Slices of
Contemporary Hebridean
Life and Work in 40
English and Gaelic
videos presented for
language learners
Craigard Day Centre –
Re-Store Recycling
Project – Hebridean Food
– Ceòlas Summer School – Taigh Chearsabhagh
Museum and Art Centre –
Bi Beò Songwriters
Short online films with
transcripts and
translations, suitable
for pre-intermediate to
post-intermediate
learners, totalling 3
hours of listening
material divided evenly
between the two
languages
Content / topic:
Care for adults with
special needs
Duration: 6 minutes
Level (listening
level required): A2
Summary: This is a
short documentary about
the Craigard Day Centre
in Lochmaddy, North Uist.
It’s a centre for people
with disabilities, run
by the Social Services
Department of Comhairle
nan Eilean Siar, the
Western Isles Council.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English.
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description
Copyright: CopyLeft
Content / topic:
Care for adults with
special needs
Duration: 1.33 minutes
Level (listening
level required): B1
Summary: Donald
Mackinnon is a client at Craigard Day Centre.
Here he talks about his
activities at Craigard.
He also talks about the
pictures he’s exhibiting
at the Taigh
Chearsabhagh art centre.
He goes on to say what
else he does during the
week, mentioning the
names (NAAFI, Lovats) of
another workplace, and
his musical activities
at the weekend.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English.
Content / topic:
Care for adults with
special needs PLUS
Traditional Skills
Duration: 4.30 minutes
Level (listening
level required): B2
Summary: Flora
Macdonald, a North Uist
resident, talks first of
all about the importance
of Craigard in the
community, and her own
interactions with Donald
MacKinnon. She goes on
to describe her reasons
for setting up the
traditional skills
exhibition in Taigh
Chearsabhagh, and her
own thoughts on their
place in the community
today.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English.
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
describing activities,
and expressing opinions
Copyright: CopyLeft
Summary: The
Re-Store Project is a
social enterprise in
South Uist. Old
furniture is restored
and recycled. The
project also houses a
book recycling scheme,
and provides employment
and training
opportunities in the
local community.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description of furniture
recycling process, with
the focus on the
craftsman
Copyright:
CopyLeft
Summary:
Seumas Macdonald is the
Craftsman/Trainer at the
Re-Store project in Bornais, South Uist. He
talks about the work and
training they do, and
the value of the project
to the trainees and the
community.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
describing daily
activities, and
explaining their
importance
Content / topic:
Furniture restoration
and recycling PLUS
voluntary sector
engagement in rural
development
Duration: 4:30 Level (listening
level required): B2
Summary: Neil
Macdonald is a director
on the Board of
Management of Cothrom,
the community group that
manages the Re-Store
project. He describes
the directors'
responsibilities for the
work of Cothrom in
general and the
importance of voluntary
group involvement in
island community life.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
describing management
and community issues
Summary: The
Hebridean Smokehouse on
North Uist processes
salmon and other
foodstuffs for a global
market. This documentary
illustrates the
preparation and
packaging of the product
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description of food
preparation and
packaging process, with
the focus on the product
Summary:
Alasdair MacEachen is an
Environmental Health
Officer in Benbecula. He
describes the
implications of his job
in terms of both
enforcement and
education in particular
relation to food
handling and production.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in Benbecula in
the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English.
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
describing job remit and
regulatory framework
Copyright:
CopyLeft
Content / topic:
Food preparation, and
local specialities
Duration: 7:02 Level (listening
level required): A2
Summary: The “Blas
Uibhist” night was put
on by the Ceòlas
community group in South Uist to celebrate local
food as well as music.
Local food producers
offered tastings of
their products, and a
well-known hotelier gave
a cookery demonstration.
The evening finished
with live local music.
