Move to end a cultural �blind spot� gets official backing.
By Edd McCracken, Education Correspondent

In a move that could be described as "braw" and "bonnie", the minister for schools and skills has said that the language of Scots should be used in the classroom.

Maureen Watt's statement is linked to the draft outcomes and experiences for literacy under the new Curriculum for Excellence, to be released this week, which will "ensure that schoolchildren are exposed to Scotland's literature and the languages of Scotland".

Writing in the Sunday Herald, Watt, the MSP for North East Scotland, said: "Now is the time for the children of Scotland to rediscover Scots." She added: "When being taught well, children in Scottish schools are learning about what constitutes good English. Likewise they should be guided on the value and place of Scots language and its use."

The move comes weeks after the culture minister, Linda Fabiani, announced an audit of the Scots language. The language of Robert Burns is recognised in the EU as an official language and is spoken by around 1.6 million people in Scotland.

Educationalists involved in Scots have described the move as "historic".

"I am absolutely delighted that an official recognition of Scots will be included in the curriculum," said Matthew Fitt, author and education and outreach officer for Itchy Coo, an imprint of publishers Black & White specialising in Scots language books for children. He was involved in translating Roald Dahl's book The Twits into Scots. Fitt's version is called The Eejits.

"It's been a long time coming and reflects the mood of schools across the country. It's a shame that Scotland, with its aspirations to being a modern country, has this blind spot on one area of its culture. Sometimes there is some hostility from certain circles. Most of us are bilingual between Scots and English. It's important to reflect this. It is historic."

At school in Dundee, Fitt was on the receiving end of some anti-Scots hostility.

"I got thumped," he said. "A certain generation has been through that. I said I dinnae ken' because I didnae ken. And the teacher instituted that strange way of teaching children in Scotland about their language which was to castigate me, humiliate me in front of the class by insisting I said, I don't know'. Modern countries don't do that to their children."

He added: "I've actually been back in that same room since, teaching Scots. I had to think how ironic."

Michael Hance, director of the Scots Language Centre in Perth said he congratulated Watt. "It's an important step towards recognising the diversity of language used in Scotland. Particularly in affirming in children's minds that the language they use is valid, deserves respect, is discussed and thought about in the classrooms."

Teaching unions welcomed the move with caution. EIS general secretary Ronnie Smith said: "The right of young people to be taught in their mother tongue is widely supported.

"However, given the diversity of language found among pupils in Scotland's schools, this would have very substantial resource implications if such aspirations are to be met in all subject areas, right across the curriculum and in all parts of Scotland."

Bill McGregor, general secretary of the Headteachers' Association of Scotland, was keen to differentiate Scots from slang: "There is a place for Scots, quite definitely. There is also a place where standard English is much more appropriate, for example working in history, mathematics and the sciences.

"We have no objections, provided it is used appropriately and provided there are staff that can actually use Scots. There is a difference between Scots and slang. But given that these conditions are met, that time is found for it, that there's proper resourcing, I would say why not?"