Category Archives: Dyfodol

Welsh will be at the mercy of the whims of Politicians and Civil Servants

Reply

“A linguistic disaster” is how Dyfodol i’r Iaith describes the Government’s decision not to proceed with establishing a Commission for the Welsh language.

Dyfodol i’r Iaith has called for such a body to lead language planning in Wales, following the principles of language planning that have been accepted worldwide.

“The Government has wasted seven years by not promoting the language properly,” says Heini Gruffudd, Chair of Dyfodol i’r Iaith, “but they are now refusing to take the next necessary step to plan the future of the Welsh language according to recognized principles. ”

“Urgent plans are needed to strengthen the Welsh language in homes, and to strengthen Welsh-speaking communities, and to foster Welsh in the world of technology, but no-one takes responsibility for the whole picture.”

“The Government’s destructive ideas, such as making English compulsory in Welsh playgroups, prove how clueless the Government is regarding language planning.”

“We call on the Government to create an internal Welsh language planning body, if it is not willing to create an arm’s length body, to lead on basic linguistic issues. The need for language experts, rather than politicians,  to lead on this is obvious.”

NEW CURRICULUM AIMS AN ARROW AT THE HEART OF WELSH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

2

Dyfodol i’r Iaith has reacted angrily to a clause within the Government’s new curriculum White Paper. This clause states that all funded education, including playgroups, must teach English as a compulsory element of the curriculum. This runs contrary to the current provision, which allows English to be introduced gradually from the age of 7.

 

“This clause aims an arrow at the very heart of Welsh-medium education,” said Heini Gruffudd, Dyfodol’s Chair. “This foundation phase is critical to learning. We must insist that the Welsh language be given a special space during this phase if we are to see our children learn and become fluent in the language. I cannot think of any precedence for such a proposal; indeed, the White Paper itself states that English is not a subject that requires such statutory status.”

 

“Yet another folly of course is that that the Government is undoing the attempts to support the Welsh language and undermining its own aim to create a million Welsh speakers. We cannot accept such a ridiculous proposal. This is an incomparable retrograde move, and one which undermines some of the most fundamental principles of Welsh-medium education.”