Learn Welsh conversation group for young people living in Swansea

Jonathan Davies, originally from Loughor near Swansea, is a Learn Welsh tutor.

Jonathan learned a little Welsh in school, but started learning the language again in 2020 during lockdown.

By 2022, Jonathan was following an Advanced level course, and in October 2022, he started working as a Learn Welsh tutor for Learn Welsh Swansea Bay, which is run by Swansea University on behalf of the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

During this time, Jonathan was living in London and teaching his classes online. However, he moved back to Swansea in July 2024.

As well as working as a Learn Welsh tutor, Jonathan is studying full-time for a PhD at Cardiff University. His work focuses on teaching Welsh in English-medium primary schools in South Wales.

This year, Jonathan has started a Learn Welsh conversation group for young people living in Swansea.

Let’s hear more of his story.

What’s the best thing about teaching Welsh to young people?

The greatest pleasure is watching them change their attitudes towards the Welsh language.

Many of them join the course believing they can’t learn Welsh after failing to do so in school. After a couple of weeks, they believe they can learn Welsh, and they say how much they enjoy it and how quickly they’re learning!

I also enjoy thinking about ways I can bring elements of popular culture into our lessons to make it fun for the learners - and for me.

Why did you want to start a club for young people to socialise in Welsh?

I started a new group for young people in November 2024 because they wanted more opportunities to practise their Welsh. They said that many learner support activities tend to happen during the day while they’re at university or working.

They also said they wanted an activity that takes place in the evening or on the weekend, where they had the chance to speak Welsh with people their own age.

So, I decided I should start a group for them to give them the opportunity to practise their Welsh!

What are your hopes for the club’s future?

We’re nearing the end of the trial period, but I hope to continue with monthly conversation sessions to give the group regular opportunities to practise their Welsh.

I hope to grow the group into a community of young learners, and then we could meet more often by holding evenings and activities where they can practise Welsh while doing other things such as cinema trips, crazy golf nights, going to Welsh gigs, and so on.

What’s the best thing about being a tutor?

Being a Welsh tutor is fun and challenging, and it helps me to develop my own Welsh. It offers the opportunity to share the language with others and to guide them on their language journey. The experience is inspiring and valuable every step of the way.