Natalie Macdonald

Prif Ddarlithydd a Chyfarwyddwr Academaidd
Natalie Macdonald Headshot

Cefndir

Mae Natalie MacDonald yn dod â chyfoeth o brofiad mewn addysg a gofal plentyndod cynnar, ar ôl gweithio mewn lleoliadau Dechrau’n Deg nas cynhelir 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 Doethuriaeth Natalie mewn Addysg yn canolbwyntio ar ieithyddiaeth a dehongli polisi addysg a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae Natalie yn ymwneud yn weithredol â sefydliadau blaenllaw yn y sector addysg a gofal cynnar yng Nghymru, a gynhelir a nas cynhelir, ac mae Natalie yn ymroddedig i godi proffil addysg blynyddoedd cynnar. 

Pynciau Arbenigol

  • Addysg gynnar
  • Datblygu Cwricwlwm
  • Gweithredu polisi
  • Pragmateg Datganiadol a Dadansoddiad Disgwrs
  • Addysgeg Perthynol

Profiad Proffesiynol a/neu Ymchwil

Mae Natalie MacDonald yn ymchwilydd profiadol sy'n medrus mewn methodolegau ansoddol a meintiol. Mae ganddi ddiddordeb arbennig mewn archwilio polisi trwy Ddadansoddiad Disgwrs a Dadansoddiad Pragmateg Datganiadol. Mae ymchwil Natalie yn canolbwyntio'n bennaf ar arfer blynyddoedd cynnar, yn enwedig yn y sector nas cynhelir, fel yr adlewyrchir yn ei chyhoeddiadau academaidd a chyflwyniadau cynhadledd.

Cymwysterau

  • Doethuriaeth mewn Addysg (gorffen ysgrifennu’r ddoethuriaeth ar hyn o bryd)
  • MA Chwarae Datblygiadol a Therapiwtig
  • Tystysgrif Addysgu Ôl-raddedig mewn Addysg Uwch
  • Gradd LLB yn y Gyfraith
  • Cymwysterau Arfer ac Arweinyddiaeth mewn Gofal, Chwarae, Dysgu a Datblygiad Plant ac yn gysylltiedig â nhw

Ieithoedd a Siaradwyd

Saesneg

Aelodaeth Broffesiynol neu Rôl

Cymrawd HEA
Blynyddoedd Cynnar Cymru (Ymddiriedolwr)
Rhwydwaith Gradd Astudiaethau Blynyddoedd Cynnar – cynrychiolydd grŵp PAWS Cymru.
Aelod o'r Grŵp Cynghori ar Safonau Cymwysterau (QSAG)
BERA

Cydnabyddiaeth neu Wobrau Allanol

Cymrawd HEA

Dolen i Broffil Orcid

Proffil Ymchwil ORCID

Cyhoeddiadau Proffesiynol

  • Stewart, S. and MacDonald, N. and Waters-Davies, J. (2024) Early Childhood Education in Wales: Policy, Promises and Practice Realities. Wales Journal of Education. ISSN 2059-3708 https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.26.2.9
  • Macdonald, N. & Tinney, G. Tapestry Podcast (June 12th 2025) Early Years Training and Policy
  • https://fsf-podcasts.simplecast.com/episodes/early-years-training-and-policy
  • Palaiologou, I., Walsh, G., Arnott, L., Grogan, G., Waters-Davies, J., Macdonald, N., Kearns, A. and Mcloughlin, M. (2024) ‘The National Picture’. In Early Years Foundation Stage: Theory and Practice (5th Edition), Edited by Palaiogolou, I. London: Sage.
  • MacDonald, N. (2024) in Lamsden, E. (Eds) 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?’. Chapter in Waters-Davies, J. (editor) Introduction to Play. London: Sage.
  • Waters-Davies, J. and MacDonald, N. (2022) ‘The capable child as a threshold concept for inclusive early childhood education and care.’ Chapter in Conn, C. and Murphy A. (editors) Inclusive Pedagogies for Early Childhood Education: Respecting and Responding to Differences in Learning. London: Routledge.​
  • Lewis, H., MacDonald, N. and 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. & 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. and 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. In: ‘Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities’. [online] Budapest: EECERA, p.74.
  • Waters, J. and 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. In: ‘Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities’. [online] Budapest: EECERA, p.59.
  • Macdonald, N. (2018). Information Request for Labour Party Health and Social Care and Education Policy Commission. Carmarthen.
  • Tinney, G., Macdonald, N., Gealy, A. and 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. In: A Child’s World – New shoes New direction. [online] Aberystwyth: University of Wales 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, pp. 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?. In: ‘Happiness, relationships, emotion and deep level learning’ Dublin: EECERA, p. 31–32.
  • Macdonald, N. and Battenbough, E. (2016). Attachment and Me: Supporting Early Years professionals to identify and support children’s emotional development and wellbeing. Carmarthen: UWTSD.
  • Palaiologou, I., Walsh, g., Macquarrie, S., Waters, J., Macdonald, N., Dunphy, E. (2016) ‘The National Picture’. In Early Years Foundation Stage: Theory and Practice (3rd Edition), Edited by 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. Postgraduate. University of Wales Swansea.

Gwybodaeth Ychwanegol

Arweinydd Ymchwil PCYDDS ar gyfer ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru ar drefniadau asesu ar gyfer lleoliadau meithrin nas cynhelir a ariennir. Arweinydd Tîm PCDDS ar gyfer datblygu rhestri chwarae ac adnoddau Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer y Cwricwlwm ar gyfer Lleoliadau Meithrin Nas Cynhelir a Ariennir. Cydlynydd a datblygwr dysgu proffesiynol pwrpasol ar gyfer y blynyddoedd cynnar a sectorau cysylltiedig, gan gynnwys hyfforddiant ar Ymlyniad, Meddwl a Rennir Parhaus, a gwyddoniaeth trwy chwarae yn y Blynyddoedd Cynnar. Trefnydd a darparwr gweithdy ar gyfer y Gynhadledd Materion Blynyddoedd Cynnar, a gynhaliwyd ar 6 Gorffennaf 2016. Ymchwilydd arweiniol ar gyfer astudiaethau achos yn ymgysylltu â theuluoedd a chymunedau, gan gynnwys cyfweliadau, grwpiau ffocws, trawsgrifiadau, a datblygu astudiaethau achos gydag ysgolion. Arweinydd ar gyfer y tîm ymchwil Meddwl a Rennir Parhaus yn PCYDDS, sy'n goruchwylio prosiectau ymchwil parhaus yn y maes hwn.

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