Abstract
The Cornish language has been informally taught at early years and primary level; however, it continues to occupy a limited position within compulsory educational settings. The principal studies regarding Cornish within education are (MacKinnon, K. (2000). Cornish at its millennium: An independent academic study on Cornish. Government Office for the South-West.) and (Sayers, D., Davies-Deacon, M., & Croome, S. (2018). The Cornish language in education in the UK. European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning.). Recently, new programmes have been developed which aim to increase the presence of Cornish within early years and primary schools in Cornwall. In this paper I, an academic who is firmly rooted within the Cornish language community, intend to offer both the past and present stories of the teaching of Cornish within these settings: initiatives created by early years providers, and the new primary school programme developed by the company Golden Tree, ‘Go Cornish Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards,’ which offer language and cultural support for schools to implement their own teaching sessions and place the Cornish language at the heart of whole school policies; as well as discussing issues which are being, and remain to be, addressed. Key to the provision of the language in these setting are stories: the story of a language marginalised from mainstream education, the journeys of those determined to develop language education, and how storytelling is key to teaching Cornish at these levels. Early indications show the growing interest of primary schools to include Cornish within their provision and there is a growing hope that any success of the ‘Go Cornish’ primary school initiative be used in future discussions with Cornwall Council regarding greater inclusion of Cornish with their overall educational policies.
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Notes
- 1.
Gorsedh Kernow, founded in 1928 is the Cornish College of Bards. Members are admitted either as Language Bards, that is those who have passed the highest level of Cornish examinations held by the Kesva an Taves Kernewek, ‘Cornish Language Board,’ or for excellence in their work on behalf of Cornwall.
- 2.
Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) is the United Kingdom regulatory body responsible for inspecting services providing education and skills to learners of all ages.
Esther Johns, Trustee Movyans Skolyow Methrin.
- 3.
Sue Davies, owner, Tregenna Nursery Group.
- 4.
Mark Trevethan, Cornish Language Officer, Cornwall Council.
- 5.
Will Coleman, Artistic Director and Vicki Kent, Company Manager of Golden Tree.
- 6.
Gorsedh Kernow a veu fondys yn 1928. Eseleth yw dre dhos ha bos Bardh an yeth, henny w an dus a sewenas an ughella apposyans sysys gans Kesva an Taves Kernewek, po rag ober kooth rag gonisogeth Gernewek.
- 7.
Ofsted (Sodhva rag Standardys yn Adhyskans, Servisyow Fleghes, ha Sleyneth) yw korf rewlyans a’n Ruvaneth Unys gans charj hwithra servisyow ow provia adhyskans ha sleyneth orth dyskoryon a bub bloodh.
Esther Johns, Trustee Movyans Skolyow Methrin.
- 8.
Sue Davies, owner, Tregenna Nursery Group.
- 9.
Mark Trevethan, Cornish Language Officer, Cornwall Council.
- 10.
Will Coleman, Artistic Director and Vicki Kent, Company Manager of Golden Tree.
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Broadhurst, K. (2023). Cornish: Can an Indigenous Language Become a Fixture in the Local Primary Curriculum?. In: Blyth, C. (eds) ‘Other’ Voices in Education—(Re)Stor(y)ing Stories. SpringerBriefs in Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-5495-7_3
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