As an organisation passionate about delivering Welsh-medium education to the children of Wales, Mudiad Meithrin is delighted to announce that the new Gair am Air (Welsh language immersion resource) will be launched at 2.00 on Wednesday afternoon, 9th August on the Mudiad stand at the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod.
Helen Williams, Head of Training, Learning and Development said:
“These resources are going to be very valuable to us as an organisation as we work continually to ensure that our members have access to learning and development resources, and high quality training sessions. The training resource Cyflwyniad i’r Dull Trochi (Introduction to the Immersion Method) will explain what the immersion method is and why it is the most effective way for young children to acquire a language. Anyone will be able to take this course in their own time.”
“In addition, a series of new videos will be available explaining the perspectives of practitioners, parents and academics about the immersion method. Toddler brains are amazing and our hope through this series is to present how toddlers acquire two or more languages; why there are only advantages to being able to speak more than one language – and how great young children are at being able to do so!”
The creation of this resource was made possible through a grant awarded to the Mudiad by the Welsh Government to create Welsh-medium educational resources. The Gair am Air resource is one of the series of resources created and aimed primarily at Cylchoedd Meithrin and day nurseries and childcare settings delivering funded early years education and the Childcare Offer to children between 3 and 5 years of age.
Dr Siân Wyn Siencyn, early years specialist said:
“What makes the Language Immersion Method so effective is that it’s based on a simple principle, namely that we take advantage of the children’s age. They are at an age where they are acquiring language, and that’s the key thing here – they are not learning a language – they are in the process of acquiring a language. Acquisition is an unconscious process: it comes from hearing things around us and 2-3 year old children, even from birth really, are language acquisition machines.”
Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin, said:
“Since its inception in 1971, Mudiad Meithrin has led the way in creating various resources for the early years Welsh-medium sector. On every step of the journey, and with every relevant development, we set about leading the sector with the publication of suitable and appropriate resources, co-creating them with the sector itself. This funding has enabled us to create a new resource pack for Cylchoedd Meithrin and day nurseries.”
The resource is available to all on the Mudiad Meithrin’s website Language Immersion Method – Meithrin
A warm welcome is extended to everyone to drop in at the launch at 2.00 on Wednesday, 9th August at Mudiad Meithrin stand at the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod in Boduan.
