e lements of the curriculum are taught through the medium of Welsh. In
further education colleges in particular, bilingual provision can refer to situ-
ations where classes are taught simultaneously in both languages (Welsh
Assembly Government, 2010: 2.14).
Traditionally, with regard to Welsh-medium provision in higher educa-
tion in Wales, the practice has been to provide separate Welsh-medium and
English-medium classes, where there were sufficient student numbers and
strategic direction (see also Thomas, 2004, 2006). Where that was not advo-
cated or possible, Welsh-medium students joined the English-medium groups
for English-medium lectures – with Welsh-medium seminars/tutorials often
to follow.
A research project funded by the Welsh Further Education Funding
Council in 1999–2000 identified seven different models and methods of bilin-
gual teaching used in the further education sector, that is Welsh and English
both used as media of instruction in the same classes (ELWa, 2000; ESCalate,
2002). On the basis of this research, which demonstrated the value of such
expertise in the further education sector, the Welsh Language Board
announced that ‘strategies in teaching and learning that involve a bilingual
rather than separate Welsh and English-medium methodologies are thus
required to raise standards of education performance in Wales’ (Welsh
Language Board, 1999: 4.6.2). It was also stated that there was a great need
for training in bilingual teaching and learning methodology for lecturers and
tutors (although ‘bilingual methodology’ was not defined) and that such an
initiative would be a starting point from which to increase the provision of
bilingual education and training in the post-16 sector in Wales (Welsh
Language Board, 1999: 4.6.1, 4.7.2).
In 2008–9, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in
Wales reported on Welsh-medium and bilingual provision for pupils aged
14–19 in secondary schools and further education colleges in Wales (Estyn,
2008: 71–73; Estyn, 2009: 513). Reference was made to the fact that ‘an
increasing number of providers are introducing bilingual teaching as a
means of extending what they are able to offer through the medium of
Welsh’ (Estyn, 2008: 71) by grouping pupils/students who are taking a
course through the medium of Welsh side by side with their peers studying
through the medium of English. It could be argued that this mainly happens
for financial reasons, because such an arrangement enables providers ‘to
ensure viable class sizes because there will be more students in a bilingual
class than a class where the medium of delivery is Welsh only’ (Estyn, 2008:
71). Attempting to ensure the success of such an arrangement is no small
matter as bilingual teaching in such a situation is a considerable challenge
for teachers and lecturers. It requires much flexibility and expertise in both
languages in order to respond fully to the linguistic diversity of the class and
cater for the needs of both Welsh-medium and English-medium learners
(Estyn, 2008: 73).
174 Part 4: Bilingual Education