The Role of Language in Place-Attentiveness

This article considers how a drive to build place-attentiveness amongst student teachers on a one-year graduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) in Scotland has revealed synergies between the educational contexts of the north of Scotland and the circumpolar north.  Redford and Nicol (2021) noted students share their placement experiences from across diverse professional and geographical contexts. Utilising the five pillars of Arctic Pedagogy: community, culture, language, digitalisation and elders, reflective and pedagogical tasks are set for the students to engage with their placement school at a level that encourages place attentiveness. Within this article the pillar of language is explored. Our education settings incorporate the indigenous languages of Gaelic and Scots. Students, children and teachers navigate the duality of indigenous languages and English. Understanding and utilising this provides student teachers with the skills to engage in the unique communities they are teaching and learning in.