Advertise on podcast: Baby Steps Into Welsh

What books should I get my children to read? How can I help with homework? And can my child lose their Welsh? As a finale to Series 2, our resident expert, Dr Enlli Thomas of Bangor University answers your questions about Welsh medium education. Pa lyfrau ddylai fy mhlant ddarllen? Sut fedrai helpu efo'r gwaith cartref? All fy mhlentyn golli'r gallu i ddefnyddio'r Gymraeg? Fel diweddglo i Cyfres 2, mae ein arbenigwr iaith Dr Enlli Thomas o Brifysgol Bangor yn ateb eich cwestiynnau chi am addysg Gymraeg.

Nia is joined by two mums who were born in England and who have recently moved to Wales with their families. Sarah Coltman from Essex made to the move to her husband's beloved home city, Swansea. Fran Rumbelow was learning Welsh online before moving from Nottinghamshire to Pembrokeshire. Bravely, both Sarah and Fran have chosen to send their children to Welsh-medium nurseries and schools for their children. We hear about the worries and insecurities they faced and how they feel about the decision now. Listening along to the conversation is Dr Enlli Thomas of Bangor University who gives us her perspectives on the themes that emerge.  Dwy Fam o Loegr yw gwestai Nia yr wythnos hon, y ddwy newydd symud i Gymru gyda'i teuluoedd. Un o Essex yw Sarah Coltman, sydd bellach wedi ymgartrefu yn Abertawe, dinas enedigol ei gwr. Un o Nottingham yw Fran Rumbelow, dechreuodd ddysgu Cymraeg gyda'r plant ar-lein, cyn symud i Sir Benfro. Mae'r ddwy wedi dewis anfon y plant i'r cylchoedd meithrin lleol a'r ysgolion Cymraeg. Cawn glywed am yr hyn oedd yn poeni'r ddwy a'i pryderon cyn dechrau'r daith i addysg Gymraeg, a pam bod y ddau deulu a'r pant mor hapus ei bod wedi mynd amdani. Yn gwrando gyda Nia, mae Dr Enlli Thomas o Brifsygol Bangor, ein arbenigwr iaith sy'n ymateb i brofiadau'r ddau deulu.

Father and son Wayne and Connagh Howard are Nia's guests on this episode. Wayne talks about the conversation with his friend that led to him and his wife sending Connagh and his sister to Cylch Meithrin - and which, for Wayne, started a 28-year love affair with the Welsh language. Connagh, a 2020 Love Island contestant, talks about why he felt it was important that he used his Welsh on primetime TV to help raise its profile. Listening along to the interview is Dr Enlli Thomas of Bangor University, who gives her professional insight into the benefits of language learning and the mysteries of "code-switching". Y Tad a'r mab Wayne a Connagh Howard yw gwestai Nia ar y bennod hon. Cawn glywed sut waneth sgwrs gyda ffrind ysbrydoli Wayne a'i wraig i anfon y plant i'r Cylch Meithrin - a sut, i Wayne, roedd hyn yn ddechrau siwrne gariad 28 mlynedd gyda'r iaith Gymraeg. Yn un o gystadleuwyr 'Love Island' yn 2020, mae Connagh yn esbonio pam ei fod mor angerddol am y Gymraeg a sut roedd yn benderfynnol o ddefnyddio'i broffil ar y rhaglen i hybu a hyrwyddo'r iaith. Yn gwrando gyda Nia, mae Dr Enlli Thomas o Brifysgol Bangor, sy'n rhannu ei gwybodaeth broffesiynnol am y buddion o ddysgu iaith a'r rhyfeddodau o amgylch "code - switching".

Academic and former Wales international footballer Laura McAllister and her partner, radio producer Llinos Jones talk about their differing relationships with the Welsh language growing up. With their daughters Annie and Bella going to the Cylch Meithrin from the age of 2, Laura talks about the responsibility she feels to help protect and preserve the language for future generations. Plus, host Nia Parry listens back to the interview with our resident language expert, Dr Enlli Thomas of Bangor University who gives her expert view on the subjects discussed. If you have a question about Welsh language education or if you'd like to share your own experience with Nia and Enlli later in the series, email us on [email protected]. Yr Academydd a chyn chwaraewr pel droed rhyngwladol Laura McAllster a'i phartner, y cynhyrchydd radio Llinos Jones, sy'n sgwrsio am eu perthynas gwahanol gyda'r iaith Gymraeg wrth dyfu fyny. Cawn glywed sut mae ei merched Anni a Bella yn mynychu'r Cylch Meithrin ers yn 2 oed, a sut mae Laura'n teimlo'r cyfrifoldeb i warchod a chadw'r iaith yn fyw ar gyfer cenedlaethau'r dyfodol. Bydd ein cyflwynydd Nia Parry yn gwrando nol ar y sgwrs gyda'n arbenigwr iaith Dr Enlli Thomas o Brifysgol Bangor, wrth iddi hi ymateb i'r hyn sy'n cael ei drafod. Os oes ganddoch chi gwestiwn am addysg Gymraeg neu os hoffech rannu eich profiad chi gyda Nia ac Enlli yn ddiweddarach yn y gyfres, ebostiwch ni ar [email protected]

