Category Archives: The Assembly

A VIRTUOUS CIRCLE NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE THE USE OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE: DYFODOL’S RESPONSE TO THE WELSH LANGUAGE BILL CONSULTATION

Reply

According to Heini Gruffudd, Chair of the lobbying organisation, Dyfodol i’r Iaith;

“We need to establish a virtuous circle of factors which will support the increasing use of the Welsh language in all aspects of everyday life.”

This is the challenge the organisation has set for the Welsh Governments as they work towards a Welsh Language Bill to support the aim of creating a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Dyfodol has been pressing the need for a powerful arms’-length body to provide a lead on policy matters and be responsible for a strategic overview of promoting the language, and feel that there are some welcome developments within the current consultation document.

The organisation is at pains to point out however, that any new structures and plans must be funded adequately. All Government Departments (particularly Education) must accept their role in contributing to the success of the Welsh Language Strategy, in terms of budget and commitment.

Just as importantly, expertise in language planning needs to be developed within the Welsh Government and the new Commission, if effective and coordinated structures are to be established to drive forward the agenda.

While welcoming many of the latest recommendations, and particularly the extension of statutory powers to the private sector and the duties on language planning; nevertheless, Dyfodol warns:

 

  • That establishing one body (the ‘Commission’) to unite the work of regulating and promoting the language is not an ideal response. These two elements require different approaches, and if the intention is to press ahead with one body, then care must be taken to ensure that the regulatory work is in no way diluted.

 

  • To ensure a strong independent voice, we would argue that the Regulators, rather than the Government should have the power to set standards, publish guidelines, and codes of practice.

 

  • The Commission will need to take on a strong coordinator role; to advise the Government and ensure that various projects work together in synergy.

 

  • Raising awareness of the value of the Welsh language is key to ensuring the success of the work, and academic research is needed into how best to share this message with the various sectors and the public.

 

  • We welcome the intention to revise the Welsh language standards, but in the meantime, care should be taken that this change in no way undermines the functioning of present arrangements.

 

  • We would favour a more flexible complaints process, which would allow a fast-track approach or a thorough investigation, where appropriate. We also feel that that the fine o £5,000 for failure to comply is far too low.

 

  • We warmly welcome the proposed language planning duties, and believe that such duties are essential if we are to ensure a cultural shift. More detail is needed regarding their legal power over the coming months. We would also press for an additional duty to ensure an environment that favours the Welsh language; this would ensure an obvious visual and community presence for the language,

 

CALL TO MAKE THE WELSH LANGUAGE ESSENTIAL FOR EDUCATION POSTS

Reply

Dyfodol i’r Iaith have called for the Welsh language to be an essential requirement for Additional Learning Needs Leader posts in Wales. These posts, within the four Education Consortia, have been advertised in the Guardian, with the ability to speak Welsh noted as being only ‘desirable’.

 

Dyfodol stated, “It is extremely disappointing that the Regional Education Consortia in Wales cannot see the need for Additional Learning Needs Leaders to be able to speak Welsh.

 

Over the past few years, the language has had insufficient attention within the field of additional learning needs. It is time to change this, so that children who attend Welsh language schools are treated equally in terms of language skills and educational development.

 

Although two of the consortia note that that the ability to speak Welsh is ‘highly desirable’, for these posts, this is not good enough. Those who are appointed need to have a thorough knowledge of the language situation in Wales. Being able to discuss this area through the medium of Welsh is an essential part of this, as is a thorough knowledge of the needs of Welsh-speaking and bilingual pupils.”

 

RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT’S LANGUAGE STRATEGY

Reply

This is a very ambitious strategy in terms of increasing the number of Welsh speakers. If this had been a priority for the Welsh Government from the start, we would be well on the way to seeing Welsh as being the normal language for a new generation of speakers.

Theme 1 is admirable. It includes an emphasis on passing on the language within the family – the foundation of all language planning. There is an emphasis on the early years and then on significant increase in Welsh language education. The second theme is the Welsh language in the workplace and the social use of the language. This again is appropriate. Theme 3 also notes key areas; the community and the economy and widespread language planning.

Is there any room for doubt? We would certainly wish to praise this strategy, but the devil is in the detail.

The section ‘Community and the Economy’ states the ambition, but is skimpy on action. It mentions land planning, but surprisingly does not seem to mention planning in relation to housing, and this is a matter that must be addressed. The action plan that accompanies the strategy mentions the publication of the Technical Advice Note 20, which encompasses planning and the Welsh Language, but there is no mention of the role of planning authorities or how local authorities can set viable language targets within their Local Development Plans. This is a glaring omission.

The section on the social use of the Welsh language is enlightened in terms of principle, but short on practical steps to reach the goals. Although the Welsh Government has supported the the establishment of Welsh Language Centres in the past, there is no suggestion that this support will continue. In our opinion, the creation of such centres in in towns and villages across Wales is essential, and this can be tackled creatively, by contributing to existing structures, enabling them to develop as Welsh Language Centres, per the nature of the area being served.

It is good to see that there is a wish to create more informal opportunities for young people aged 14 – 19 to use the language. We need to be careful, though, as this need already exists for those in Welsh language education, before risking spreading resources too thinly for those who attend English-medium schools.

Much of the strategy deals with the expansion of the Welsh language within education. This again is admirable, but practical difficulties arise. Dyfodol i’r Iaith’s Chair had a meeting with education officers in Swansea two days after the publication of the strategy. It became clear that they were unaware of the strategy. Furthermore, they were expected, like all other authorities, to present funding applications to the Government for the development of schools under the 21st Century Schools scheme by the end of July this year. £600 million is available, but applications had to be submitted before the Government approved the authorities’ Welsh Language in Education Strategic Schemes. It became obvious that there was no connection between the strategy, the authorities’ own Welsh Language Education Plans, and the 21st Century Schools funding. This funding covers the period 2019-24. It is likely that if round goes ahead, that no funding will be allocated in relation to the strategy until the next round in 2024, thus losing 7 years of funding.

Therefore Dyfodol i’r Iaith has asked the Government to delay this funding process for six months, to allow local authorities to adopt the Government’s vision of rapid growth in Welsh language education. Without this, it is sure to fail to reach the targets. Another basic problem with the strategy is lack of funding. If the Government wishes to see rapid progress in terms of increasing the number of Welsh speakers, then it must invest significantly in training teachers and restructuring schools. Some resources are being used now for year-long courses to teach Welsh to teachers, but this is limited, and falls short of achieving the growth targets.

We need to ask whether the Government has been blinded by calls to create a million Welsh speakers, and to transform the English schools’ system, much need as this is. Although these are praiseworthy aims, there is a danger that they are unrealistic, and the dream can rapidly turn to nightmare. In order to reach the target of a million speakers, it has been calculated that 50% of 7 year olds in Wales need to be in Welsh-medium education by 2030. This would mean increasing the number of Welsh-medium schools from 400 to 800. To achieve this, 6-8000 additional Welsh teachers would be needed. Knowing that the number of potential teachers is currently getting smaller, a sense of reality is required.

It is clear to us that realistic and believable policies are required, we need to start from where we stand in relation to all relevant areas. The truth of the matter is that we need to establish a powerful Language Authority, which will formulate a national language scheme to carefully map how the different aims may be reached, and ensuring close coordination between all Government departments. Achieving this will require adequate and not insubstantial funding.