UK - Wales
Cymraeg
Country context
Wales has a population of three million. In 2001, 20.8% (582,000) of them could speak Welsh, according to the census.
Conquered by England in 1282, the 1563 Act of Union banned those using the Welsh language from holding public office. The majority of the population of Wales continued to speak Welsh until late in the 19th century. Extensive immigration, mostly from England and Ireland due to the industrial revolution, coupled with the virtual exclusion of Welsh when compulsory education was introduced, led to a decline in the numbers and percentage of Welsh speakers and a contraction of the area where Welsh was widely spoken. In 2001, 75,000 Welsh speakers lived in the three cities covered by the research, representing 12% of their total population.
At the start of the 20th century Cardiff was the world’s largest coal exporting port and seamen from other parts of the world established immigrant communities there as well as in Newport and Swansea. More recently immigrants have come from the Indian sub-continent and, since the expansion of the EU, from eastern Europe. Twenty-five per cent of the 2001 population were born outside Wales (20% in England).
The National Assembly for Wales was established in 1999. Its legislative powers were initially limited to secondary legislation in just some spheres, including education. Following the Government of Wales Act 2006 and a referendum held in March 2011 it now has primary legislative powers in many domestic policy areas.
Languages in official documents and databases
English, Welsh and foreign languages are dealt with in language legislation and/or language policy documents. The learning and teaching of Welsh abroad for children and/or adults originating from Wales is not (co-)funded abroad. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages has been signed and ratified by the UK. There is official provision in education, supported by the Charter, for Welsh in Wales.
Official data collection mechanisms on language diversity exist in terms of periodically updated census data and survey data. In these data collection mechanisms, national, R/M and immigrant language varieties are addressed, based on a home language and a main language question plus a language proficiency question in terms of whether (and how well) these languages can be spoken/understood/read/written.
The first piece of legislation dealing with the status of the Welsh language in recent times was the Welsh Courts Act 1942 which permitted limited use of the language in courts. The Welsh Language Act 1967 guaranteed the right to use Welsh more widely in court and also provided for its use in public administration. The Welsh Language Act 1993 established the principle that in the conduct of public business and administration of justice in Wales the English and Welsh languages should be treated on a basis of equality. That act established the Welsh Language Board, giving it the role of promoting and facilitating the use of Welsh and a statutory duty to agree and monitor the implementation of public bodies’ Welsh language schemes. Those Welsh language schemes were to specify the measures the public bodies proposed to take so as to give effect to the act’s principle of equality.
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure of 2011 includes a declaration that ‘the Welsh language has official status in Wales’. It provided for the establishment of a Welsh Language Commissioner and the abolition of the Welsh Language Board (see section on Promising Initiatives below).
British Sign Language has been recognised as a language in its own right but there is no directly related legislation, nor is there any for foreign and immigrant languages, apart from legislation relating to education. Languages other than Welsh, when mentioned in legislation other than that dealing with education, are largely mentioned in connection with interpretation or translation facilities.
Languages in pre-primary education
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
Additional NL
National Languages
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Target groups
|
3 | none | none | 3 | ||||
Duration
|
3 | none | none | 3 | ||||
Minimum group size requirements
|
3 | none | none | 3 | ||||
Days per week
|
3 | none | none | 2 | ||||
Pre-service teacher training
|
3 | none | none | 3 | ||||
In-service teacher training
|
3 | none | none | 3 | ||||
State funding available
|
3 | none | none | 3 |
Languages offered in pre-primary education
R/M Languages |
Welsh | |
---|---|---|
Foreign Languages |
- | |
Immigrant Languages |
- |
Pre-primary education is not universally provided by the state; most of the provision comes from the voluntary sector. An organisation, now called Mudiad Meithrin, was formed in 1971 with the aim of providing Welsh-medium nursery schools. They have over 550 playgroups, estimated at providing for around 17 per cent of Wales’s two year olds. Over two-thirds of the children attending their playgroups come from homes where Welsh is not the main language. Attendance at the playgroup is their introduction to the language.
