This is a model answer. Your plan might be different.

I teach an S2 English class in Shetland. I will be asking them to write in Shetland dialect. They will have access to the 100 Key Scots Words for Shetland from Education Scotland to help them with vocabulary. I will begin my lesson by playing a video I found on YouTube from local dialect group Shetland ForWirds: DaDescriptive Wan| Shetland Dialect FIlm | Shetland ForWirds - YouTube

In our lesson I will ask the class to write a paragraph in a similar style to this video. The class is roughly half Shetland-speakers, half English-speakers. For those who feel confident I will encourage them to write entirely in Shetland dialect, for those who are less familiar with the Shetland dialect, I will encourage them to write in English about Shetland words.

Using the 100 Key word resource, the learners will select 2 or 3 which they use, which they have heard others use, words they are interested in, or would like to discover more about. To begin with they will be writing a paragraph or so as a script for a video like the one from Shetland ForWirds.

Depending on how the class get on, I would also like some to film themselves – either talking to camera or just audio as a voiceover. I think confidence will be an issue for many in the class. I will encourage peer learning and for them to work in pairs once they have all written their paragraph focussing on some Shetland words.

This project could also work well by linking with the community outside the school. The class can ask questions at home, and can ask others in the school. There may be a couple in the class who feel like Shetland dialect is very foreign to them. There may be scope to make language links with another language they are familiar with, depending on what languages are used in their homes.

I really enjoyed Section 2 Activity 3 in this unit. I will share the links Gerda provided with my class:

• The Online Scots Dictionary

• Dictionaries of the Scots Language

• Thesaurus.com

• RhymeZone

And I will give the class another, unique to Shetland: Dictionaries :: Shetland ForWirds (shetlanddialect.org.uk) I believe an important point to emphasize to the class here is Gerda’s one about the value of words, the history of each word, the various meanings. We don’t focus on language in that way very often in English so this lesson on Scots and Shetland dialect is a great opportunity to try have the class make comments and observations on specific words.

I will be using this Benchmark from Education Scotland to judge the level my learners are at:

Creating texts - applying the elements others use to create different types of short and extended texts with increasingly complex ideas, structures and vocabulary

When listening and talking with others for different purposes, I can: communicate information, ideas or opinions; explain processes, concepts or ideas; and identify issues raised, summarise findings or draw conclusions. LIT 3-09a 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

• Communicates in a clear expressive way in a variety of contexts.

• Presents ideas, information or points of view including appropriate detail or evidence.

• Organises thinking and structures talks to present ideas in a logical order.

• Introduces and concludes talks with some attempt to engage the audience.

• Uses signposts throughout talks to provide a basic structure or argument, for example, topic sentences and/or linking phrases.

• Uses appropriate tone and vocabulary for purpose and audience.

• Applies verbal and non-verbal techniques in an attempt to enhance communication and engagement with audience, for example, eye contact, body language, emphasis, pace, tone and/or some rhetorical devices.

• Selects and uses resources to enhance communication and engagement with audience.

Return to Unit 6