Scotland


 * The Teaching of Civics in Scotland**


 * Country Overview (e.g. geographical setting, population, history, form of government)**

Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom (Scotland, England & Wales) and has been so since Elizabeth I passed the English crown along to James I in 1603, tying the two countries together in peace. Officially the two country’s parliaments voted to combine the two lands in 1706 in the Act of Union. English is the official language of Scotland although Gaelic is still spoken in many of the backlands including the Highlands and the Western Isles. Scotland’s population stands around 5 million people (out of the United Kingdom’s 59.2 million) representing a small and stable population size of 8-½ %. Scotland’s economy is relatively small with a per capita GDP of 12,512 pounds. The largest factor of GDP is manufacturing (21%) and real-estate services (17%) both of which have historically been volatile, particularly since the global credit crisis of 2007. This volatility has also lead to periods of extreme and constant unemployment (ranging from 14.9% in 1987 to 5.2% in 2002). Since the 1700’s when Scotland’s parliament was folded into England’s, Scotland has been represented by the UK parliament in London. Universal suffrage is a guaranteed right in the UK and the Elizabeth II sits on the thrown, leading the constitutional monarchy. In 1998, Parliament passed the Scotland Act, which established the Scottish Parliament and Executive for the first time in 300 years. The Scottish Parliament would take control of decision making within the country, including: education decisions, health issues and other home affairs. The Scottish Parliament would have power to amend or repeal any existing laws or acts set forth by the UK parliament too.


 * Context (e.g. the educational system, grade levels, hours per week)**

The aim of the Scottish educational system is to ensure that every student has access to free learning opportunities that can lead him or her to achieve their full potential. Education is compulsorily between the ages of 5 and 16. A main goal of the Scottish education system to prepare students for a lifetime of holding multiple jobs all of which could vary in practice from each other. Scotland sees its workforce as volatile and the future of the economy as developing rapidly as finance and technology industries expand in the country so Scottish students should be prepared for these possible changes. The grade levels range from P1-P7 and S1-6 making thirteen years of education total. P1-P3 is infant early education. P4 & P5 are middle primary stage and P6 & P7 are upper primary stage. At the age of 13 students enter into the S stage. S1-S4 is lower secondary stage. S5 & S6 are post-compulsory secondary stage. These final two years are not compulsory but offer a higher education in preparation for college. Primary and secondary students attend school 190 days a year (38 weeks) and the year is divided into three terms. The school day typically lasts from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm each day making for a 25-hour week though this is not nationally set and is determined by the local community.


 * Subject Content Standards**

The Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act of 2000 sets school standards as: “needing to fit individual needs, be tailored to “age, ability and aptitude” and aim to develop “personality, talents & mental and physical attributes if children and young persons to their fullest potential.” The standards also indicate that all students should have the opportunity to voluntarily continue at school either in a vocational setting or one of higher education. This opportunity is open to students finishing high school or adults looking for career changes and is community centered. Education standards in Scotland also set a high premium on citizen education, looking towards its students as the future potential for wealth accumulation and economic expansion as well as the guides for cultural accomplishment and growth. In 2004 the Additional Support for Learning Act was passed which places the responsibility to make and monitor arrangements for all students who need support to access and benefit from school education on councils comprised of local citizens. The council’s responsibilities are aimed at also: supporting students through health and social services in conjunction with education. To take into account the students’ own views and opinions into the planning of curriculum. Introducing mediation between parents and administration during times of disagreement. Include life sciences and real world talents into the classroom to prepare students for beyond the classroom. Provide special needs programs for students in need of help and sets up independent tribunals to hear appeals relating to coordinated support plans. The overall goals of the two acts are aimed at providing students with lasting and meaningful education that takes into account the needs and wishes of the community in an effort to create a better nation.


 * Materials (e.g. textbooks, websites)**

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/gaidhlig/index.asp This website is free for all Scottish residents (both students & adults) and is a mandatory part of the curriculum for students. The website offers lessons on Gaelic and is aimed at teaching Scotland’s native language in preparation for wider use in the educational system in the future. An economic incentive for learning Gaelic is that the Scottish government is actively searching for individuals proficient in the language who will become teachers in subjects that interest them but teach it purely in Gaelic. This job security is very nice considering the Scotland undergoes periods of mass unemployment. Scotland, much like America does not use solely one textbook. The choice of which book to use, much like many other decisions concerning education, is up to the local community and thus varies throughout the country.


 * Nature of Curriculum (based on the models of civic education)**

Scotland’s curriculum is akin to Republican Civic education. Since the Scottish parliament was reformed, education acts have all been aimed at improving the standards of education in order to create a competitive domestic economy and a higher standard of living within the country. In 2004 the Scottish Executive released a “curriculum for Excellence” which aimed at reforming and simplifying the curriculum to increase student choice and make learning more stimulating. The executive wants to add flexibility into the curriculum by allowing for student choice in classes they take, build student confidence and attainment by stream lining bureaucratic structures extending child-centered, active learning approaches used typically in preschool well into primary school. Scottish schools will have class sizes reduced to ensure a higher teacher/student ratio (20 to 1 in secondary, 25 to 1 in primary). Preschool will be stressed also in low-income areas where education is lacking the most in order to create a standard for education in the early years of a student’s life and prepare them for an academic lifestyle. A national assessment called the “assessment is for learning” (AifL) was enacted in 2002 and was put into place to streamline national assessment. A national merit system has also been put in place to determine which schools perform and children perform the best. In 2005 the Scottish parliament passed the Gaelic Language Bill, which gave Gaelic the status as the national language of Scotland. This status is aimed at promoting the use of the language and ensures its long-term future. It also established the Gaelic Development Agency as part of the national government framework whose focus is to integrate Gaelic back into the country and its infrastructure. Gaelic lessons are supported through a free online service to all students and adults and students will receive in person training in Gaelic in specific subjects. The point of these lessons is to increase national awareness of the country’s historic language as well as prepare students for taking classes in secondary school in Gaelic. Scotland also wants to recruit more Gaelic proficient teachers to instruct in every subject in order to continue this cultural revival. Along with cultural revival, Scotland’s parliament has placed a large amount of responsibility on the community for choosing the curriculum. Community involvement is paramount to creating a lasting educational environment where students will flourish and this embracing of local nationalism is a further example of the republican civic education model.


 * Main Issues and Challenges**

A continuing challenge for the Scottish educational system is to maintain its autonomy and freedom from British influence. Scotland’s education has mimicked that of England’s for 300 years so starting afresh is quite challenging. Further challenges involve incorporating traditional practices into the curriculum that have largely left the Scottish people, namely Gaelic. Teaching the national language is a huge undertaking considering how few people speak it fluently and how underrepresented the language is in popular media.


 * Resources (e.g. research articles, books, web sites)**

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/ http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/gaidhlig/index.asp [] [] [] [|http://www.scotland.gov.uk] [] http://www.inca.org.uk/scotland.html