AN English teacher in a Ceredigion school said he is now a better English teacher after learning to speak Welsh.

Tom Trevarthen teaches English at Ysgol Henry Richard in Tregaron – where around 60 per cent of students speak Welsh at home according to the 2018 Estyn report and the majority follow all their courses through the medium of Welsh.

He now feels – after starting to learn Welsh in the summer of 2022 – that he can better support his pupils with their English skills.

Tom was born in England and lived in Hertfordshire until he was 11 and then moved to Cambridgeshire. He moved to Wales at 18 to study international politics at Aberystwyth University. He heard the Welsh language around him but only started learning it last year.

Tom said: “Learning Welsh has certainly helped me when I’m teaching English at school I can see what’s going on in the children’s heads and how they on occasion translate sentences directly from Welsh.

“I see what is happening and can explain things better – the similarities between both languages, as well as the differences.”

Tom studied Welsh on an Aberystwyth University-run course provided by the National Centre for Learning Welsh, Learn Welsh Ceredigion – Powys – Carmarthenshire.

He said: “While I knew quite a few Welsh words, I didn’t really start learning until the summer of 2022.

“I’ve worked hard learning the language and tried to change my life to make sure I have enough opportunities to use my Welsh.

“I’ve persuaded friends at school to speak Welsh with me in the staff room, and my flatmate speaks Welsh – I now only speak Welsh at home.

“The pupils at the school have been great too – many of them feel more comfortable speaking Welsh, so it’s important I can speak the language.”

Tom was shortlisted for the Welsh Learner of the Year award at the 2023 Llŷn ac Eifionydd National Eisteddfod.

Anyone working in education can follow a Learn Welsh course for free. To find out more, visit https://learnwelsh.cymru/education-workforce/