Welsh language brought alive through song
Posted on Thursday 11th April 2019
Youngsters who are learning Welsh in Newport are showing off their language skills in a series of videos now available on YouTube.
Newport City Council and Meithrin, the voluntary organisation specialising in Welsh-medium early years provision, have worked together to produce a playlist of eight videos.
These show children singing simple Welsh language songs, with subtitles, so everyone can join in the fun with their children.
The videos feature youngsters who have only been learning Welsh for a few months.
The work is part of Newport’s Becoming Bilingual/ Bod yn Ddwyieithog project (more information here www.newport.gov.uk/becomingbilingual/ www.newport.gov.uk/bodynddwyieithog)
The aim of the project is to raise community awareness about the benefits of bilingualism and raise people’s confidence so that they can take that big decision to send their children to Welsh medium education.
At the launch event children from Meithrin and Ysgol Bro Teyrnon delighted everyone as they sang along to the videos.
Newport City Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Councillor Gail Giles, attended the launch the day following the council’s announcement to open a fourth Welsh medium primary school.
“These innovative videos will enable bring Welsh language songs to be available to people at home to show and sing along with their children. Whether children are in Welsh or English medium education, they will enjoy these songs.
“Children are getting an excellent educational start in attending Meithrin here at Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon. And it is obvious they are happy and confident in Welsh – a language that most of them have only learnt for a few months.
“It will assist them as they start their Welsh medium education and become fully bilingual, and some multilingual, over the coming years.”
The fourth Welsh medium primary school in Newport is due to open in September 2020.
Leanne Marsh, Mudiad Meithrin’s acting chief executive, said: "We welcome this opportunity to work with Newport County Council to promote the benefits of bilingualism. These videos show that any child, whatever their background, language or needs are able to learn and acquire a new language.
“Nearly 90 per cent of the children that attend Cylchoedd Meithrin come from a non-Welsh speaking family, and the Cylch Meithrin successfully creates bilingual children through the immersion method.
“The videos are a great resource to promote and introduce the Welsh language within the home and starting families on their bilingual journey.”
View the videos here - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTkXQGlCFE4-sd71fijHfIn6oTGW53-DN