Advantages of being bilingual
In Carmarthenshire the aim is for every child to have the opportunity to leave school and be fluent in Welsh and English. More and more employers across the county and in Wales as a whole are keen to recruit staff able to work comfortably in both languages.
Bilingualism strengthens cognitive abilities - bilingual people tend to be more creative and flexible. They can be more open-minded, and they also find it easier to focus on a variety of tasks simultaneously. And being able to speak two languages helps in other ways too...
Education
- Bilingual children tend to be more successful in education. They tend to perform better in tasks
- Bilingual people find it easier to learn additional languages
- Children in Welsh medium education do just as well, if not better, in English as children in English medium education
Evidence: Estyn Report - English in key stages 2 and 3 (.pdf) | Article in The Times 11.4.17
Career
- Speaking two languages is an extra skill to put on your application form
- Bilingual people earn an average of 11% more
- Employers need bilingual workforces in Wales, because services need to be offered bilingually
Evidence: Welsh speakers 'more likely to get top qualifications and jobs'
Health
- Research shows that being bilingual delays the onset of Dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer
Evidence: Delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease | Bilingual people twice as likely to recover from a stroke
Life
- Speaking two languages widens your horizons
- Being able to speak Welsh gives you access to many aspects of Welsh culture, history and identity
- Speaking Welsh can provide a key to a rich community life
- Being able to speak Welsh gives you a strong sense of identity and belonging
- Being able to switch from one language to the other with confidence gives the individual self-confidence and pride
- Speaking many languages can make people more tolerant towards other cultures
Evidence: A report on The Advantages of Bilingualism in Welsh and English by Professor Colin Baker
Education & Schools
COVID-19 - School FAQs
Bilingual education
Find a school
School Admissions / Changing schools
- Apply for a school place: 3 year olds
- Apply for a Primary school place
- Moving up to Secondary School
- Changing schools
- Awarding school places: Criteria
- Catchment areas
- Appeals: Refused a school place
Additional Learning Needs
- Statutory Assessment of Educational Needs
- Educational & child psychology
- Specialist provision
- Ability to learn
- Reading and writing
- Number or maths
- Motor Skills
- Speech, Language & Communication
- Severe Learning Difficulties
- Hearing Loss
- Visual Impairment
- Physical and medical problems
- Autism
- English/Welsh as an Additional Language
- Behavioural, Emotional and Social Skills
- Gypsies and Travellers
- Concentration
- Parent Partnership Service
- Voice of the child / young person
- Additional learning needs: Decision-making process
- Terminology Guide
School transport
Emergency school closures
Home schooling - Elective Home Education (EHE)
Adult learning
- English GCSE for adults
- Maths GCSE for adults
- British Sign Language
- Information for learners
- ESOL
- Essential skills in Maths and English
- Digital Literacy Skills
School term dates
Road safety
School meals
- Primary school meals
- Secondary school meals
- Free school meals
- Free breakfast / school milk
- Special diets, allergies and intolerances
- How we source our produce
- Nutritional standards for school meals
ParentPay
Pendine Outdoor Education Centre
Youth Support
- Duke of Edinburgh Award
- College provision for year 11’s
- Not in education or employment?
- Cynnydd
- Cam Nesa
Participation and children's rights
More from Education & Schools