Weel duin tae Antonia Cant wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Teacher o the Year (sponsored by Qualifications Scotland) in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!
The 2026 Scots Language Awards tak place on Saturday 19th September at the iconic Discovery Centre, home of the RRS Discovery Ship (1pm). Reserve yer ticket here.
The awards will be a daytime event this year, making them as inclusive and accessible to as many award nominees from across Scotland as possible.
We askit Antonia Cant o Antonia Cant thae speirins.
Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
A’m fair trickit tae be nominatit fir Scots Teacher o the Year, as A dedicate masel tae Scots language education throu baith ma wark as a siccondary teacher an ma ongaun university studies.
A've been teachin Scots at Peterheid Academy syne Januar 2024 an hiv heen GTCS Scots teacher recognition fir twa year. Durin this time, A hiv introducit Scots as a subject option in e faculty o Modern Leids at ma skweel. As a result, oor bairns can noo study Scots in S3, S5 an S6, an hae the opportunity tae dae the Qualifications Scotland Scots Language Award tae gain a Level 4, 5 or 6 qualification fir uisin their Scots skills. Tae get tae this pynt, A’ve warkit hard tae develop e curriculum an lairnin resources needit.
A fair enjoy warkin wi pairtners tae provide young fowk wi lairnin experiences that let them uise Scots in real-warld contexts. A wark closely wi e Buchan Heritage Society an Doric Books tae help bairns see e value o spikin Scots throu project-based lairnin. Examples o projects A’ve facilitatit include an intergenerational leid transmission project atween pupils an local care home residents, film projects fir e Doric Film Festival an a research project wi e final product bein displayed tae visitors o the Cruden Bay Golf Club museum.
Across e wider skweel, A provide support tae bairns fa seek oot opportunities relatin tae Scots, an A recently supportit a pupil in her successfu application tae be the Young Scots Makar fir 2026. Ilka year, A run a #Scotstober competition wi the intention o encouragin daily conversations aboot Scots in registration classes across e skweel. An, A regularly promote external Scots competitions an ivints. A’m chufft tae belang tae the DARG warkin group (Doric Aberdeenshire Revitalisation Group), alang wi a puckle o ither Aiberdeenshire Cooncil colleagues, far we wark collaboratively tae heeze up Scots educational provision in oor Local Authority.
At a national livel A hiv been contributin tae Scots education wi ma involvemint in e Curriculum Improvement Cycle Core Group fir Scots. A continue tae regularly wark alangside braw colleagues tae big a new national curriculum fir Scots lairners. Tae mak mair suitable assessment resources available fir lairners o North-East Scots, A hiv also gane through e process o producin several Qualifications Scotland assessments, an submittin them fir verification.
Fae 2024 tae 2026, A compleetit a Postgraduate Diploma at the University o Aiberdeen, explorin e theory aroon Scots language education an reflectin on ma ain teachin practice. In September 2025, A shared ma research and teachin experience wi ower 70 attendees fae 29 key stakeholder organisations at the Open University’s Celebration of Scots Language in Education conference. Fae October 2026, A will be stairtin a PhD project at the Open University, researchin fit needs tae be deen tae see the educational requirements o the 2025 Scottish Languages Act pit intae practice in skweels across e kintra.
Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
Ah’ve heen a Scots tongue in ma heid syne a coud spik an hiv been scrievin in Doric syne a became e Scots editor o the Aiberdeen University student newspaper in 2017. A stairtit teachin Scots fan A synt masel up fir the Open University Teaching Scots Language and Culture CPD acause A wantit tae see ma mither tongue, an e first leid o mony o ma pupils, better represintit in education.
Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
It maitters tae see reprisintation o Scots in ivery day life, especially in skweels, sae that bairns can lairn that their wye o spikin is nae bad or wrang but in fact an incredible skill like aa ither leids.
Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
A Scots spiker fa inspires ma is ma Mam; she aye gave ma a jaarin fan A came hame fae skweel ‘spikin proper’. She aye mynt ma that “we dinna spik like aat in oor hoose”, an, thanks tae her, A’ve got ma guid Scots tongue.
Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Ony particlar career heighlichts
Aire’s been sae mony heighlichts o watchin e bairns growe their confidence in Scots – it’s nae easy tae pick a faavrit! Helpin young loons an quines tae connect wi aulder members o oor local community an practice claikin in Doric wis definitely a high pynt. Seein the successes o Scots screivers A’ve taucht fa hiv won competitions, publisht poyums, an becam a Young Scots Makar is athoot a doot anither ane. Abuin aa, A canna get eneuch o helpin young Scots spikkers tae realise that Scots is a real leid an that their mither tongue is valued.
Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
A’m gey leukin forrit tae biggin on ma recent studies an stairtin a PhD at the Open University neist month. A’m gaun tae research foo we can see Scots education facilitatit, promotit an supportit across Scotland unner the 2025 Scottish Languages Act. Asweel, A’m fair enjoyin ma ongaun involvemint wi the Education Scotland CIC Core Group for Scots, an canna wyte tae see e new Scots curriculum pit intae practice, includin in ma ain classroom. In e future, A’d luve tae see qualifications available fir Scots lairners equivalent tae them fir learners o ither leids like French, German, Spanish an Gaelic. Maist importantly, A’ll continue tae endeavour tae meet the educational requirements o the Scottish Languages Act throu ma teachin practice an studies.
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The Scots Language Awards are in Dundee on the 19th September at 1pm. There wull be some grand entertainmint includin a recitals fae Yvonne Tait an Hugh Macmillan alang wi musical performances fae Iona Fyfe and Scott Gardiner.
To attend the Scots Language Awards there are a few tickets remaining. Click here to reserve your tickets.
Join Elfie Picket Theatre for the Scots language nicht BLETHER, fur a nicht o music, poetry and stories aa celebratin Scots Leid & culture. We hae twa special guests jynin us and a wee open mic. Leadin us intae a big Dundee Fringe Ceilidh! Startin at 6pm, tickets £10.
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish language please consider donating here.