Adult Gaelic Acquisition

Description of impact

Soillse: Adult Gaelic Acquisition
The University of Aberdeen has been central to the development of the multi-institution SOILLSE project for strengthening the infrastructure of Gaelic language acquisition and Gaelic language research over the last decade. Phase 1 of the project (which came to an end in November 2017) was valued initially at £5.8m and additional grants were secured by project members across all institutions for language planning research projects. This case study focuses on the considerable contribution staff at the University of Aberdeen have made in the area of adult language acquisition which has informed policy and pedagogy.

Outcomes to Date / Future Developments

The Scottish Government is seeking to increase the number of adult learners of Gaelic. Research led by Professor Michelle Macleod and Dr Marsaili MacLeod has enabled this by informing policy, shaping pedagogy and influencing practice in this area. Macleod and MacLeod identified weaknesses in earlier learning provision, such as the over-reliance on one teaching method, the lack of learning materials and the absence of a means to measure progress. Their work has underpinned a significant change in how funds for supporting adult learning are distributed and, working with colleague Dr Moray Watson, influenced the creation and implementation of new teaching methods and materials and assessment tools for adult Gaelic learners worldwide.

Impact status	Impact Completed (Open)
Impact date	2012 → 2017