Natalie MacDonald LLB, MA, PGCertHE, FHEA

Daw Natalie MacDonald â chyfoeth o brofiad mewn addysg a gofal plentyndod cynnar, ar ôl gweithio mewn lleoliadau nas cynhelir yn Dechrau’n Deg ac ysgolion. Mae ganddi brofiad helaeth o gefnogi plant a theuluoedd o gefndiroedd amrywiol.

Mae gan Natalie radd yn y Gyfraith a gradd Meistr mewn Datblygu a Chwarae Therapiwtig. Mae hi ar hyn o bryd yn cwblhau ei Doethuriaeth mewn Addysg. Mae’n weithgar gyda sefydliadau blaenllaw, a gynhelir a nas cynhelir, yn y sector addysg a gofal cynnar yng Nghymru, ac yn ymroddedig i godi proffil addysg blynyddoedd cynnar.

Mae Natalie MacDonald yn arwain ac yn addysgu ar draws rhaglenni israddedig ac ôl-raddedig, gan gynnwys goruchwylio ymchwil ôl-raddedig. Mae ei meysydd arbenigedd yn cynnwys datblygu’r cwricwlwm, asesu, addysgeg a chwarae, datblygu cysyniadau, rôl oedolion mewn addysg, a pholisi addysg.

Mae Natalie MacDonald yn gwasanaethu ar y Grŵp Cynghori ar Ddysgu Sylfaen ac yn cynrychioli sefydliadau addysg uwch ar y Grŵp Cynghori ar Safonau Cymwysterau. Mae’r rolau hyn yn rhoi cipolwg cynhwysfawr iddi ar y sector blynyddoedd cynnar a’i anghenion datblygu yn y dyfodol. Mae hi hefyd wedi cyfrannu at weithgorau Llywodraeth Cymru, gan ddatblygu canllawiau galluogi dysgu’r blynyddoedd cynnar ar gyfer y Cwricwlwm Newydd i Gymru a llunio’r cwricwlwm ar gyfer y sector a ariennir nas cynhelir.

• Stewart, S. a MacDonald, N. a Waters-Davies, J. (2024) Early Childhood Education in Wales: Policy, Promises and Practice Realities. Wales Journal of Education. ISSN 2059-3708 (Yn y wasg)
• Palaiologou, I., Walsh, G., Arnott, L., Grogan, G., Waters-Davies, J., Macdonald, N., Kearns, A. a Mcloughlin, M. (2024) ‘The National Picture’. Yn Early Years Foundation Stage: Theory and Practice (5ed Argraffiad), Golygwyd gan Palaiogolou, I. London: Sage. 
• MacDonald, N. (2024) yn Lamsden, E. (Gol) SEEPRO-3 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Key Contextual Data. Systems of Early Childhood Education and Professionalisation in Europe. 
• Macdonald, N. (2022) ‘What is Play?’. Pennod yn Waters-Davies, J. (golygydd ) Introduction to Play. London: Sage. 
• Waters-Davies, J. a MacDonald, N. (2022) ‘The capable child as a threshold concept for inclusive early childhood education and care.’ Pennod yn Conn, C. a Murphy A. (golygyddion ) Inclusive Pedagogies for Early Childhood Education: Respecting and Responding to Differences in Learning. London: Routledge. 
• Lewis, H., MacDonald, N. a Tur Porres, G. (2022) ‘Early childhood education and care in Wales: A curriculum for the non-maintained sector with children at the Centre of practice’. Early Education Journal, 98. 
• Waters, J. & MacDonald, N. (2020): Exploring the use of a rating scale to support professional learning in early years pre-school staff: the experience of one local authority in Wales, Early Years.
• Gealy, A.; Tinney, G., Macdonald, N. a Waters, J. (2020) A socio-constructivist approach to developing a professional learning intervention for early childhood education and care practitioners in Wales, Professional Development in Education.
• Macdonald, N., Gealy, A. a Tinney, G. (2019) Exploring the effect of an attachment intervention in areas of multiple deprivation on adult–child interaction and the implications for children’s social, emotional, and behavioural development, Early Child Development and Care. 
• Macdonald, N. (2018). The Great Divide: Separation of Care and Education in Wales and examination of policy, reform, and research evidence. 
• Macdonald, N. (2018). The Great Divide: Separation of care and education in Wales an examination of policy, reform, and research evidence. Yn: ‘Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities’. [ar-lein] Budapest: EECERA, t.74. 
• Waters, J. a Macdonald, N. (2018). Using ‘quality’ measures of children’s learning experiences to target professional learning in early years pre-school staff: the experience of one local authority in Wales. Yn: ‘Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities’. [ar-lein] Budapest: EECERA, t.59. 
• Macdonald, N. (2018). Information Request for Labour Party Health and Social Care and Education Policy Commission. Carmarthen. 
• Tinney, G., Macdonald, N., Gealy, A. a Waters, J. (2018). ‘Talking science’: the perception and interpretation of science by early years practitioners and designing training to support science concepts in the early year. Yn: A Child’s World – New shoes New direction. [ar-lein] Aberystwyth: Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth. 
• Macdonald, N. (2018). The Great Divide. [Blog] Yr Athrofa. 
• Bevan Foundation (2017). After PISA: A way forward for education in Wales? Merthyr Tydfil: Bevan Foundation, tt. 25–26. 
• Macdonald, N. (2016) How can we help Early Years Professionals to recognise attachment difficulties and support children’s emotional and behavioural development? Does specific intervention training make a difference? Yn: ‘Happiness, relationships, emotion, and deep level learning’ Dublin: EECERA, t. 31–32. 
• Macdonald, N. a Battenbough, E. (2016). Attachment and Me: Supporting Early Years professionals to identify and support children’s emotional development and wellbeing. Caerfyrddin: PCYDDS. 
• Palaiologou, I., Walsh, g., Macquarrie, S., Waters, J., Macdonald, N., Dunphy, E. (2016) ‘The National Picture’. Yn Early Years Foundation Stage: Theory and Practice (3rd Edition), Golygwyd gan Palaiogolou, I. London: Sage. 
• Macdonald, N., Sophocleous, C. (2016). The Business of Eradicating Poverty in Schools, South Wales Business Review, 6 (3):18-19. 
• Macdonald, N. (2014). Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Play and Therapeutic Intervention: The relationship between play and children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Traethawd Ôl-raddedig. Prifysgol Cymru, Abertawe.