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Wales

Cymraeg in the Classroom: Rethinking How We Teach Welsh

Posted on 12 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

If most pupils believe Welsh is vital to Wales’s identity, why do so many dislike learning it? This post examines what pupils and teachers say about Welsh lessons today and explores how schools might rebuild enthusiasm and fluency by aligning classroom aims with the living language beyond the school gates.

Dysgu Cymraeg: Llais y Disgyblion

Posted on 1 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Pam mae cymaint o ddisgyblion yn teimlo’n anfodlon gyda’u gwersi Cymraeg? Yn y cofnod hwn, mae Dr Mirain Rhys yn archwilio beth mae dysgwyr eu hunain yn ei ddweud am ddysgu’r Gymraeg — o’r diffyg cyfleoedd i siarad i’r pwyslais gormodol ar arholiadau. Mae’r canfyddiadau’n cynnig cipolwg gonest ar y dyfodol i’n hiaith fyw genedlaethol.

Learning Welsh: What Pupils Really Think

Posted on 1 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Why do so many pupils say they dislike Welsh lessons? In this post, Dr Mirain Rhys examines what learners themselves think about studying Cymraeg—and what needs to change. From calls for more authentic speaking opportunities to concerns about exam-focused teaching, the findings offer powerful insights for anyone committed to the future of Wales’s living language.

From Global Citizens to Cosmopolitans: Rethinking Citizenship in the Curriculum for Wales

From Global Citizens to Cosmopolitans: Rethinking Citizenship in the Curriculum for Wales

Posted on 23 December 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What if “global citizenship” isn’t enough? This post invites educators to imagine a more ethical, reflective form of worldliness—cosmopolitanism—that values human connection over market efficiency. It challenges Wales’s curriculum reform to move beyond the language of economics toward a vision of education rooted in shared humanity, moral reasoning and care for others.

Wales, Welshness, and the Curriculum: Rethinking the Welsh Dimension

Wales, Welshness, and the Curriculum: Rethinking the Welsh Dimension

Posted on 16 December 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What does it really mean to “be Welsh” in today’s curriculum? This post explores how official discourses shape our understanding of Wales and Welshness, revealing the tensions between tradition, diversity and identity. It calls for a critical pedagogy of place—one that helps pupils think deeply about culture, belonging and the world beyond their doorstep.

From the Front Step: Schools, Suicide Prevention, and the Search for Belonging

From the Front Step: Schools, Suicide Prevention, and the Search for Belonging

Posted on 9 September 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

How can schools become places where every pupil feels seen, valued and supported? Combining personal reflection with research on pupil well-being in Wales, this post explores the urgent need for school-wide approaches to suicide prevention. It calls on educators to recognise warning signs, challenge stigma and create environments where no young person feels alone on the front step.

Philosophy in Schools: Teachers’ Views from Wales

Posted on 19 August 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What role should philosophy play in the classroom? Darius Klibavicius’ research with teachers in Wales explores how philosophy is understood—as a subject, a method or a way of life. Linking Philosophy for Children with contemporary curriculum reform, this post examines why many teachers see philosophy as vital for well-being, reasoning and communication in modern education.

Finding Purpose in Teaching

Finding Purpose in Teaching

Posted on 8 July 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

Are teachers guided by aphorisms or axioms? This post looks at what teachers say their top priorities are and questions whether phrases like “help pupils achieve their potential” offer genuine meaning or empty slogans. Drawing on Nietzsche, Frankl and Welsh education research, it invites reflection on how we find—and define—purpose in teaching.

A Pedagogy of Place

A Pedagogy of Place

Posted on 5 July 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What do pupils’ own words reveal about how they see the places they call home? This post looks at new research on young people’s “place images” in Wales and considers what it means for curriculum design. From Cwricwlwm Cymreig to Cynefin, it explores how a pedagogy of place can deepen understanding of belonging, identity and connection in classrooms across Wales.

800 Words or less…

Posted on 18 June 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

This blog consists of concise posts on various aspects of educational research, pedagogy, and curriculum.