Teaching the Holocaust in primary schools in Scotland: modes, methodology and content

Most consideration of reaching the Holocaust in Britain is based on teachin g pupils aged 12-15 in England (Supple, 1993; Short, 1995; Carrington & Sho rt, 1997; Brown & Davies, 1998). This paper directs attention to some exper iences of teaching the Holocaust to pupils of primary stages 5-7 in Scotlan d (i.e. those aged between 9 and 11) and considers the significance of teac hing Holocaust history in the primary context. The rationale for reaching t his area is examined both in terms of the topicality, the universality of i ts lessons and the suggestions in various documentation about developing po sitive values in pupils. Eight primary teachers, Jive of whom regularly tea ch aspects of the Holocaust to this age group in Scottish schools when allo cated the upper primary stages, were interviewed at length to ascertain the nature of the integration of the Holocaust into the Scottish 5-14 curricul um, the methodologies applied and the content of their studies. These findi ngs are analysed and their implications discussed.