Scots and literacy development
8. Further reading
Activity 10
Read
this interesting research by James Costa, a sociolinguist who
explores aspects of language diversity and the use of minority
languages in Europe, including the standardisation of minority
languages such as Scots. In this article, Costa asks ‘Can
schools dispense with standard language?’.
In his study Costa explores the use of Scots language for literacy
development in a primary school context and discovers some
‘unintended consequences’ of the use of Scots. He also
investigates the changes in the teacher-pupils relationship and
lesson dynamics through the introduction of Scots into the classroom.
Note that Costa wrote this publication before the launch of the Scots
Language Policy in 2015.
When
reading the article, focus in the introduction, take some notes on
the following points as well as on aspects you found interesting and
which you think are particularly relevant for your own work.
How is a teacher’s authority in the classroom defined in connection with language use, and what impact has the use of Scots language on this authority?
What does Costa say about legitimising Scots in educational contexts?
What are the unintended consequences of using Scots in education, which Costa mentions in the article titles?
Other relevant literature
• ‘Challenges in Scots language planning – and the way forward’ James K. Puchowski
• ‘Fitting in: why Polish immigrant children say “aye” to the Glasgow vibe’ Sadie Ryan