Speak Welsh to friends, says Minister

PARENTS worried about their children ‘losing’ their Welsh language should encourage them to chat with friends in Welsh while gaming online, a Welsh Government minister has advised.

Eluned Morgan, Minister for international relations and Welsh language, said she understood parents would be anxious as their children had been away from school, but said they can chat in Welsh on their XBoxes. Asked by WalesOnline at the daily Welsh Government coronavirus briefing what extra help was being put in place for pupils from English-speaking homes at Welsh-medium schools while schools are shut, the minister said they didn’t have to be in school to use their Welsh.

“It’s worth making the point that they have friends. They can speak to their friends in Welsh,” she said. “So I would encourage them, if they are going to be playing on XBoxes or PS4, there’s no reason why they could not be speaking to their friends through the medium of Welsh. You don’t have to be in school to use the language.”

The Minister added that there were Welsh-language resources on the Hwb, the website with online tools provided to all schools by the Welsh Government.

Pressed on what concrete plans there were for any children from Englishspeaking homes whose Welsh language may have suffered during so long away from their classrooms, she said: “There will be the opportunity for these children to check in and catch up to prepare.

“All those children will be given an individual, tailored approach to how they can be getting on with their school work.”