Professor Manon Jones delivered a keynote lecture at iWORDD 2026 in Donostia-San Sebastián, outlining the work of CAL:ON Cymru and its role in implementing changes to bilingual literacy teaching across Wales, with the support and funding of the Welsh Government.
Her keynote explored how research and classroom practice need to work together to bring about meaningful change in literacy education. Professor Jones highlighted the importance of an iterative relationship, with evidence informing practical tools for teachers and learners and experiences in the classroom, in turn, helping to shape research.
A particular focus was bilingual literacy education. Professor Jones highlighted the important differences between languages when teaching children to become literate in two languages and the need to develop original, evidence-based content in both.
CAL:ON Cymru co-Lead Dr Cameron Downing and researcher Dr Cadi Sion also presented findings from the team’s RILL trials, which showed cross-language improvements in literacy outcomes.
The first two days of iWORDD, organised by BCBL (Basque Centre on Cognition, Brain, and Language) brought together international research spanning cognitive and behavioural approaches to dyslexia. Professor Jones joined keynote speakers from institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Edinburgh and Collège de France. The final day shifted the focus from theory to practice, bringing educators and parents together with researchers to consider how research evidence can better support literacy teaching and learners with dyslexia.
For the CAL:ON Cymru team, this focus reflects a central challenge in literacy research: ensuring that scientific evidence reaches the classroom and leads to practical and sustained improvements for children learning to read.
Sharing approaches to bilingual education
The visit included an opportunity to share experiences of bilingual education at government level. While in Donostia-San Sebastián, Professor Jones and Dr Cameron Downing met the Basque Country’s Minister for Education, Begoña Pedrosa, alongside Megan Howarth from the Welsh Government. Discussions explored the advantages and challenges associated with bilingual literacy development, the wider importance of language and literacy for learning, and how government, science and education can work together to implement change.
Through a networking initiative funded by the British Council, the CAL:ON Cymru team also connected with researchers in the Basque Country to explore potential areas of collaboration, with the longer-term ambition of developing a network linking bilingual countries across Europe with a focus on literacy education.
Professor Jones said: “Research must translate into practical and effective tools for teachers and learners, while what we learn from classrooms should continue to inform the research we do. There is no ‘quick-fix’ when it comes to improving literacy. It is a project the requires input from science, education, and government over many years.”
The conference provided an international platform for CAL:ON Cymru to share its work with researchers, educators and government representatives, highlighting the importance of coherence, robust evidence, and long-term collaboration in achieving lasting change in literacy education.