TV newsreader & presenter Lucy Owen launches series 2 of Baby Steps Into Welsh! In a lively and honest conversation with our presenter Nia Parry, Lucy talks about the decision to send her son Gabs to Cylch and into Welsh-medium education, despite many failed attempts to learn the language herself. We learn how an interview with a neuroscientist helped her make up her mind to send Gabs to a Welsh secondary school and how Gab's was so determined to continue in Welsh language education, despite the fact it meant getting up extra early to catch the bus! Lucy shares how she sees the Welsh language as a gift for children and how she wishes she'd been brought up today, where there is a greater emphasis on learning and speaking Welsh from birth. Throughout this series of Baby Steps Into Welsh, expert of language acquisition, Dr Enlli Thomas from Bangor University, will be listening in and sharing her thoughts on what the contributors have to say, as well as answering questions from the listeners. If you have a question about Welsh language education or if you'd like to share your own experience with Enlli, email us on [email protected]. Y newyddiadurwraig a chyflywnydd Lucy Owen sy'n lansio ein ail gyfres o'r podlediad Baby Steps Into Welsh! Mewn sgwrs fywiog ac agored gyda'n cyflwynwraig Nia Parry, mae Lucy yn sgwrsio am ei phenderfyniad i anfon ei mab Gabs i'r Cylch Meithrin a'r ysgol gynradd Gymraeg leol, er gwaethaf y ffaith ei bod hi wedi methu mewn sawl ymdrech i ddysgu'r iaith fel oedolyn. Cawn glywed sut y gwnaeth cyfweliad gyda niwrowyddonydd ei pherswadio i anfon Gabs i ysgol uwchradd Gymraeg, a sut roedd Gabs mor benderfynnol o barhau ei addysg Gymraeg, er gwaethaf y ffaith bod yn rhaid codi'n gynt i ddal y bws ysgol! Mae Lucy'n rhannu sut mae'r Gymraeg fel anrheg i blant a sut mae'n dyheu am gael ei magu heddiw, ble mae pwyslais ar ddysgu a siarad Cymraeg o'r crud. Trwy gydol y gyfres bydd yr arbenigwr iaith Dr Enlli Thomas o Brifysgol Bangor yn gwrando ac yn ymateb i safbwyntiau'r cyfrannwyr, ac hefyd yn ateb cwestiynnau sy'n cael eu hanfon gan ein gwrandawyr. Os oes ganddoch chi gwestiwn am addysg Gymraeg neu rhywbeth i'w rannu gyda Enlli am eich profiad chi, ebostiwch ni ar [email protected].

Wales’ new Health Minister, Baroness Eluned Morgan was the government minister in charge of the Welsh language from 2017 to 2021. A vicar's daughter born in a deprived area of Cardiff, and the only Welsh speaking family on the estate at the time. In an interview recorded before the election, she talks to Nia about how her mother started the local Cylch Meithrin - a Welsh language playgroup, and how she believes Cylch Meithrin is so important in getting to a million Welsh speakers by 2050. Bilingualism expert, Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn listens in and explains how speaking other languages improves a child's confidence and their social skills.

Will it hinder my child's learning if I don't speak Welsh? Will my child need to attend a Cylch Meithrin if I want them to go to Welsh-medium primary school? Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn is back to answer more of your questions about your child taking their own baby steps into Welsh.

How do children become bilingual? What is immersion and why is it effective? Over the next two episodes, our resident expert Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn answers your questions about Welsh-medium education and bringing your children up bilingually.

Aran Jones and Catrin Lliar published the first few lessons of the learning programme, Say Something in Welsh, four days before the birth of their first child and whilst living in Catrin's sister's converted pigsty. The programme has since helped over 60,000 people to learn Welsh across the globe. Despite this, Aran tells Nia that it wasn't always easy for him to learn Welsh and other languages. Both talk passionately about how sending your children through Welsh-medium education is like opening the door for them to a new world. Bilingualism expert, Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn joins Nia to explain how children learn languages naturally and easily as part of their development

Outgoing Member of the Senedd, Bethan Sayed and her husband Rahil are the proud parents of a lockdown baby. The plan is for little Idris to go to Cylch Meithrin, Welsh-medium playgroup, in order to be fluent in Welsh, English and Hindi. But Rahil, founder of the Cardiff Film Festival, is less convinced about sending Idris to Welsh-medium primary for fear he might not be able to help him. Can Bethan persuade him? Plus, bilingualism expert, Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn, is back with Nia to talk about how children can adapting to learning multiple languages.

When comedian and podcaster Mike Bubbins and his wife, deputy headteacher Kelly had kids, it was her desire to send them to a Welsh-medium nursery and school. Mike had his concerns. Neither of them spoke Welsh and he worried that they’d be unable to help them with their school work. Kelly and Mike talk to Nia Parry about how Cylch Meithrin changed his mind, and why Welsh-medium education is the best decision they have ever made. Plus, expert in early years bilingualism, Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn, listens along with Nia and answers some of the key concerns that non-Welsh speaking families have about Welsh-medium education.

When Good Morning Britain presenter Sean Fletcher married TV producer Luned Tonderai, he vowed in his wedding speech to learn Welsh! They talk to Nia Parry about why Welsh language education was a 'no-brainer', and a 'gift' for their children and how Cylch Meithrin - Welsh language nursery - was a crucial step in their journey. Sean also shares his own journey of learning Welsh alongside his children, and how despite a move to London, Welsh is as present as ever in their family home.  Listening along to the interview is Dr Sian Wyn Siencyn, an expert in early years and bilingual education. Sian talks to Nia about some of the main points raised by Sean and Luned which are likely to resonate with parents listening to the podcast.