Unit 3 - Bruce's Group
Scots Lesson
Expressive Arts
Es & Os
Expressive Arts
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. EXA 0-01a / EXA 1-01a / EXA 2-01a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities. EXA 0-18a / EXA 1-18a / EXA 2-18a
Literacy
As I listen or watch, I can identify and discuss the purpose, main ideas and supporting detail contained within the text, and use this information for different purposes. LIT 2-04a
I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to literal, inferential, evaluative and other types of questions, and by asking different kinds of questions of my own. LIT 2-07a
I am developing confidence when engaging with others within and beyond my place of learning. I can communicate in a clear, expressive way and I am learning to select and organise resources independently. LIT 2-10a / LIT 3-10a
To show my understanding across different areas of learning, I can identify and consider the purpose and main ideas of a text and use supporting detail. LIT 2-16a
Context – Our topic is Scotland & Spain a cultural comparison. This activity will be done with both languages over 2 days.
Activity Brief –
Introduce 5 Scots words that can easily have actions attributed to them.
Discuss with the Children how people particularly younger children can work out what words in a song means from the actions that we do whilst signing them.
Use the songs we do in assembly as an example.
Watch the video of the lady teaching the nursery children the actions and ask what the children what they see.
Use an example song and create some actions for a few lines of the song with the classes so they get an idea of what they are to do.
Explain to the children they will go into groups of 3 or 4 and be given a choice of Scottish songs.
Their first job building on their use of the DSL is to translate their song as a group.
Once they have accurately translated the song they can come up with the actions themselves. The intention will be to be able to teach the younger children within the school the songs and for them to understand what the song actually means.
Give children time to work with the P1s & P2s to teach them the songs now.
How the lesson went –
What do you think worked particularly well in your classroom application?
The children engaged brilliantly with the musical aspect of the lesson
Having video resources such as WEE TV for the groups to use at any point hugely helped with pronunciation.
Some pupils created actions for 1 of the choice songs and asked if they could do it for more songs and ones that weren’t even discussed.
They were able to translate effectively without even using the need of the Scots Dictionary either down to the information available on Scots Hoose / Wee TV or from simply working with their peers.
The children were clearly motivated to do their best because they were going to be the teachers.
Is there anything you would do differently if you were to repeat this lesson?
I would probably choose some more complex songs for my learners due to their age or possibly see if I could challenge my learners to come up with their own simple Scots song and then ask them to do actions for that. That could simply be by letting them create a parody rather than a song completely up from their imaginations.
What are the next steps for your learners?
Next steps will be arguably what I said I could have done differently. Ask the children to create their own song or give them a more complex song to create actions for as this will deepen their knowledge of the Scots language.
How will you provide further opportunities to practise and reinforce the use and awareness of the Scots language?
We made really good connections with the Primary 1 & 2 classes within the school through this lesson as the Older ones had to go and teach them a song. I feel this is something that can be built on both to allow the older pupils to strengthen their understanding of the Scots language and it will begin to introduce Scots to the younger classes for them to develop throughout the years.
Unit 3 Application task
Learning intention: we are learning to recite a poem in Scots.
Success Criteria:
I can listen to a poem and ask questions about unfamiliar vocabulary
I can recognise words that rhyme
I can use pictures to express my understanding of new vocabulary
Lesson focus is to learn to recite ‘The Bubblyjock’ by Hugh Mcdermaid. and learn a short version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ by Robert Burns. Lesson is aimed at early level learners with a range of ASL needs. For context, this particular poem was chosen as one of my pupil’s favourite animals is a turkey. He does a fantastic impression which makes everyone laugh.
Prior knowledge – we have covered a lesson on Hogmany, children learned about celebrations and songs and we listened to the lone piper. We have began learning about poetry, consolidating learning from previous years Scotland topic. Children are aware of Schools annual Burns Supper event that we will host in February.
Starter:
Listen to ‘Auld lang syne’ clip played on pipes
Class discussion on what instrument we can hear in the song? Do you recognise the song?
Listen to the song – vocal version clip
Purpose of the song? What we think the meaning of the song is? Do we recognise any familiar words? What words don’t we know? What language do you think is being used?
Responsive to children’s answers. Brief translation of words to English if needed.