Languages in primary education
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Curriculum
|
2 | none | none | |||
Languages used as a medium of instruction (CLIL)
|
3 | none | none | |||
Target groups
|
3 | none | none | |||
Start of language education
|
3 | none | none | |||
Scheduling
|
3 | none | none | |||
Minimum group size requirements
|
3 | none | none | |||
Monitoring of language skills
|
2 | none | none | |||
Level to be achieved
|
3 | none | none | |||
State funding available
|
3 | none | none | |||
|
NL
National Languages
|
|||||
Curriculum
|
2 | |||||
Extra support for newcomers
|
3 | |||||
Diagnostic testing on entry
|
3 | |||||
Monitoring of language skills
|
2 |
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
---|---|
Teacher qualifications
|
3 | none | none |
Pre-service teacher training
|
3 | none | none |
In-service teacher training
|
3 | none | none |
Mobility
|
0 | none | 0 |
|
NL
National Languages
|
Teacher qualifications
|
2 |
Pre-service teacher training
|
3 |
In-service teacher training
|
3 |
Languages offered in primary education
R/M Languages |
Welsh |
---|
Foreign Languages |
- |
Immigrant Languages |
- |
Over 20% of pupils in primary school are educated through the medium of Welsh, a proportion which has been gradually increasing for many years. Welsh-medium education is available throughout Wales. All other pupils are taught Welsh as a second language. Education through the medium of community languages (the preferred term in the UK for what LRE refers to as immigrant languages) or foreign languages is not available. Foreign languages are taught in some schools, as are immigrant languages to a lesser extent. English language support for ethnic minority pupils is also provided.
Languages in secondary education
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Curriculum
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Languages used as a medium of instruction (CLIL)
|
3 | 1 | none | |||
Target groups
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Scheduling
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Minimum group size requirements
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Monitoring of language skills
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
Level to be achieved
|
1 | 1 | none | |||
State funding available
|
3 | 3 | none | |||
|
NL
National Languages
|
|||||
Curriculum
|
3 | |||||
Extra support for newcomers
|
3 | |||||
Diagnostic testing on entry
|
3 | |||||
Monitoring of language skills
|
3 |
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
---|---|
Teacher qualifications
|
3 | 3 | none |
Pre-service teacher training
|
3 | 3 | none |
In-service teacher training
|
3 | 3 | none |
Mobility
|
0 | 3 | 0 |
Language level required
|
0 | 1 | 0 |
|
NL
National Languages
|
Teacher qualifications
|
3 |
Pre-service teacher training
|
3 |
In-service teacher training
|
3 |
Language level required for non-native speakers
|
1 |
Languages offered in secondary education
R/M Languages |
Welsh |
---|
Foreign Languages |
French, German, Spanish: one of these languages is compulsory |
Immigrant Languages |
- |
Welsh-medium secondary education is also increasing. By 2010/11 16.7% of pupils were being taught Welsh as a first language (nearly all in Welsh-medium schools). All other pupils are taught Welsh as a second language although the level of achievement is low. All pupils are also taught at least one foreign language during their first three years in secondary school. The percentage proceeding to take a public examination in a modern foreign language when aged 15 has been falling for many years: 28% were entered for a GCSE examination in a modern foreign language in 2010, compared with 50% in 1997. Community languages are taught in little more than a handful of secondary schools and sporadically, depending on pupil numbers which can fluctuate according to trends in immigration. As in the primary sector, English-language support for ethnic minority pupils is provided.
