an improvement in the educational experience of students from all language
backgrounds in higher education in Wales. Internationally, there is interest
in disseminating the research findings to higher education institutions in
South Africa and the Basque Country.
Conclusions
This research highlighted the complex nature of bilingual provision in
higher education and a wide variety of opinion on bilingual teaching among
university staff and students. Several questions were raised during the
research. For example, what is the aim of bilingual teaching in higher educa-
tion? Is it to ensure a valuable and equal experience for students in different
language cohorts? Or is it simply to deliver content effectively in a setting
where two cohorts have to be combined for practical reasons? Teaching and
learning have multiple objectives and desired outcomes. Linguistic goals are
simply one small part of a complex set of aims which include important
pedagogic goals and an intent to deliver a positive student experience and
ensure achievement.
According to Bangor University’s official language policy, language
equality is a priority, as expressed in the 2008 Language Scheme:
Bangor University is committed to implementing the principle of equal-
ity of the Welsh and English languages in all its activities. (Bangor
University, 2008: 10)However, the research revealed that several factors affect language bal-
ance in lectures and that some circumstances are more favourable than others
for bilingual teaching. It is easier to operate bilingually in a student-centred
session than in a more traditional lecture, where the weaknesses of bilingual
provision become apparent. These weaknesses are a cause of concern among
the lecturers and Welsh-medium students about the tendency of language
imbalance to have a disproportionate effect on Welsh.
It is possible to overcome these difficulties. Using a simultaneous
translation service is one way of ensuring language balance in traditional
lectures. The positive feedback received about the service during the stu-
dent presentations shows that this provision is an effective solution. In
general, organizing lectures to facilitate the use of different strategies in
different settings should be considered. For example, rather than teaching
students from both language cohorts together throughout the module,
mixed sessions could be arranged sometimes and separate sessions at other
times, according to the nature and objectives of the lecture. This would
mean that separate lectures would not have to be arranged on every occa-
sion, nor would a simultaneous translation service be required in each
196 Part 4: Bilingual Education