Online language help for Welsh-medium learners

Learners in Powys who want to move to a Welsh-medium education are now being supported by an online immersion course, the county council has said.

Powys County Council has started its first-ever online immersion course, which provides an opportunity for latecomers to Welsh-medium education to quickly get up-to-speed with their Welsh-language skills and begin their journey to becoming bilingual.

The immersion course, which is being led by the council’s Athrawon Bro Service, is the first step in developing Welsh-medium education immersion provision in Powys and will be an important provision as the council looks to build a bilingual future for Powys and its young people.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: “I’m delighted that we are offering this immersion course online to those learners that have decided to switch to Welsh-medium education.

“Improving access to Welsh-medium provision across all key stages of education is one of the strategic aims in our Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030.

“The evidence from the rest of Wales is that bilingual/Welsh-medium provision offers the best opportunity for learners to become fully bilingual, whilst also creating a dynamic outward looking cultural environment.

“We want to improve access to Welsh-medium provision across all the key stages of education and increase the opportunities for children and young people in Powys, and those who move into the county, to become fully bilingual.”