Chairing Bilingual Meetings

Aim

The aim of this training is to give staff the confidence and skills to use two languages while chairing meetings, creating a safe environment for Welsh speakers and non-Welsh Speakers to contribute.

Audience: The training is intended for

• Individuals who want to develop their bilingual chairing skills
• Individuals who facilitate groups/sessions
• Individuals who chair meetings
• Those who work in public, private and third sector 

Content:

Attendees will:

• Receive an introduction to language awareness
• Discuss the concept of bilingual meetings and will look at techniques used to promote bilingualism within a session
• Receive information on tools available to support the use of both languages
• Recognise barriers and worries
• Look at techniques that will allow staff to plan a lively, inclusive meeting.
• Identify and share good  practice

Learning Outcomes

Attendees will acquire information and skills to support them to:

• Deliver bilingual sessions that are suitable for a group with mixed language skills
• Provide a safe environment in which attendees will be able to contribute in either language
• Use tools that could support them to facilitate bilingual meetings

Trainer

Siwan Tomos is the Director of Education and Training at IAITH: the Welsh centre for language planning.  Siwan joined IAITH at the end of 2011 from an youth work background. She is responsible for our community focused projects. She is also an experienced trainer and has provided language awareness training to a host of organisations across Wales including the National Assembly, Ceredigion County Council, the County Voluntary Councils, Welsh National Opera and Hywel Dda Health Board.

She also contributes to community-based research projects at IAITH siwan.tomos@iaith.eu

Programme