‘So you’ve moved to Wales’ series aims to stop pupils developing ‘negative attitude’ to Welsh
A teacher has set up a YouTube channel for people who have moved to Wales and find themselves having to catch up with Welsh language classes.
Stephen Mason who has taught for 25 years and currently works at Queen Elizabeth High School, Carmarthen has so far uploaded eight videos as part of the series.
He said that he had begun his channel ‘Athro Cymraeg’ in 2010 and his 350 videos have received over half a million views so far.
“Over the years I have noticed that it’s very easy for students who transfer to a Welsh school during secondary school not to get to grips with Welsh as there is often very little time or money put aside for such pupils in our schools,” he said.
“I have also noticed that, as a result, many of these pupils can often develop a negative attitude towards Wales and the Welsh language.
“Moving home and changing schools when you are a teenager is a stressful time. A new country, a new school and a new language can easily become associated with an unhappy or stressful life episode.
“I therefore decided to make a series of videos for Welsh teachers to share with latecomers to their subject that would help them settle into their new surroundings more easily.”
He said that he will add to the eight videos made so far if they are popular and if he finds the time.
“My hope is that students who arrive in Wales in their teens might have more chance of adopting a love for Wales and the Welsh language as a result,” he said.
He added that his most popular video so far is one with the lyrics for the children’s TV show ‘Rapsgaliwn,’ with over 140,000 views.
“I was surprised with how popular this video has been!” he added.
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Excellent idea, but why is the Welsh government providing resources for this?
Do you mean “…not providing…?”, Stephen?
Yes you are right
test
Test?
Those negative attitudes are also prevalent among pupils raised in Wales. That must be down to parental prejudices and/or influences within their local communities.
Excellent idea, but why is the Welsh government not providing resources for this?
… coz it’s an excellent idea (that they couldn’t/didn’t come with themselves).
This sort of power play mind game is endemic in many parts of our ‘Establishment’. I speak from personal experience.
Excellent why has this not been sponsored by Welsh gvt? Creative ideas like this by people in the field are usually far better than Welsh gvt schemes. They constantly hail a million speakers, as if. ideas like this shloud be rolled out or given financial assistance. They are happy to throw millions at bogus businessmen
If you want to know my personal reasons, I’d happily share them with you elsewhere, Gaynor. Just let Mr. Editor know – he has my details.
I wish that something like this had been available when my family returned to Wales when I was a teenager, over half a century ago. I developed an extremely negative attitude to Welsh culture and language, which lasted several decades, and it is only in recent years that I have come to value and cherish the language, and have joined the growing amount of people who think that the most positive way forward for Wales is independence. All those years that I wasted.
I hope you have or are learning the language, even a little is better than nothing 🏴