Main activity:
Class listen to teacher recite The Bubblyjock’ by Hugh McDermaid, incorporation of Makaton signs for non-verbal learners.
Again, discuss the words we hear. Write on smartboard the words we are unfamiliar with. Use Makaton to give clues of what words may be.
Introduce visuals of key words from poem and picture clues. – corresponding to Scots words: bubblyjock, bogle, chouks, syne, heid, wunner, disna, raxin, bagpipes, stauns
Design your own Bubblyjock- talk about the features of a turkey and compare to words used in poem. Children have option to draw own turkey or to amend a printed outline.
Children can label the bublyjock with words to describe it – rid beek, sma’ een, smaw-shankit/ smaw legit, dytit, glaikit, gawkit, gowkit – look up scots words (Scots dictionary online) in response to the children’s suggestions to looks/movement.
Plenary
Conclude with a summary of the key Scots words learned using visuals as prompts (ask for signs or children to find the picture of corresponding word for non-verbal pupils), use lollipop sticks to select pupils to recall and recite the meanings.
Engage students with the reflective question, "How does using Scots words make you feel?" Prompt answers encouraging appreciation for cultural heritage.
Next steps: prepare children for performance, incorporate ICT use and record performances for assessment and evaluation of performances.
Evaluation: This lesson was received well by the children in my class and the poem has been recited at the annual Burns Supper. I have a few children in my class who speak with an American accent, this was so great to hear them engage with their culture and language and gain understanding of the Scots words.
It was interesting as staff were not familiar with the poem and this sparked interest within the school for meanings and off hand recitals of the poem to anyone who had a minute to listen.
Next time I am teaching this I would perhaps think about a way to make learning more fun, repeating phrases is a bit mundane, however the children respond to that style of rote learning. I would have to certainly keep the Makaton signs to aid communication, it was great to see our non-verbal learners be able to participate and sign along. This lesson coincided with the Burns event, I will endeavour to continue to incorporate language into further areas of study and topic work where I can.
Expressive Arts
I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. EXA 0-01a / EXA 1-01a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities. EXA 0-18a / EXA 1-18a
Literacy
To help me understand stories and other texts, I ask questions and link what I am learning with what I already know. LIT 0-07a
Within real and imaginary situations, I share experiences and feelings, ideas and information in a way that communicates my message. LIT 0-09a
(apologies for the late post)
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Hello.
It is great this was part of your annual Burns Supper & that you introduced staff to something new.
You mention that repetition was perhaps not that fun, but pupils did learn that way - I am increasingly going back to repetition as many of my pupils need to learn how to learn. Their memories are not good and rote learning really pays off and gives quite quick feelings of success - so I would not write it off as dull, perhaps just necessary at times.
The use of Makaton was such a great way to include non verbal learners in teh sing along. This sounds like a really inclusive lesson.
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This is all so good!! You say the learning intention is to recite a poem in Scots – but what a lot goes on at the various stages of this brilliant lesson!
Even without the detail of this being aimed at learners with a range of ASL needs, we can see so many approaches being taken to really explore all aspects of the learning opportunities. And Scots is certainly at the heart of it all, with the bubblyjock centrepiece – I love all the words used, “rid beek, sma’ een, smaw-shankit/ smaw legit, dytit, glaikit, gawkit, gowkit”. I take it you use similar approaches for the non-verbal pupils in other lessons? It is important feedback for others that Scots is not a barrier in such circumstances.
You took full advantage of the Burns event and that is always a good thing. The quantity of learning you created around that opportunity shows so much creativity and is inspiring to read. Cant wait to hear what you do next!
Bruce
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What a brilliant lesson! It is fantastic to see the Scotland and Spain comparison as a starting point to then introduce both languages. You've made great use of resources available with the Wee TV videos. Is there a similar resource for Spanish when you compare Scotland with Spain?
The part that really stands out though is the leaners being able to translate without a dictionary - do you feel like this is becoming possible because you have now done a series of lessons where there is a Scots focus?
And this is a detail that cannot be ignored "The children were clearly motivated to do their best because they were going to be the teachers." You must be seeing a really effective end result when this is part of the process and aspect of the lesson?
What amazing work you have done :-)
Bruce
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