2009a), there were 464 Welsh medium primary schools (54,895 pupils) and
54 Welsh medium secondary schools (40,756 pupils). In the context of pri-
mary schools, Welsh was the sole or main medium of instruction in 21.8%
of classes (2,341), Welsh was used as a medium of teaching for part of the
curriculum in 1.2% of classes (134), Welsh was taught as a second language
only in 76.2% classes (8,177), and no Welsh was taught in 0.7% of classes
(78). In the context of secondary schools, 15.7% of 11–16 year old pupils
(28,123) were taught Welsh as a first language; 83.5% of 11–16 year old pupils
(149,336) were taught Welsh as a second language; 0.8% of 11–16 year old
pupils (1,397) were not taught Welsh at all.
Classrooms in both primary and secondary Welsh-medium and bilingual
schools embrace pupils from a wide and diverse linguistic spectrum. Lewis
(2008: 75) explained that classrooms ‘contain a wide linguistic variety:
pupils who are fluent in Welsh, pupils with a little knowledge of the lan-
guage, children from completely non-Welsh-speaking homes, as well as
recent newcomers to Wales (from inside or outside the United Kingdom)
who have no prior knowledge of the language-but wish to acquire it through
the education system.’ Therefore the home language of pupils in Welsh-
medium and bilingual schools could be categorized broadly as:
(i) pupils who speak only Welsh at home,
(ii) pupils who speak only English at home,
(iii) pupils who speak both Welsh and English at home,
(iv) pupils who speak other languages besides Welsh or English at home.
For further information about the language background of pupils in
schools in Wales, see Welsh Assembly Government (2009a) for data about
pupils’ ability to speak Welsh and the number of pupils aged 5 or over, by
ethnic background, 2008/2009.
Sample of lessons
Between December 2007 and February 2010, a total of 100 lesson obser-
vations were completed in 29 schools (55 observations in 10 secondary
schools, 45 observations in 19 primary schools). Joint observations (two
researchers) were conducted in 39% of lessons with 100% agreement in
observation of language arrangements in the classroom. The selection of sub-
jects and age groups to participate in the research was made by members of
the management team (usually the headteacher) of each selected school. The
total number of lessons in each age group is shown in Table 7.1.
Information about the subject of lessons observed in schools is presented
in Table 7.2.
An inter-disciplinary approach was evident in most of the lessons
observed within the 3–7 age range. All National Curriculum subjects were
observed within the 7–18 age range. Predominantly Welsh and English
Language Arrangements within Bilingual Education 147