Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee

Policy Review - English Medium Writing In Wales

Response of the Welsh Joint Education Committee

Current PositionThe Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) and all local authorities in Wales have signed a service level agreement (SLA) to promote and develop the Welsh language and culture. The agreement has been signed for the period 2003/6.Under the terms of the SLA, much has been achieved in raising and securing a high profile for English-medium writing in Wales. With additional funding, considerably more could be achieved to promote and develop this profile.This submission outlines the current provision by the WJEC through the work of the National Language Unit and the Examinations Section and is followed by recommendations as to how greater prominence and effectiveness could be achieved.1. The contribution of English-medium books and writing in Wales to Welsh culture.One of the major responsibilities of the WJEC's Officer for English in Wales is to promote within all schools in Wales the study of that literature which has a special relevance to its culture and identity in the English language. This involves developing those aspects of a curriculum Cymreig which are highlighted in both the Common Requirements of the School Curriculum in Wales 2000 and the Programmes of Study for English in the National Curriculum Orders. This work is undertaken on the basis of the direction and monitoring provided by the English in Wales Panel, representing local authorities.The Officer's knowledge of current publications and close links with publishing houses in Wales such as Gwasg Gomer, Honno and Dref Wen, ensure that he is able to advise both schools and individuals on the suitability and availability of both original texts and support materials.The examination specifications developed by the WJEC include many Englishmedium texts that have relevance to Wales. For example, the 2004 AS/Advanced English Literature specification lists Dannie Abse's Welsh Retrospective, Sheenagh Pugh's Selected Poems, Robert Minhinnick's Watching the Fire Eater and Glyn Jones' The Island of Apples. Suitable drama texts in this area are not easy to find. Indeed, drama scripts by Welsh writers suitable for schools, and available in published form, were noted as one of the most obvious gaps in the field in a needs identification paper that the WJEC Officer drafted with an Officer from ACCAC in 1996.2. The support mechanisms available to writers in WalesThe support mechanisms for the production and marketing of new writingWithin a very limited budget, the National Language Unit provides opportunities for writers to produce a range of both original and resource materials to support the delivery of effective teaching of English-medium texts, from Early Years through to Advanced Level• The latest project, Fire to a Cold World, has involved the commissioning of poetry from writers across Wales, for inclusion in three anthologies for children and young people, which will also contain teaching ideas and examples of children's responses to the poems.• Recent projects have included two series of support materials to accompany writing from Wales, Reflections from the Classroom, (KS4/ Advanced Level) and Shared Experiences at Key Stage 2. All National Language Unit publications are available to teachers and the general public at cost price through the WJEC Bookshop.ACCAC's remit in the area of English-medium resources for the classroom needs to be reviewed. ACCAC plays an important role through the production of Welshlanguage books and bilingual books on a variety of subjects for the classroom. It has argued, however, that its remit does not extend to commissioning English-medium writing that has relevance to Wales.The National Curriculum English Orders include Programmes of Study that are specific to Wales. For example: "In Wales, pupils should be given opportunities to read works by Welsh authors writing in English and those works that have a Welsh setting or a special relevance to Wales." (Programme of Study for Reading at Key Stages 3&4)Teachers' willingness to support the reading of such works is often frustrated by a lack of awareness of what texts are available to schools, and the absence of a range of publications which identify and promote uses of texts that have been published.The WJEC has been in correspondence with ACCAC about this issue over a number of years. In 1996 the WJEC's Officer for English worked with ACCAC to draft an outline of needs identification in English, focusing on resources to support the reading of Welsh writing in English in schools at Key Stages 3 and 4. Indeed, in response to a request from ACCAC in 1997 for evidence to convince the Welsh Office that ACCAC's remit should be extended to include commissioning materials in English, the WJEC Officer listed the documents outlined below to support the case: • a report from the 1989 conference entitled The National Curriculum: the implications for Welsh writing in English, organised by