Bilingual education in Cardiganshire, 1904-1974

Williams, David Gwilym (1984). Bilingual education in Cardiganshire, 1904-1974. PhD thesis The Open University.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21954/ou.ro.0000fcd9

Abstract

The dissertation describes the bilingual policies formulated by the Cardiganshire Education Authority to ensure that both Welsh and English should be taught efficiently in all schools and that every child should have an opportunity of becoming bilingual by the time he left school. It relates how disagreements arose between some parents and the Authority over the implementation of language policy at certain times and indicates how the Central Authority reacted to these disputes.

The work shows what measures were taken by the Authority to implement bilingual policies in its schools and describes how the Authority delcared its faith in the principle of teaching through the medium of Welsh by establishing a "Welsh" Primary School and a Bilingual Secondary School at Aberystwyth.

The study shows how the number of Welsh-speaking children dwindled in the primary schools as a result of falling rolls which lasted until the beginning of the sixties, while the number of English speaking pupils increased after the Second World War mainly due to English-speaking families moving into the County. It is shown that similar linguistic changes occurred at the secondary level. The work assesses the success of the primary and secondary schools in teaching Welsh as a second language and examines the use made of Welsh as a medium of teaching at the secondary stage.

Education in a rural setting and the problems of small rural schools receive special attention. The work shows how the Authority was reluctant to close small schools and how it rejected a plan to set up 'area schools' as recommended by Gittins Reports except in the Lampeter district where Ysgol y Dderi was established to replace five very small schools.

Viewing alternatives

Download history

Metrics

Public Attention

Altmetrics from Altmetric

Number of Citations

Citations from Dimensions

Item Actions

Export

About