Sandy Giles

Side by Side with Little Voices: A Welsh Language Journey in Childcare 

Sandy Giles is a Level 2 Childcare & Development apprentice working bilingually in Carmarthenshire. For Sandy, learning Welsh has been a journey of mixed emotions. As an English person, she says she initially faced some discrimination while trying to learn the language, which made the process challenging. However, her determination was driven by her role at Cylch Meithrin, where the daily use of Welsh is essential. From greeting children and families to singing, reading stories, giving instructions, and having conversations, Welsh is a key part of Sandy’s working day. 

In the beginning, Sandy found it difficult to understand and express herself in Welsh, but over time, her confidence and ability grew. She now finds joy in being able to converse with Welsh-speaking children and their families. This has significantly enhanced her sense of belonging within the community she lives and works in as an apprentice.  

“I love the fact I can now converse with the Welsh background children and their families – it’s helped me feel included and like I’m part of the community,” she says. 

Her journey has not only had a positive impact on her personally, but also on those around her. Sandy believes her ability to speak Welsh has made others feel more included too. She has encouraged parents attending her Ti a Fi group to enrol on Clwb Cwtsh courses, further promoting the Welsh language within the local community. 

The help and support Sandy has received from her apprenticeship tutor and Itec skills has been a bog reason for her progress as a bilingual apprentice.  

“Joanna my tutor has been absolutely brilliant in supporting my Welsh language journey as she has encouraged me with the use of the Welsh language and has been able to support me as and when I have struggled.” – Sandy 

Additionally, the Itec Skills team helped assess her Welsh proficiency through a Prentis Iaith quiz, allowing her to track and improve her language skills closely. 

Sandy plans to continue her Welsh learning journey to further enhance her fluency and maintain her valuable connection with the community. Her story is an inspiration for all adult learners as she learns new skills whilst helping to nurture and shape the skills of the younger generation.