A West Lothian activist has organised a campaign to champion the Scots dialect ahead of Burns night next week, with primary schools across West Lothian showing their support.
Whitburn teacher and Scots language advocate, Laura Green, is backing efforts by national charity ‘Nil by Mouth’ to get their story book into over 400 primary schools across Scotland before Burns Night 2022.
The story-book, which is called ‘Neeps and Tatties’ is written entirely in Scots by author Carey Morning and illustrator Anna York – it examines issues such as discrimination and prejudice.
West Lothian-based Laura, who works at the Scots Language Centre as an education specialist, helped to launch the charity campaign at Linlithgow Palace earlier this year.
Laura Green, in typical Scots fashion, said: “This is a braw buik fir helpin weans lairn some new Scots vocabulary, an hae a think aboot tolerance.
“Makin this available fae the Scots Language Centre website will mak shair that teachers can share this wi their lairners, whether in the classroom or via remote lairnin.
“An the glossary at the end will be helpfu in makin sure the weans ken whit the wirds mean.”
Laura toured the country with the book’s main character, the ‘Haggis hero’, in ‘bookbug’ sessions during December and January to help promote the Scots language campaign.
Schools from West Lothian who have agreed to join the campaign so far are: Linlithgow Bridge, Armadale, Low Port, St Joseph’s, St Pauls, and Springfield Primary School.
Teachers can request a free copy of the book for their classroom from the charity, and parents can access a free digital copy from the Scots Language Centre website.
Over the next few days students will read the book alongside a resource pack to encourage children to learn more about Scots, as well as prejudice in their communities.
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