Bòrd na Gàidhlig commissions major
research exercises
Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the principal public agency responsible for developing Gaelic, has commissioned one of its biggest ever research projects to assess key areas of its development and project work to support the delivery of the National Plan for Gaelic.
Rosemary Ward, Acting Chief Executive of Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “It is vitally important that the Bòrd underpins its work and the development of its strategic objectives on robust research and assessment, not only on what we have achieved so far, but also in terms of establishing the direction that we will take to secure a sustainable future for Gaelic. This is one of the most significant undertakings we have made in terms of research and the organisations which have been successful in tendering for the work have a number of challenges facing them in a very tight time-scale. The outcomes will obviously help us engage in a meaningful and well-informed way about the way forward for Gaelic development and establish benchmarks in terms of value for money.”
The contracts have been awarded to Edinburgh University, which has secured two of the five available projects, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye, Glasgow University and Hecla Consulting of Inverness.
Hecla Consulting’s Iain Campbell will lead a specific assessment of Bòrd na Gàidhlig Projects to measure how effective funding has been when delivered through schemes run by the Bòrd, in terms of language planning and development.
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s team, led by Iain Mac an Tàilleir, has been commissioned to produce an evaluation of the motivation and attitude to Scots Gaelic use within a sample Gaelic-speaking locality. The study will examine levels of fluency and literacy in Scots Gaelic among its users and will also produce a Gaelic skills audit template for use with different types of organisations.
Professor Rob Ó Maolalaigh of Glasgow University Celtic Studies department will lead the research project examining the area of Gaelic Corpus Planning Technology. This project will conduct an audit and assessment of technological tools and services available to assist Scottish Gaelic corpus work, research further project opportunities to support and advance Gaelic corpus development and analyse gaps in technological provision and trends to inform forward planning.
Adult Gaelic learning opportunities are to be researched by Wilson McLeod of Edinburgh University Celtic Studies department identifying requirements to establish an effective national system of Gaelic adult education for Scotland.
He will also be working with Professor Lindsay Paterson of Moray House in a review of pupil attainment in Gaelic in schools in Scotland. This project will also examine the extension of data into previously unresearched areas.
Five contracts worth a total of £163,705 have been awarded to the four separate agencies to deliver the research work over the coming months.
For further information about the contents of this news release, please contact Hugh Dan MacLennan on 0751 528 7040.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig website: www.bord-na-gaidhlig.org.uk
See also: www.mygaelic.com
Issued: Monday, May 18, 2009