Languages in Further and Higher Education
|
Institution A | Institution B | Institution C | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
R/ML
Regional/Minority Languages
|
FL
Foreign Languages
|
IL
Immigrant Languages
|
||
Range of language support programmes
|
3 | 3 | none | 3 | 3 | none | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Curriculum
|
3 | 3 | none | 3 | 3 | none | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Level to be achieved
|
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
State funding available
|
2 | 2 | none | 2 | 2 | none | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
Additional NL
National Languages
|
Additional NL
National Languages
|
Additional NL
National Languages
|
||||||||
Range of language support programmes
|
3 | 2 | 3 | |||||||
Target groups
|
1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Curriculum
|
3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||
Job related skills
|
3 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
General upskilling
|
3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||
State funding available
|
2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||
Internships in companies
|
1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
Use of EU instruments
|
1 | 1 | 1 |
Languages offered across 3 VET institutions in Wales
R/M Languages |
Welsh |
---|
Foreign Languages |
French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, German, Greek |
Immigrant Languages |
Arabic |
|
Institution A |
Institution B |
Institution C |
---|---|
Language(s) of instruction
|
3 | 3 | 3 |
Languages on website
|
3 | 3 | 3 |
Target groups for additional support in the national language
|
3 | 2 | 2 |
Level to be achieved in foreign language instruction
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Recruitment of non-national students
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Mobility for language students
|
3 | 3 | 1 |
Mobility for non-language students
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Languages offered across 3 higher education institutions in Wales
Welsh |
---|
The three cities covered by the research are where the large majority of immigrant communities are to be found. Even so, demand and provision for education in any particular community language is limited. The use of Welsh as a medium of tuition is much more limited in these sectors. In higher education, Welsh-medium provision, although still not extensive, is mainly concentrated in universities not covered by the research, namely in Bangor and Aberystwyth, as well as at the University of Wales Trinity St David, Carmarthen.
European Union domiciles accounted for five percent of all enrolments at Welsh higher education institutions in 2009/10 and non-EU overseas enrolments for another 13%. There is substantial provision for supporting these students in English.
Languages in Audiovisual Media and Press
|
Cardiff |
Swansea |
Newport |
---|---|
Number of languages on radio
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Number of languages on television
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Non-national language TV productions
|
4 | 4 | 4 |
Non-national language films in cinema
|
4 | 4 | 4 |
R/M language programmes outside of region
|
4 | 4 | 4 |
Availability of sign language on TV
|
2 | 2 | 2 |
Languages offered in audiovisual media and press across 3 cities in Wales
Radio |
Welsh |
---|
Television |
Welsh |
Newspapers |
German, Welsh, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Urdu |
The use of Welsh in audio-visual media is limited to the sole Welsh-language TV channel, S4C, (established in 1982) and largely to the national Welsh language radio service of BBC Radio Cymru (established in 1977).
Other languages have almost no presence at all in the mainstream audio-visual media outlets, beyond the occasional subtitled film on television.
Languages in public services and spaces
Cardiff |
Swansea |
Newport |
---|
City council services |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Website presence |
4 | 4 | 0 |
Annual municipal reports |
4 | 4 | 0 |
External or internal translators and interpreters |
6 | 6 | 6 |
Competencies in languages other than the national language in job descriptions of staff members |
4 | 1 | 1 |
Plan or scheme in place to increase skills in languages |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Recruitment of speakers of other languages to support corporate objectives |
4 | 4 | 1 |
Offer of training in languages to employees |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Regularly updated record of skills in languages of employees |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Reward or promotion schemes for being able to adequately communicate in other languages |
0 | 0 | 0 |
Cardiff |
Swansea |
Newport |
---|
Political debates and decision-making processes at the city council level |
1 | 2 | 1 |
Educational services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Emergency services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Health services |
4 | 2 | 2 |
Social services |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Legal services |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Transport services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Immigration and integration services |
4 | 4 | 4 |
Tourism services |
4 | 3 | 3 |
Theatre programmes |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Cardiff |
Swansea |
Newport |
---|
Political debates and decision-making processes at the city council level |
2 | 2 | 1 |
Educational services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Emergency services |
2 | 2 | 1 |
Health services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Social services |
4 | 2 | 2 |
Legal services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Transport services |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Immigration and integration services |
1 | 1 | 1 |
Tourism services |
3 | 2 | 3 |
Theatre programmes |
2 | 2 | 2 |
Languages offered in public services and spaces across 3 cities in Wales (N ≥ 2):
Welsh, Chinese (Mandarin & Cantonese), French, German, Polish, Arabic, British Sign Language, Czech, Somali, Bengali, Slovak, Urdu, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Persian, Portuguese, Panjabi, Romanian, Russian, Kurdish, Tigrigna |
---|
In local and central government and its agencies the existence of Welsh language schemes, required by the Welsh Language Act 1993, ensures the availability of a number of services in Welsh and the extensive use of Welsh, for example on signage and forms. However, as the focus of the research is on three cities where the percentage of Welsh speakers is low compared to areas in the north and west of Wales, the provision of Welsh language services is also lower than it would be for areas with higher percentages of Welsh speakers. On the other hand, as these cities contain higher concentrations of immigrants, the use of interpretation services is probably greater than would be found elsewhere in Wales.
