Dr Hywel Glyn Lewis B.A, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Advanced Diploma, PGCE, Ph.D

As the Programme Director of the postgraduate course Bilingualism and Multilingualism (MA) which can be delivered by distance-learning methods, I am responsible for the general administration of the course, writing and preparing teaching materials, as well as tutoring students. I also share the supervision of Ph.D. students in research studies involving aspects of bilingualism.

Being in education throughout my career, as a teacher and subsequently as an administrator in my capacity as a deputy head of a secondary bilingual school, I was heavily involved in the field of bilingual education before entering the higher education sector and taking on my present role as Director of the Bilingualism and Multilingualism (MA) at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Prior to my present post, I was also employed occasionally as a researcher in education by an agency which subsequently became incorporated in the structure of the present Welsh government.

• Honorary member of the Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL)
• Vice-Chairman of the Educational Society of the European Regions
• Chairman of the Educational Society of the European Regions (Wales)
• Registered with Estyn, the Schools Inspectorate in Wales, to be employed for Section 10 secondary school inspections

The modules which I teach as Programme Director of the MA in Bilingualism and Multilingualism are as follows:

• CYAD7015: Introduction to Bilingualism
• CYAD7002: Societal Bilingualism                                
• CYAD7007: Research Methodology
• CYAD7008: Cognitive Aspects of Bilingualism
• CYAD7009: Development of Bilingual Education in Wales
• CYAD7010: Models for Bilingual Teaching
• CYAD7014: Dissertation

I also act as a second supervisor to Ph.D. students in the following areas of research in bilingualism:

• Second language acquisition
• Bilingualism and teacher training

My research for the degree of Ph.D. focused on two specific aspects: the historical and political reasons for the lack of development of Welsh- medium education, and any possible correlation between the varied linguistic backgrounds of pupils attending designated Welsh-medium secondary schools and their academic achievements.

Further research undertaken since then has been in the field of Welsh-medium education and sociolinguistics (see below).

I am currently involved in various aspects of bilingualism including education and other sociolinguistic issues as a member of international organisations which support and promote multilingualism globally, including the Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL)and the Educational Society of the European Regions, being an honorary member and  vice-chairman respectively.

I also present papers at international conferences and act in a consultative capacity on bilingual issues; for example, the annual Anishinaabemowin  Conference in Michigan, USA in March, 2014 where I presented academic papers and advised on aspects of language planning. I also act in such a capacity in Wales.

My previous career as deputy head teacher of a secondary school also provided me with opportunities to gain academic qualifications in educational management which have continued to be applicable in my role as an Estyn inspector of secondary schools in Wales.

I acted in a consultancy capacity project with Menter Cwm Gwendraeth in 2012 as part of a Strategic Insight Programme (SIP) to assist in devising research methodology to assess its impact on the Welsh language.

Research was also undertaken on behalf of the Carmarthenshire County Council in February, 2014 to assess the linguistic impact of new residential developments in three areas of the county.

I have also been employed in a consultative capacity by a research agency (Dysg) which, following reorganisation, has since been incorporated in the Welsh Government (see publications below).

Furthermore, the possibility of establishing a partnership with Sault College, Ontario, Canada is currently being investigated with a view to consult on language planning issues regarding the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) language.

Publications include:

“Post-16 Welsh-medium education: a study of existing networks within and across educational sectors and agencies.”(Dysg, 2003);

“Factors causing possible additional costs in the future delivery of bilingual / Welsh - medium education post-16.” (Dysg, 2003);

“Adroddiad ar Agweddau Myfyrwyr Ôl-16 at Addysg Uwch Cyfrwng Cymraeg.”  (Report on Post-16 Pupils’ Attitudes to Welsh-medium Higher Education) (Dysg, 2006)

“Swansea CCET bid for funding from the Common Investment Fund (CIF) for Welsh-medium / bilingual development.” (Dysg, 2006)

Report on the “Rhannu” project (Dysg / DECELLS, 2007)

“Current initiatives in furthering the development of Welsh-medium education and the linguistic aims of the Welsh Assembly Government.” Gaelscoileanna publication following the Connemara symposium, Ireland, April, 2007.

Co-editor with Nicholas Ostler of the Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Foundation for Endangered Languages, Carmarthen, 2010: “Reversing Language Shift- How to Re-Awaken a Language Tradition.”

“The irony of methodological and administrative difficulties in the delivery of effective Welsh-medium education in traditional Welsh-speaking areas.” (Cambria, 2011).

“The Cognitive Benefits of Bilingual Education.” (Cambria, 2013).

“Astudiaeth o effaith bosibl datblygiadau newydd ar gymunedau Cymraeg eu hiaith yn Sir Gaerfyrddin, sef tair ystad o dai newydd yng Nghaerfyrddin, Cross Hands a Llandeilo.” (Carmarthenshire County Council, February, 2014)

Organiser of the Foundation for Endangered Languages Annual Conference in 2010: “Reversing Language Shift- How to Re-Awaken a Language Tradition.”

Organiser of the Educational Society of the European Regions Annual Conference at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in 2013: “The Cognitive and Intellectual Benefits of Bilingual Education.”

Examples of papers given at more recent  international conferences include:

The Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge Symposium, University of Ireland, Galway, January, 2010.

“Language resilience and shift outside formal educational contexts: The Good News and the Bad News.” Languages of the Wider World International Conference, School of Oriental and African Studies, London and the Fryske Akademy, Leeuwarden, Friesland, The Netherlands, April 7-8, 2011.

The 42nd Poznan Linguistic Meeting, Adam Mickiewicz University,1-3 May, 2011.

The Anishinaabemowin Teg Conference, Michigan, USA, March, 2014.

“Pa Le i’n Hiaith mewn Addysg Uwch.” The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol International Conference, Cardiff, July, 2014.