Perspectives on inclusive content creation: Equal access for Welsh language speakers
In its simplest form, being inclusive is about ‘not excluding any particular groups of people’ [1], but in content creation, we have the opportunity to go beyond this dictionary definition. At Hopscotch, we think it’s our responsibility to make sure all learners feel actively included and represented to ensure everyone can access and benefit from the education content we’re producing.
We’re always challenging ourselves to think about what more we could do to make sure we engage a range of learners. So, we’ve spoken to a range of experts to find out more about how they create inclusive and accessible content. First up we find out from Teresa, an education consultant in Wales, why giving fair access to Welsh language speakers should be a priority for all UK wide education programmes. With the rollout of the new Welsh Curriculum, now is the perfect time to review and update resources to ensure they map to the new requirements and are accessible to Welsh language speakers.
The Welsh language is spoken daily by almost half a million people across Wales with nearly 1 in 3 schools teaching all or the majority of the curriculum through the medium of Welsh. For those who are in English medium education, Welsh language lessons are a compulsory part of the curriculum for all 3 to 16 year olds. Despite this, access to high quality teaching resources for these pupils in Welsh, is limited. Schools often have to rely on English medium materials. This means that schools have to spend additional time and money translating worksheets and teaching materials.
Being bilingual is much more than just being able to speak Welsh. Over 60% of the world’s population speak more than one language fluently and these linguistic gymnasts have very valuable skills. More and more employers are demanding that their employees speak Welsh, indeed the Welsh Government has set an ambitious target of 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Providing a much wider range of bilingual resources to schools in Wales will enable all of our pupils, regardless of language preference, to access a richer curriculum. It will also send the message to young Welsh people, that being bilingual is not only a culturally valuable skill, but a skill valued by businesses and employers alike.
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Siaredir y Gymraeg yn ddyddiol gan bron i hanner miliwn o bobl ledled Cymru gyda bron i 1 o bob 3 ysgol yn addysgu'r cyfan neu'r rhan fwyaf o'r cwricwlwm drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. I'r rhai sydd mewn addysg cyfrwng Saesneg, mae gwersi Cymraeg yn rhan orfodol o'r cwricwlwm i bob plentyn 3 i 16 oed. Er gwaethaf hyn, mae mynediad at adnoddau addysgu o ansawdd uchel yn y Gymraeg ar gyfer y disgyblion hyn yn gyfyngedig. Yn aml, mae'n rhaid i ysgolion ddibynnu ar ddeunyddiau cyfrwng Saesneg. Mae hyn yn golygu bod yn rhaid i ysgolion dreulio amser ac arian ychwanegol yn cyfieithu taflenni gwaith a deunyddiau addysgu.
Mae bod yn ddwyieithog yn llawer mwy na gallu siarad Cymraeg yn unig. Mae dros 60% o boblogaeth y byd yn siarad mwy nag un iaith yn rhugl ac mae gan y gymnastwyr ieithyddol hyn sgiliau gwerthfawr iawn. Mae mwy a mwy o gyflogwyr yn mynnu bod eu gweithwyr yn siarad Cymraeg, yn wir mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gosod targed uchelgeisiol o filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050.
Bydd darparu ystod llawer ehangach o adnoddau dwyieithog i ysgolion yng Nghymru yn galluogi ein holl ddisgyblion, waeth beth fo'u dewis iaith, i gael mynediad at gwricwlwm cyfoethocach. Bydd hefyd yn anfon y neges at Gymry ifanc, bod bod yn ddwyieithog nid yn unig yn sgil ddiwylliannol werthfawr, ond yn sgil a werthfawrogir gan fusnesau a chyflogwyr fel ei gilydd.
Teresa Foster Evans, Cyfleoedd Cymru
[1] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/inclusive