The event was held in
Gaelic, with
simultaneous translation
into English
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description, mixed with
sections of authentic
public speaking
Content / topic:
Food preparation, and
local specialities
Duration: 2:04 Level (listening
level required): B2
Summary:
Isabel Graham is a
well-known hotelier and
cook at the Orasay Inn
in South Uist. Here she
describes how she uses
local produce when
preparing meals for
guests.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
expressing preferences
and explaining choices
Summary: The
Ceòlas music summer
school is held annually
in South Uist. It aims
to integrate traditional
music and dance in a
community setting. It
has strong links with
tutors from Cape Breton
in Canada, where old
styles of Scottish
fiddling and stepdancing
have been maintained.
The school attracts
students from around the
world.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
and Eriskay in the Outer
Hebrides, where a high
proportion of the
community is bilingual
in Gaelic and English
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description
Content / topic:
Community impact of
summer school
Duration: 4:08 Level (listening
level required): B2
Summary: Mary
Macinnes is the
chairperson of the local
committee that organises
the summer school each
year. She describes the
activities of the group
and the impact of Ceolas
on the local community.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
describing activities,
and assessing impacts
Content / topic:
Educational impact of
summer school
Duration: 2:03 Level (listening
level required): B2
Summary:
Ruairidh MacIlleathain
is a well-known Gaelic
broadcaster with a
particular interest in
Gaelic learners. He is
attending Ceolas for the
first time. He talks
about the quality of the
instruction in his
chosen subjects, and
assesses the value of
the school for learners
of Gaelic.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in South Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
describing learning
activities and giving
personal opinions
Content / topic:
Museum and Art Centre,
Tourism
Duration: 7:20 Level (listening
level required): A2
Summary: Taigh
Chearsabhagh is a key
attraction for both
visitors and local
people in North Uist. It
has an important
development and
educational role in the
visual arts, as well as
in conserving and
displaying aspects of
local culture and
history.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description
Content / topic:
Value of museum and art
centre as visitor
attraction and
educational centre
Duration: Level (listening
level required): B2
Summary:
Donald Ferguson speaks
as a student on the
first year of the BA in
Fine Art that is hosted
by Taigh Chearsabhagh.
He describes and
comments on the
facilities in the centre
and the quality of
services and teaching
staff on the course.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in Benbecula in
the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
listing and grading
services and facilities
Summary: Kevin
De Las Casas and James
McLetchie, both resident
in North Uist, write and
perform songs with their
group “Bi Beò”. The
documentary follows the
song creation process
from initial ideas round
a kitchen table through
musical arrangement to
studio recording.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
and Benbecula in the
Outer Hebrides, where a
high proportion of the
community is bilingual
in Gaelic and English
Language notes:
Simple documentary
narrative and
description
Summary: James
McLetchie talks about
what prompted him to
write the words to the
song “Na seann daoine”.
He explains the
references to local
people and family
members, talks about the
importance of social
customs and the physical
environment in Uist, and
reflects on how things
have changed in his
local community.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in North Uist
in the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Language notes:
Unscripted authentic
speech at natural pace,
exhibiting
characteristic
"performance errors" -
false starts, pauses,
repetitions, etc -
explaining writing
process
Content / topic:
Community heritage and
change
Duration: Level (listening
level required): A2
Summary: The
song “Na seann daoine”
was created by James McLetchie and Kevin De
Las Casas for
performance by their
group “Bi Beò”. This is
a “first cut” recording
made in Benbecula.
Cultural notes:
Recorded in Benbecula in
the Outer Hebrides,
where a high proportion
of the community is
bilingual in Gaelic and
English
Summary: Step
by step instruction on
how to wire a plug. The
plug used is a British
type with a fuse
Cultural notes:
Instructional video
which may be suitable
for all vocations
Language notes:
Typical instructions.
Intermediate
Copyright:
CopyLeft
Summary: Step
by step instruction on
how to wire a plug. The
plug used is a British
type with a fuse
Cultural notes:
Instructional video
which may be suitable
for all vocations
Language notes:
Typical instructions.
Simplified version.
Copyright:
CopyLeft
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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