Welsh Language in Primary Education

Welsh language in primary education

Rachael Dunn, 16^th April 2018.

Many believe that welsh language is an unnecessary minority language that provides distraction from learning more important essential languages such as English, however over the last few decades the welsh language has regained its popularity in primary schools, with investments of 6 million to improve teaching of welsh and promoting children to speak it at break times and lesson times (Young-Powell, 2011).

In my personal experience from placement with in a local primary school in south wales, welsh language is very present throughout, welsh was taught to children not only in a normal structured lesson plan but also throughout other subjects. Welsh language was made relatable for the children, in the morning children would be asked what the weather was like in welsh, also answering the register in welsh and sating whether a child was having dinner or sandwiches. Although welsh does seem to be present in schools, the practices of answering the register and dinner or sandwiches in welsh has been in schools for over 15 years, as I can remember doing this myself as a student in primary school.

A poll for ITV news(2015) indicated that two thirds of people asked disagree with the compulsory teaching of welsh language in English medium schools for students up to the age of 16, as of 1999 it has been compulsory for students aged 3-16 to learn welsh language, the welsh government have recognised there must be an improvement in welsh as a second language as current standards are poor(Sheldrick, 2015).

The policy of the welsh government explains that all children in wales from the ages of 3-16 should be learning welsh language, in March 2016 the welsh government published the welsh medium strategy, which included many suggestion to improve on the strategies to teach welsh in schools across wales, to ensure students have confidence to transfer their welsh language into day to day life (Jones, 2016).

Learning different languages from a young age provides many benefits, not just meaning and definitions of words but respect for cultural differences, according to Carolyn Goodwin (CILT Cymru) research shows that the learning of a different language can boost cognitive skills, with clear evidence it improves literacy amongst students (BBC News, 2014).

In my own experience my child has learnt many different words and phrases in welsh in such a short period of time in primary school, she is able to count to twenty in welsh, the same as she can count to in English, she is also able to express feelings in welsh and phrases such as good morning. These phrases are all relatable to her day to day life, she also knows different colours in welsh, but as well as learning words and phrases, they also use enjoyable experiences such as ‘helper heddiw’ which includes one to two children being the teachers helper for the day which they enjoy very much, they take enjoyment from being named this helper heddiw which helps them remember the words and meanings of the welsh language, as they relate the enjoyable experience with it.

Welsh language is a part of the welsh children’s heritage, and they feel a connect to learning their nations language, the government has a strong commitment to teaching a foreign language and foreign languages to become compulsory for children from the ages of seven as children take a huge enjoyment from learning languages, 70 percent of primary schools across the United Kingdom teach foreign languages(Hofkins, 2007).

The Welsh government have developed a plan to double the number of welsh speakers, 22 percent of seven year olds are being taught in welsh medium schools but the government would like to increase it to 30 percent by 2030, proposals for teaching welsh in English medium schools needs more time, with the aim that 70 percent of students leaving school can speak fluent welsh by 2050(Davies, 2017).Teaching welsh as a part of the curriculum is of major priority as it keeps the language alive in wales as well the cultural identity of wales, many jobs in wales are only available to candidates who are fluent in speaking welsh(Young-Powell, 2011), this shows how important is for young people to have the skill of speaking welsh to aid them with successful careers in wales.

I feel it is very important for children to take an interest in culture and heritage, as well as the evidence that indicates the importance and number of academic benefits of learning languages from a young age, students also take enjoyment from learning new languages. My child regularly attends an after-school club called welsh club, she enjoys this very much, finding great joy in learning new things and the appreciation she gets from learning a second language, linking meanings of the same words but in a different language I feel helps her gage a deeper meaning of the words being learnt, Welsh language is a major part in the history of Britain, if the British government aims for a United Kingdom, it should place equal value on all languages and all nations within the United Kingdom and not just focus on the English language(O’Hagan, 2014).

References

D. Hofkins, (2007), Wales watching. Available online: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/may/01/schools.uk3 , accessed 12^th April 2018.

A.Davies, (2017),school language plan for 1m welsh speakers target. Available online: http://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/

A. Young-Powell, (2011), Why Teaching Welsh is Important to Wales .Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/abby-youngpowell/welsh-wales-teaching-important-to-wales_b_1063233.html ,accessed 9th April 2018.

T.Sheldrick, (2015), Exclusive poll: 64% oppose compulsory Welsh to age 16.Available online at: http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2015-07-10/exclusive-poll-64-oppose-compulsory-welsh-to-age-16/ , accessed 1^st April 2018.

E.O’Hagan,(2014), Why Welsh should be taught in British schools.Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/22/welsh-taught-in-british-schools-scottish-independence-referendum-english-wales-scotland , accessed 4^th April 2018.