Welsh language acquisition – How Welsh-medium and bilingual settings and primary schools develop learners’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills

The aim of the report is to provide the Welsh Government with an overview of how effectively Welsh-medium and bilingual settings and schools teach and support the acquisition and development of Welsh language skills among learners between three and eleven years old.

Recommendations

Non-maintained settings, nursery and primary schools should:

• R1 plan carefully for continuity and progression in the skill development of learners from all linguistic backgrounds as they acquire the Welsh language
• R2 provide regular listening and speaking activities to develop learners’ vocabulary and syntactic patterns, and encourage them to apply these new skills in formal and less formal activities
• R3 track rigorously the progress, vocabulary development and language acquisition of specific groups of learners, including the more able

Primary schools should:

• R4 provide opportunities for learners to listen to, read and appreciate Welsh literature and poetry by Welsh authors, particularly in key stage 2
• R5 ensure regular opportunities for learners to write freely and independently

Local authorities and regional consortia should: 

• R6 provide training to deepen practitioners’ understanding of how learners acquire the Welsh language, and in effective language immersion methodology

The Welsh Government should:

• R7 develop national guidelines on language immersion in order to support teaching and learning in Welsh language acquisition