{"id":4721,"date":"2022-11-07T12:37:02","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T12:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aberconwy.conwy.sch.uk\/?page_id=4721"},"modified":"2024-07-02T15:07:20","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T14:07:20","slug":"welsh-language-charter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.aberconwy.conwy.sch.uk\/en_gb\/welsh-language-charter\/","title":{"rendered":"Welsh Language Charter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Welsh Language is Alive at Ysgol Aberconwy!<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Our Belief<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t

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The Welsh language belongs to us all, fluent speakers, learners or those who are shy about their Welsh. It\u2019s ours. It\u2019s our place to look after it for future generations. Therefore, join us on the journey to a million speakers by 2050!<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n

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What does the Welsh Curriculum say?<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t

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Expressing ourselves through language is key to communication. Languages connect us. Understanding languages is key to understanding the world around us.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n

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What does being bilingual mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t

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It\u2019s the ability to live your everyday life in two languages. That\u2019s what we at Ysgol Aberconwy are eager to offer our students.
2 Languages = Opens 2 Doors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are the Advantages of Bilingualism?<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t

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Access to two cultures \/ Security in identity \/ Communicating with the whole family and community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Welsh language is one of the few things that differentiates Wales from the rest of the UK and it can be a powerful link between Welsh people everywhere. Everyone in Wales and from Wales can be proud of the language, even if they don’t speak it. It belongs to us all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the advantages of being bilingual is having access to two cultures, which can be two different worlds of experience. The Welsh language brings a wealth of idioms and sayings, folk stories and history, poetry, literature and music, both traditional and contemporary, and a different understanding of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where parents have different first languages, a child who is bilingual can communicate in both of those languages. A close and special relationship with each parent will develop. The child inherits part of their parents\u2019 past and heritage. Being bilingual creates a bridge between generations, with grandparents, for example, or with other family members. This helps to build a sense of belonging to the extended family. Being able to speak Welsh also allows people to play a full part in community life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educational benefits \/ Easier to learn another language \/ Extending the enjoyment of reading and writing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research evidence from bilingual education systems in Canada, the United States, the Basque country, Catalonia and Wales shows that children who have two languages tend to do better in the curriculum and show higher performance in tests and examinations. This is partly related to the thinking advantages of bilingualism. There is growing evidence from European research that bilinguals tend to find it easier to learn other languages. The current examples are children from countries such as Holland, Denmark and Finland who often speak three (or four) languages with ease. Another example is the Basque country where learning Basque, Spanish and English has become increasingly frequent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If someone can read and write in two languages, they are able to enjoy two literatures in their original language. It opens a deeper understanding of different traditions, ideas, ways of thinking and behaving. The pleasures of reading novels, poetry and magazines and the enjoyment of writing to friends and family are all doubled for bilingual people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employment advantages<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are economic advantages in Wales (which are continually increasing) of being bilingual. A person with two languages has a wider choice of jobs available in the future. Welsh speakers are increasingly needed in the retail sector, tourism, transport, public relations, banking and accountancy, administration, translation, secretarial work, marketing and sales, the law and teaching. Being bilingual gives a person an additional valuable skill when job seeking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health advantages \/ raised self-esteem \/ thinking benefits \/ tolerance of other languages and cultures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being able to switch naturally between languages, and being able to talk to different people in those languages, makes children feel good about themselves and their abilities. A sense of real ownership of both Welsh and English can do wonders to help raise a child’s self-esteem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research has shown that having two well developed languages can give people advantages in thinking. There are four main areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n