I’ve been a lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University for nine years now, and time has really flown. I am very grateful to the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol for sponsoring my post for the first five years, as part of their strategy to increase the number of Welsh-medium lecturers at our Welsh universities, and to develop and increase Welsh-medium provision in Higher Education.
The Met offers staff a range of opportunities to develop personal, leadership and career skills. During my very happy years at the Met, I have had the opportunity to achieve a Teaching Certificate in Higher Education (masters level), Higher Education fellowship, Microsoft Educator, Workplace Health and Wellbeing Practitioner, Aurora leadership course and SWIMM, and now in the midst of my PhD studies.
Welsh Medium Provision Strategic Lead
I was recently appointed as the School of Education and Social Policy’s Welsh Medium Provision Strategic Lead. It’s a new role, an exciting one, and a new challenge. The lead is strategically responsible for all Welsh language provision, events and activities within the school while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders such as the Welsh Government, Estyn and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.
Our strategic plan is to increase the number of students who study through Welsh within the School. Between our undergraduate, postgraduate and PGCE courses, in the School of Education the majority of students speak Welsh across the University. There is of course room for improvement, and in order to increase the number of students, provision must be made available to all students within the School, and eligible for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol incentive scholarship when studying at least 40 credits through Welsh.
Why study in Welsh?
There are a number of advantages to choosing to study a course partly or wholly through the medium of Welsh. I’ll start with the quote of one of my students, who always stays in the mind;
‘I started studying in English at university, but there was so much praise from my friend who chose to study in Welsh. So before Christmas I decided to go for it, and it was the best choice I’ve ever made. I was afraid my Welsh wasn’t good enough, I was insecure… but this is all gone, the support is great, and I feel much more comfortable in the Welsh seminar group. One advice I have, for students who speak Welsh…. study in Welsh, use your language, and you’ll have a great experience at university.’
Chelsea Davies, BA Primary Education Studies
Other benefits of studying in Welsh are being part of smaller groups, a chance to know fellow students in the group, a good relationship with your tutors, a chance to develop terminology in two languages, developing bilingual skills that will benefit you when looking for a future job, an opportunity to receive a scholarship while studying part of your course through Welsh. And on average, bilingual job salaries are higher.
One million Welsh speakers by 2050
The Welsh Government’s ambition is to see a million people able to enjoy speaking and using the Welsh Language by 2050. This is everybody’s responsibility, do the little things.
Dyddgu Hywel is a Senior Lecturer on the Primary Education Studies (Bilingual) course and the Strategic Lead for Welsh Medium Provision at the Cardiff School of Education and Social Policy.
Discover more about the BA (Hons) Primary Education (Bilingual) Course
