TOP Scottish author, translator and Scots language champion Matthew Fitt made a marvellous return visit to Moray secondary schools as part of their World Book Day celebrations. During his two-day tour of Moray earlier this month Mr Fitt visited five secondary schools (Buckie Community High School, Keith Grammar, Milne’s High, Elgin Academy and Forres Academy) and led seven sessions of book talks and Scots language writing workshops with pupils. His book talks involved him telling pupils about his work as an author and translator of books into Scots. At Elgin Academy and Milne’s High School the sessions included Matthew reading extracts from his latest translation – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stane, with one pupil even being dressed up as Harry Potter, and a game of Quiddich taking place in the hall. At BCHS, Mr Fitt led two writing in Scots workshops for a S2 and S3 class, running different activities to get pupils thinking and writing in Scots and Doric, with the theme of horror writing proving very popular with the students. As well as getting the students writing in Scots, he told them a little about his work including his publishing company Itchy Coo who publish Scots language books, and he read an extract for their latest publication Diary o a Wimpy Wean which proved a hit with pupils. The was a translation of the first book in the multimillion selling series Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. On the theme of translation Mr Fitt also led a sing-a-long of Just The Way You Are, a song by Olly Murrs with lyrics translated into Scots by pupils at Milne’s High School. With this he left the S3 pupils at Buckie with a challenge to take their favourite song and translate the lyrics into Scots or Doric. Mr Fitt was delighted with his time in Moray schools and BCHS. “I always love coming here to Buckie as the Doric is so strong and
I really enjoy listening to it.” The school librarians involved with hosting visits by Matthew Fitt hailed them as a great success. Buckie High School librarian Mr Leitch said “Matthew has done a brilliant job as encouraging and inspiring pupils at our schools to take
a greater interest in Scots and Doric. “With a grow in interest in Scots languages and development if Scots language qualifications it’s really important that pupils hear and read their own language and Matthew has done a great job in promoting Scots language to pupils in Moray.”