the WJEC National Language Unit and attended by LEA advisers, HMI, Curriculum Council for Wales and many others; • the OHMCI report on Standards and Quality in Secondary Schools - English (1995) which noted as one of its main findings that "With a few notable exceptions, pupils' reading of Anglo-Welsh texts, and authors representing a wide range of cultures, is generally limited";• ACCAC's report on the English Monitoring Group meeting (24 March 1997);• minutes of meetings of the WJEC English in Wales Panel (teacher representatives from across Wales, chaired by an LEA English Adviser).Recommendations2.1 A radical change in the method of funding and commissioning writing for children and young people by Welsh writers in English needs to be made. For example, the successful 'guaranteed sales' scheme currently operated by the WJEC for the production of Welsh-language titles could - if extra funds were made available - be extended to English-medium writing in Wales.2.2 ACCAC's remit should be extended to include commissioning English medium writing that has relevance to Wales for the classroom.2.3 A marketing strategy with adequate finances needs to be established and agreed. The document entitled Joint Marketing Strategy, currently being circulated for consultation by the Welsh Books Council, is a welcome development in this area3. The mechanisms for raising public awareness of English-medium Welsh literature and writers.The twice-yearly newsletter, English in Wales, is distributed to all LEA primary and secondary schools in Wales, under the service level agreement between the WJEC and all local authorities in Wales. This keeps English teachers abreast of current developments in the field, disseminates good practice, showcases individual writers and includes reviews of new publications.The Officer for English in Wales visits several Initial Teacher Education and Training institutions across Wales (UWIC, Swansea University, Bangor University) annually, giving presentations on the range of literature available to deliver a curriculum Cymreig. He also prepares and distributes lists of current titles suitable for various age ranges.The Officer's presence at conferences, such as NATE Cymru and the Welsh Books Council's Children's Book Conference, ensures that the NLU's role is made clear to as wide a public circle as possible. Membership of the WBC World Book Day Steering Committee consolidates this role.Recommendations / Future Possibilities3.1 A national INSET programme should be initiated, allowing a team of field officers for English in Wales to visit local authorities and individual schools, promoting good practice in the dissemination of English-medium books. Such a move would support teachers and focus on the quality and availability of writing published in Wales, for all key stages. INSET possibilities need to be increased, not merely in Initial Teacher Education and Training, but also by offering support and expertise for Continual Professional Development of Teachers, and projects supported by the General Teaching Council for Wales. Proactive involvement, and suggestions for literature-based research and development opportunities could also be developed in this sphere.4. Additional Personal Response to terms of reference (iv)• the barriers and opportunities which currently exist• links with other sectors - private/community groups• the role of relevant playersThrough the Arts Council of Wales funding, and small grants from the Academi's Writer's on Tour scheme, The West Wales Children's Book Group (one of only two such groups in Wales affiliated to the Federation of Children's Book Groups) is able to bring Anglo-Welsh writers, such as Julie Rainsbury, Graham Howells, Rob Lewis and Fran Evans, into the local community to meet with families and discuss their work. At their recent Booked Up Festival over 1500 school children, and 300 families were able to access children's writers and illustrators - many of them living and working in Wales.Similarly, primary schools, in many Welsh counties, are encouraged to access English-medium writing in Wales, through the annual books competitions, organised and supported by the Welsh Books Council, in conjunction with LEAs. The book list, from which titles for study are selected, contains half Welsh `interest' material, and one of the two titles chosen for discussion and presentation must be selected from this list.Marketing of English-medium books, in Wales, and indeed the cost of production of relatively small prints runs, does hamper public awareness and accessibility, particularly when viewed in competition with the huge distribution network of the major publishing houses in England. This is particularly evident in the field of educational publishing, where aggressive marketing of both fiction and non-fiction, and the availability of National Curriculum `tailored' resources - Teachers' Guides and Resource Packs to accompany popular English fiction - attracts the busy teacher, and parent, away from works published specifically for children in Wales.