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Studying natural sciences bilingually

The Open University — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

Thinking of studying a natural sciences course? Considering studying through the medium of Welsh and want to know what the benefits are? Not sure whether your Welsh is good enough? If you’re reading this article, it’s quite possible you’ve thought about these questions. This article aims to answer these questions, and show how studying natural sciences through the medium of Welsh could improve your experience of higher education, as well as improve your employment prospects.

What are the benefits of studying through the medium of Welsh?

The Open University — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

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Studying the natural sciences through the medium of Welsh is a really important thing for you as a scientist because, very often, natural sciences involve working on the management of the environment and natural resources – and so developing the ability to communicate with people who are involved in managing the natural environment is a really important thing to ensure that environmental policies are developed and supported by the general public, land managers and politicians.

Studying the natural sciences in Welsh means that you have better opportunities of employment because if you can demonstrate that you have experience and the ability to communicate science, which is often quite a technical and complicated subject, at a professional level, and that in two languages, then you’re potentially more desirable and you stand out.

The thing that I enjoy the most about teaching science in Welsh is the fact that quite often I’m teaching quite small groups of individuals and so it means that I can give my best attention and support to each and every individual. And so, if you choose to study science in Welsh, you’re potentially getting more support from your teachers and your peers.

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So why would I recommend that Welsh students take up these modules? Well, personally, I feel there’s a responsibility on the Welsh speakers to take up these modules as they are there and offered for the Welsh speakers. So, I also feel that taking up these modules strengthens your writing and speaking skills and I do feel that being able to speak Welsh and write in Welsh offers an additional benefit further on in life. For example, when applying for a job in Wales, it’s become an increased advantage that you are able to speak and write through the medium of Welsh so I do feel, writing formally in the university in different forms, for example, an essay or an exam, does offer you the ability to increase your Welsh understanding as well as your writing standard.

Also, I feel, having spoken to some of my friends who have gone away to other universities, for example, in England, to study and having come back to Wales to live afterwards, they do feel that they have lost some of their Welsh skills. So, I feel this is something important to benefit from – that Welsh universities do offer these modules because being able to speak Welsh and write in Welsh is an additional benefit and I think it’s important to keep these skills going in the universities.

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Why study through the medium of Welsh? Everyone has different reasons and experiences, but here are the main benefits of studying through the medium of Welsh according to the students themselves:

financial support via Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol scholarships
smaller class sizes, enabling a more personal and supportive learning experience
you get to know the lecturers and fellow students better
better career options and employment opportunities due to additional skills on CV
improved confidence and Welsh language skills
better understanding of the subject by working in two languages

Want to hear more from the students about the benefits of studying courses through the medium of Welsh? Take a look at the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Ambassador blogs or follow #llaisllysgennad on Twitter.

Careers

The Open University — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

Studying natural sciences can open doors to a wide range of careers in various sectors – from research, education and conservation to media, business and management, to name but a few. Studying a course in Welsh could open even more doors, with an increasing number of employers looking for graduates with bilingual skills. The ability to discuss a subject at a highly technical level in more than one language is acknowledged as a valuable skill by employers in Wales and throughout the multilingual world.

Watch Snowdon warden Helen's story, about her experience of looking after the mountain and working in a bilingual community.

OK, but... is my Welsh good enough?

The Open University — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

Not sure whether your Welsh is good enough to be able to study a science subject through the medium of Welsh at university? This can be a concern for some individuals for various reasons. Perhaps you don’t get many opportunities to use Welsh on a daily basis. Or you may feel comfortable using Welsh with friends or family, but less certain in academic situations. You may be worried about learning new scientific terminology at university. Don’t worry. Studying through the medium of Welsh is an opportunity in itself to build your confidence in using the language, through:

learning in small groups with students from a variety of linguistic backgrounds
guidance from tutors who are world-leading experts in their field
linguistic support, such as:
- a.language skills courses
- b.language proofing software on your computer and online
- c.terminology dictionaries on your phone and online.

Take a look at Zoology student Rhiannon's blog, about her experience and tips for studying a science subject through the medium of Welsh.

What other resources are available for studying natural sciences through the medium of Welsh or bilingually?

The Open University — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

In addition to the resources you will receive on your course, a number of Welsh-medium resources are available online to support your learning and to help you find out more about the wonders of the natural world! Here are some examples:

Gwerddon – a Welsh-medium academic e-journal that publishes research on a range of subjects, including natural sciences
Wicipedia Cymraeg – a Welsh encyclopaedia, which is based on Wikipedia, with over 90,000 subject pages
Llên natur – a dictionary of names and terms

Acknowledgements

The Open University — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

Thank you to Dr Marion Pyefor helping with this unit.

The Open University has worked with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to develop bilingual units, including this one, on OpenLearn Cymru: www.colegcymraeg.ac.uk

Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources:

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