Music duo visiting schools to teach children about Scots language

An Edinburgh duo is visiting schools across the city to teach pupils the Scots language in a fun way.

Ceilidh Crew and Co is a children’s theatre company focused on making Scottish culture inclusive to all.

They’re hoping their music can be used as a learning tool to encourage kids to learn about Scotland’s heritage.

The pair, Alyssa Muego and Corinne Harris, are hosting workshops with primary one to three ahead of a performance at their schools to ensure the children can sing along.

The pupils have been learning classic Scots phrases and words, like “oot ma windae”, “doon” and even Edinburgh’s Scots nickname, “Auld Reekie”.

Julie Edgcombe, Principal Teacher at Murrayburn Primary, said teaching the youngsters about their native dialect and heritage has been hugely important.

Alyssa teaching the pupils a song. STV News

She said: “They’ve loved it, they’ve been really engaged.

“It’s not something that we use everyday and probably parents and maybe grandparents don’t so much.

“It’s definitely something that we might not necessarily be able to offer in school, so it’s great to have some expertise on hand.”

Ceilidh Crew and Co are hoping the schools will continue using Scots language to help keep the dialect alive.

The pair will be visiting a number of schools in the new year, with hopes to reach school outside of Edinburgh in the future.

Alyssa said: “We are trying to encourage the teachers to use it in their classroom.

“There’s a little glossier of words where they can choose a word of the day, how many times can they say ‘doon’ in the day, how many times can they say ‘windae’ or on the ‘flare’.”

Corinne added: “It’s just getting them to have fun with it and a desire to learn more.

“It’s very important to encourage that love of our language, our own language, whilst learning other languages, that’s my feeling.

“It’s very important to sustain and develop the Scottish language so that it’s never forgotten.”