The 2025 Scottish Languages Act as 'weakly relevant policy gimmicks’? A critical analysis of language discourses and learner attitudes surrounding Gaelic and Scots in the Scottish Education System

UNESCO has recognised that both Gaelic and Scots in Scotland are endangered minoritised languages in Scotland. To protect and support these languages, the Scottish Government officially recognised both in 2025 through the Scottish Languages Bill. The Bill focuses on the role of education in the promotion of both Gaelic and Scots as a means of language maintenance and revitalisation. Although Gaelic has maintained some success in a variety of forms within the Scottish education system, for example through Gaelic Medium Education and learning Gaelic as a subject, until recently the presence of Scots in the education system has been largely marginalised. This pipeline study will assess the current position of both languages in the education system, firstly through a critical discourse analysis of recent Scottish language education policy and curriculum texts. The study will then gather attitudinal data on the ideological positions that children and young people present, as current and future speakers, towards both Gaelic and Scots. Following the landmark 2025 Scottish Languages Bill, this study will identify and provide recommendations for Scottish education policy and practice, on measures that can be taken to support language inclusion and maintenance for Gaelic and Scots in Scottish classrooms. The paper firstly introduces the study and thereafter provides an initial CDA of relevant Scottish language education policy and curriculum texts.