Intensive course assists the assistants

14 classroom assistants will return to their primary schools across the north-east with newly gained Welsh skills, after completing an intensive language learning course under the care of Canolfan Bedwyr staff recently.

The assistants work in English-medium schools in the counties of Conwy, Flint, Denbighshire and Wrexham with the vast majority having no previous Welsh language skills.

Over a period of five weeks at the Language Centre in St Asaph, the assistants have spent full workdays learning new language patterns and vocabulary on an Entry level course, which has been developed specifically by the tutors at Canolfan Bedwyr, Bangor University’s Centre for Welsh Language Service, Research and Technology.

The course is part of the Sabbatical Scheme offer, a scheme that is funded by the Welsh Government in order to introduce the Welsh language to the education workforce by means of intensive language learning courses. The aim of all courses that are part of the scheme is to send staff members back to their schools with the necessary skills to present the Welsh language to their pupils and colleagues.

The classroom assistants were presented with their certificates during their last session by Dr Llion Jones, Director of Canolfan Bedwyr. He said: "The progress the assistants have made over five weeks is remarkable and testifies to their efforts and the efforts of the tutors who have taught them. They will be able to return to their schools and use simple Welsh patterns with pupils and support their colleagues to introduce Welsh as part of the curriculum. This is exactly the type of support that schools will need as the Welsh Government's Education Bill becomes a new reality for the education sector."

On receiving her certificate, Tamsin Jones, who works as an assistant at Ysgol Cynfran, Llysfaen, said: “I’ve had the best time on the course over the five weeks. The tutors and other learners are lovely and patient. The lessons are fun and useful and I’ve learnt a lot of new language skills. I’ve enjoyed every day, especially the day-out to Ruthin castle. It was a great opportunity to use our new skills!”