area of study, did offer the opportunity to raise the profile of Scottish culture and Scottish themes in the classroom.
As a result, some excellent work has been done in recent years, and recognition of the importance of Scots is stronger today than for some time.
This Special Focus provides background information and practical ideas for using Scots in the existing 5-14 curriculum. It will point you to publications, websites and organisations that may help you to explore Scots further.
Whatever your understanding of Scots, we hope that you will find something to inspire you on this website.