Languages in business - 20 companies
Widely Practised |
Occasionally Practised |
Not Practised |
---|
Availability of language strategy |
1 | 3 | 16 |
Emphasis on language skills in recruitment |
2 | 7 | 11 |
International mobility provision |
2 | 1 | 17 |
Use of external translators/interpreters |
3 | 7 | 10 |
Staff records of language skills |
1 | 9 | 10 |
Use of networks for language training |
0 | 2 | 18 |
Use of EU programmes/funding |
0 | 0 | 20 |
Awareness of EU programmes/funding |
0 | 0 | 20 |
Widely Practised | Occasionally Practised | Not Practised | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NL
National Language
|
BE
Business English
|
FL R/ML - IL |
NL
National Language
|
BE
Business English
|
FL R/ML - IL |
NL
National Language
|
BE
Business English
|
FL R/ML - IL |
|
Partnerships with education sector |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 17 | 20 |
Reward/Promotion schemes based on language skills |
1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 17 | 19 |
Language training provision |
1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
Use of CEFR |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Language used for workplace documents/intranet |
20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 19 |
Language used for software, web programmes |
20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 20 |
Widely Practised | Occasionally Practised | Not Practised | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NL
National Language
|
BE
Business English
|
FL R/ML - IL |
NL
National Language
|
BE
Business English
|
FL R/ML - IL |
NL
National Language
|
BE
Business English
|
FL R/ML - IL |
|
Language used for annual/business reports |
20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 20 |
Language used for marketing |
20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 14 |
Language used for branding/identity |
20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 17 |
Language used for website |
20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 |
Languages other than English and Welsh offered in business across 20 companies in Wales (N ≥ 2):
French, German, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Russian |
---|
Internal business use of languages other than English in the cities is limited but some use of Welsh is made on signage and in advertising.
Key Findings overall
Efforts continue to be made to ensure equality of treatment for Welsh and English in Wales. Good progress has been made in school education but much remains to be done elsewhere. Foreign and immigrant languages both have a relatively weak presence even in the school education.
Promising initiatives and pilots
The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (National Welsh Language College) was established in 2011. It is not a single geographical entity, nor a degree awarding body. It will work with and through all universities in Wales to deliver increased opportunities for students to study through the medium of Welsh.
Under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 a Welsh Language Commissioner is to be established from 1 April 2012. The Commissioner will be given functions to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh, to work towards ensuring that Welsh is treated no less favourably than English, investigating interference with the freedom to use Welsh, and to conduct inquiries into related matters. The Commissioner must have regard to ‘the principle that persons in Wales should be able to live their lives through the medium of the Welsh language if they choose to do so’. The Welsh Ministers (in the National Assembly of Wales) must adopt a strategy setting out how they propose to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh. It also allows them to specify standards with which public bodies must comply. These standards will replace the current system of Welsh language schemes. The Commissioner will oversee the implementation of the standards.
The Welsh Government published its new Welsh language strategy on 1 March 2012.
References
Welsh Government (2010) Welsh-medium education strategy: information. Information document No: 083/2010, Cardiff, Welsh Government.
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/100420welshmediumstrategyen.pdf
Welsh Government (2010) Making languages count: Modern foreign languages in secondary schools and Learning Pathways 14-19 Information document No: 088/2010, Cardiff, Welsh Government.
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/publications/guidance/makinglanguagescount/?lang=en
Welsh Language Act 1993
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/38/pdfs/ukpga_19930038_en.pdf
Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/mwa/2011/1/pdfs/mwa_20110001_en.pdf
Welsh Government (2012) A living language: a language for living, Cardiff, Welsh Government.
http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/122902wls201217en.pdf