The Welsh Language Service Centre University of Wales Trinity Saint David are pleased to announce that the teachers on the 2023/24 and 2024/25 Sabbatical Courses are graduating in Carmarthen on the 8th of July and Swansea on the 15th of July.
The two-term course upskills teachers in the English-medium primary sector to teach Welsh confidently and effectively in their schools, in line with the requirements of Curriculum for Wales. They learn about the methods and pedagogy of language acquisition in order to develop into confident language teachers.
Joanne Bowers, a graduate of the course, said, "The Sabbatical Course is the best thing I've ever done. Along the way, there were so many great learning opportunities that helped me grow as a teacher. The course tutors were inspiring and so knowledgeable and experienced. They ensured that everyone had access to the Welsh language through various learning methods and styles."
Upon completion of the course, the teachers return to their schools with the language, skills and enthusiasm to raise the standards of the Welsh language across the school and beyond. Many teachers noted how much they were inspired by the course and everyone was looking forward to going back to their schools to inspire the rest of the staff and share ideas and good practice.
Joanne added that they now do weekly Welsh Language Services, ‘Clwb Cymraeg’ after school, including supporting other teachers to plan Welsh lessons using the Pembrokeshire Language Continuum. "This has been key to developing the Welsh language across the school." said Joanne.
Joanne from Sageston School, Pembrokeshire has been working very closely with Catrin Phillips, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Welsh Language Development Officer. Catrin said, "Joanne has just completed the two-term sabbatical course with Rhagoriaith at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, making excellent progress in her Welsh language skills and understanding of effective methodology for language acquisition. She has already returned to school with energy and expertise to develop the Welsh language in her school. Joanne has already contributed at county level by playing a key role in a three-day working group to help shape a teaching framework for the development of the Welsh language in Foundation Learning. Her input was invaluable – in terms of pedagogy, resources and practices for the early years. Building on this work, Joanne will be part of a team that will lead a Professional Development session for practitioners across the county next term – ensuring that the benefits of her sabbatical course continue to have a wider impact."
Jeni Price, Programme Manager for Sabbatical Courses at UWTSD, said, “Celebrating the successes of practitioners from the National Sabbatical Scheme, that’s funded by the Welsh Government, is vital to us as a provider. It's an opportunity for us to share how the scheme ensures that teachers with few Welsh skills, can return to their schools as skilled language teachers and contribute strategically to the development of Welsh across the school in line with the requirements of the Welsh Language and Education Bill. As we prepare for the implementation of that new Bill, we are delighted at UWTSD to celebrate the contributions of the teachers who will be pivotal to achieving its objectives.”
Funded by the Welsh Government, the Sabbatical Course continues to transform teachers' experiences across Wales, offering skills, confidence and inspiration to learn and teach through Welsh.
"The course is more than a language course, it has changed my life. The Welsh language is a way of life, and I'm delighted that I'm able to share my love of the language, and my language skills with the children of my school and the children of Pembrokeshire. Thank you Sabbatical course!" Joanne Bowers.
