How I went from absolute beginner to Gaelic Bookbug Session Leader

Early days

My journey into Gaelic Medium Education (GME) began unexpectedly in 2013. At that time, the only Gaelic I understood was feasgar math – a phrase I’d picked up from the children’s TV programme Dòtaman. I’d never considered myself particularly gifted at languages, having stopped after Standard Grade French, but a casual conversation at a toddler group opened my eyes to an entire educational sector I hadn’t known existed.

Discovering Gaelic Medium Education (GME)

I learned that GME offers children in some parts of the country the full 3–18 Scottish curriculum. English isn’t formally introduced until mid-primary, and pupils go on to learn a third language in upper primary following Scotland’s 1+2 language model. When I first looked into it, Glasgow had several Gaelic nurseries, some Gaelic-speaking childminders, one primary school (which has since grown to four), and a Gaelic high school. Children in GME follow the same curriculum as their English-medium peers – it’s only the language of instruction that differs. A Gaelic nursery background is helpful but not required.

Today, GME is available across 17 local authorities, and thanks to the Scottish Languages Bill, families across Scotland can now request GME. Over 80% of children in GME don’t speak Gaelic at home. That was reassuring – I wasn’t the only beginner.

Beginning to learn Gaelic

My daughter and I started attending a free weekly Gaelic Bookbug Session in our local library. I loved that we could learn together before she took up her funded place in a Gaelic nursery. Once there, staff pointed me towards simple, topic-based resources for families – everything from colours and weather to feelings and numbers. I also joined a night class so I could build basic Gaelic conversation skills.

At home, I leaned on songs, rhymes, and stories – something we’d shared since before birth. The Bookbug CDs and the Bookbug Song and Rhyme Library became essential tools. Repetitive songs like Cuibhlichean a’ Bhus helped me understand meaning through the actions. I stuck Gaelic flashcards around the house with everyday phrases like Ith do bhiadh ('eat your food'), which helped build practical language.

Growing confidence and community

Our Bookbug Session Leader was incredibly supportive, providing seasonal sets of songs, phonetic guides, and weekly picture books. Through these sessions and the wider Gaelic community – including the Pàrant is Pàiste playgroup – I gradually became comfortable using Gaelic with my child and with other families.

Before long, I was shadowing the Session Leader myself, eventually becoming a Gaelic Bookbug Session Leader after completing the training. Session Leaders are free to include songs, rhymes or stories in any language, of course, Even one song or rhyme makes a session bilingual and opens the door for others the way it was opened for me.

This is an abridged version of a longer article about Lindsay’s Gaelic learning journey: download and read it here.