TY - CONF

T1 - Developing parallel provision in a minority language with equal status

T2 - International Conference on Bilingualism in Education, Bangor University

AU - Wheeler, Sara

AU - Law, Julianne

PY - 2016/6/12

Y1 - 2016/6/12

N2 - In Welsh law, the indigenous, linguistic minority Welsh language has equal status, in higher education and other milieu, with the linguistic majority English language. Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol - CCC (the National Welsh-medium College) provide support for the development and enhancement of opportunities to study through the medium of Welsh, at universities across Wales. At Bangor University, several courses are offered either partly or wholly through the medium of Welsh, including courses within the school of social sciences. Whilst this provision is currently well utilized and represents an important forum for further pedagogical development, its delivery is not without its challenges. In September of 2015, Dr Wheeler began her lectureship with CCC, based at Bangor University, and was tasked with developing a Welsh-medium module to run parallel with its equivalent on the English-medium side. Meanwhile, the English-medium module was well-established and Dr Law was tasked with advising on the establishment of the Welsh-medium module. The original aim had been to provide concurrent curriculums which would ‘mirror’ each other and would thus provide modules which where ‘the same’. However this proved to be very difficult for a plethora of complex reasons. However by engaging in an ongoing, dialogic appraisal, the authors navigated the difficult terrain of the first semester, sharing the problem-solving and trouble-shooting. Throughout the process the authors noted important insights and areas for future attention and development. In this paper, we share our collaborative, autoethnographic experiences, including information which should be useful not only to colleagues working in a Welsh context, but also others working in the broad field of bilingual, higher education settings, where they are tasked with developing parallel provision.

AB - In Welsh law, the indigenous, linguistic minority Welsh language has equal status, in higher education and other milieu, with the linguistic majority English language. Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol - CCC (the National Welsh-medium College) provide support for the development and enhancement of opportunities to study through the medium of Welsh, at universities across Wales. At Bangor University, several courses are offered either partly or wholly through the medium of Welsh, including courses within the school of social sciences. Whilst this provision is currently well utilized and represents an important forum for further pedagogical development, its delivery is not without its challenges. In September of 2015, Dr Wheeler began her lectureship with CCC, based at Bangor University, and was tasked with developing a Welsh-medium module to run parallel with its equivalent on the English-medium side. Meanwhile, the English-medium module was well-established and Dr Law was tasked with advising on the establishment of the Welsh-medium module. The original aim had been to provide concurrent curriculums which would ‘mirror’ each other and would thus provide modules which where ‘the same’. However this proved to be very difficult for a plethora of complex reasons. However by engaging in an ongoing, dialogic appraisal, the authors navigated the difficult terrain of the first semester, sharing the problem-solving and trouble-shooting. Throughout the process the authors noted important insights and areas for future attention and development. In this paper, we share our collaborative, autoethnographic experiences, including information which should be useful not only to colleagues working in a Welsh context, but also others working in the broad field of bilingual, higher education settings, where they are tasked with developing parallel provision.

UR - http://bilingualism-in-education.bangor.ac.uk/

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 10 June 2016 through 12 June 2016

ER -