Cymraeg Craidd – Core Welsh
The Welsh Governments’ aim is to create a bilingual society and provide students with the required skills to succeed in further studies, in the workplace and in their communities.
1 million Welsh speakers by 2050
Core Welsh will support students to:
- Understand the world around us
- Enjoy the Welsh language and recognise its value outside of the classroom
- Develop an understanding of the language and use it for socialising and in the workplace
- Nurture language skills in order to communicate clearly, confidently, creatively and correctly in Welsh
- Express themselves in a variety of contexts and for different audiences and purposes
Core Welsh supports the Curriculum for Wales by providing opportunities for students to:
- Develop their understanding, their empathy and their ability to communicate effectively
- Interact, consider ideas and express views
- Experience and respond to a variety of literature which gives them an insight into the culture, people and history of Wales in addition to the wider world
The Core Welsh course is a unitised specification all weighted equally at 25%. The content for learning the language is organised under 3 topics of study:
- Cynefin
- Identity
- Culture
Assessment summary:
Unit 1: Responding to a visual stimulus
- Group oracy examination
- Students will watch a video clip and discuss one of its’ main themes
- Autumn term of year 11
Unit 2: Responding to a poster
- Group oracy exam
- Students will discuss the content of the poster and express their opinion
- Spring term of year 11
Unit 3: Preparing for the future
- Reading and writing exam – 1.5 hours
- Students will answer a variety of descriptive and persuasive reading and writing questions including translating and translanguaging
Unit 4: Literature
- Reading and writing exam – 1.5 hours
- Students will answer a variety of creative reading and writing questions including analysing a set poem or short story
Welsh for the workplace
Welsh language skills are increasingly in demand in many career fields – local councils, the NHS, the police force, education, and many more.
What are the advantages of having Welsh skills for the workplace?
“Most, if not all, NHS job adverts in Wales are listed as either desirable or essential with regards to Welsh language skills. The language of the patient is important in all aspects of health care”. Nia, NHS Senior Nurse / Clinical Advisor
“Core Welsh plays a vital part in the development of students, enabling them to foster strong linguistic skills which are fundamental to communicate confidently in the language. It helps develop the ability to think creatively, solve problems and express ideas clearly.
Having a Welsh qualification opens doors to a wide variety of career opportunities, as there is an ever-increasing demand for people with Welsh skills in the workplace especially in education, health and the public sector”. Menter Iaith Torfaen
“I have studied through the medium of Welsh throughout my education. I am fluent in both Welsh and English, however, my ability to speak Welsh has helped me progress within my chosen career of being a nurse in the NHS. Due to my ability in speaking, writing and understanding the Welsh language I was successful in being the youngest Ward Sister and Senior Nurse within Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. This means I am always able to offer conversations or written correspondence to patients and their relatives in Welsh where many staff do not have this skill. I am a proud Welsh speaker and will continue to utilise the language throughout my career”. Aneurin Bevan Health Board
“Everyday Welsh is essential in education for all staff from caretakers, finance officers and administrators to educators. There is an expectation to meet, greet and answer calls and email with day-to-day Welsh communication”. Advisory Team, Cardiff County Council