#SRtRCSpotlight: Dysgu Cymraeg – Learning Welsh by Roxanne & Tanya

This week, Roxanne and Tanya–two of our dedicated anti-racist educators in Wales–share their journeys of learning Welsh. Through their reflections, we get a glimpse into Welsh culture and see how language shapes identity and everyday life.

Dysgu Cymraeg – Learning Welsh by Roxanne Beckles

I moved to Wales from London in late 2017, commuting weekly to honour a Primary teaching contract until the end of the year. Once in Wales permanently, I was surprised to observe that there was rarely any Welsh spoken in the local community. The little that I saw was on posters, signs or on the tv or radio. Despite this, I became increasingly curious to learn the language, especially as working as a supply teacher, I began to pick up and use some simple greetings and phrases. I noticed that there was a pride amongst those that did speak Welsh and after attending a Welsh language festival a couple of years later, I was hooked. Luckily, I was enrolled onto a government funded learning programme, via our union and so I undertook an online course which proved to be a daily distraction during the worst of the covid lockdown.

In 2023, I began working as an Education Worker at SRtRC while continuing to teach. Around this time, I became more aware of two significant Welsh Government ambitions:

• to support Wales in becoming an anti-racist nation by 2030; and

• to encourage one million people to speak Welsh by 2050.

Both aims reflect a wider commitment to culture, inclusion and belonging. By then, I could clearly see that the Welsh language is a vital part of Welsh identity, culture and community. It is also something that can sometimes be overlooked by people who do not live in Wales or have close connections with the country.

After undertaking some short online language sessions, I have just completed two immersive weeks at the National Centre of Welsh language learning, Nant Gywtheryn. A centre situated in the glorious countryside of North Wales. The experience has been a wonderful opportunity to learn and practise Welsh in a meaningful way. I was nervous at the start as I was unsure about the abilities of fellow learners. Once I arrived, it was obvious that we were at a similar level. Each new word and phrase helped me feel more connected to the language and more confident about using it in everyday situations. Our tutor, Nia, was very knowledgeable, patient and encouraging.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the week was building confidence through small steps. Simple greetings, familiar classroom phrases, and everyday expressions became easier with practice. Even when pronunciation felt challenging, it was rewarding to keep trying, listen carefully, and notice gradual improvement. There were moments when the learning felt difficult, especially when remembering new vocabulary or saying words correctly. However, these challenges made the achievements feel even more worthwhile. Each time I recognised a word, used a phrase confidently, or understood something new, it felt like real progress. The supportive learning environment made it easier to keep going and to trust the process!

It was fun going out in the real world on a visit to Caernarvon to buy a stamp at the post office and return to write a postcard using Welsh at every step. I was very proud when the recipient called me to read and translate it!  

My time away reminded me how powerful language can be in helping people feel included. Using Welsh, even in simple ways, can create a welcoming atmosphere and show respect for the culture and heritage of Wales. At SRtRC Wales, ALL of our resources and presentations are bilingual. I continue to use more Welsh in my daily practice, whether through greetings, praise, songs, displays, or short conversations, as do my colleagues who are at different stages of their Welsh language learning journeys.

Overall, this has been a positive and inspiring experience. I have gained new confidence, using the Welsh language, and felt encouraged to continue learning. Most importantly, I have seen how even small efforts to use Welsh can make a difference. I look forward to building on what I have learned and finding more opportunities to celebrate and use the language.

The importance of Welsh to me, as a Welsh lady who doesn’t speak fluently – by Tanya Papworth-Morgan

When I was a primary school teacher, teaching Welsh as a second language was a compulsory part of the curriculum. It had as much weighting as Maths or Language, but I struggled teaching year 4 upwards. Welsh second language wasn’t compulsory when I was in comprehensive school, I dropped the subject before GCSEs. I found it boring, pointless and difficult. Why bother learning the language when the majority of us in South Wales speak English? My parents only spoke English, no one around me spoke Welsh: it was considered a North Wales dialect.

Fast forward to 2025, no longer teaching, I had been in this current role with SRtRC and I used incidental Welsh day to day as a left over from teaching. I attended the Eistedfodd with NEU and was happy chatting away in English. One woman stopped by to ask about workshops and spoke in fluent Welsh. I told her I only spoke English and she switched, but not without informing me that she was a Londoner and had lived in Wales for a while. This humbled me rather quickly! I had previously toyed with the idea of starting a course to learn, this encounter propelled that. A stranger telling me how she had learnt Welsh because she now lived here made me realise I held shame about not speaking my own native language, disguised by arrogance of being a ‘South Walian’.

There is a lot of history about Wales and the language and reasons so many Welsh people don’t speak fluent Welsh. The Welsh Government has a goal for 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050, currently stands around 844,000. Not too bad for a population of 3 million!

I started a Welsh second language course in September 2025 and am due to start the second part in 2026 as part of my continued professional development. Alongside this: I’m currently on a Duolingo steak of 132 days! It’s difficult learning a second language, even one I’ve been exposed to my entire life. However it’s not just pride I now feel about this learning, it’s also a deeper understanding about migrants who learn English to adapt while living in the UK or displaced from their homes. This empathy is something I take with me into workshops, with the hope that one day: I’ll be delivering them in Britain’s oldest language.

Diolch, Tanya