Abstract

With the introduction of the Curriculum for Wales fast approaching, it is timely to discuss one of the key developments in relation to the Welsh language in the new curriculum, the language continuum. Although “continuum” is a term that has often been used by academics (see e.g. Baker and Jones, 2000) and policy makers (see e.g. WG, 2017a) alike, the term has several interpretations, not only in the literature on bilingualism and bilingual education, but also in Welsh policy regarding language and education. The purpose of this paper is to review the main interpretations of the language continuum, before proposing an alternative interpretation, what the author calls the “continuum of multi-competence”, which aims to bridge between the theoretical and the practical, linking the concept of a language continuum to the concept of a learning continuum, as recognised in the new curriculum. The implications of introducing the continuum for Welsh language in English-medium schools in particular will be discussed.

Keywords: Welsh, second language (L2), language continuum, bilingualism continuum, multi-competence approach, continuum of multi-competence, flexible bilingualism, Curriculum for Wales, bilingual education

How to Cite:

Lovell, A. E., (2023) “Towards the language continuum: Definitions and implications for Welsh learners in English-medium education”, Wales Journal of Education 25(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.25.1.4eng