Bilingual education (i.e. Welsh and English) is large scale in Wales, having enjoyed a rapid growth and unprecedented success in the second half of the twentieth century. Alongside other countries where bilingual education flourishes, Wales has a long and distinguished history of minority language education and shares international leadership of bilingual education policies and practices. By today, with an ever increasing number of pupils from non-Welsh speaking (and non-English speaking) homes taking advantage of the bilingual provision, bilingual education in the Wales of the twenty first century – as in other minority language regions of Europe (e.g. the Basque Country) - is a mix of heritage/maintenance language education and immersion education. In predominantly English speaking areas, designated bilingual schools offer early immersion in Welsh-medium education, primarily for Anglophone children, whilst in the rural Welsh-speaking heartland there are traditional or natural bilingual schools where children are taught Welsh initially, and from the age of 7 onwards study English, with both languages used as medium of instruction throughout primary schooling (Jones & Martin Jones, 2004; García, 2009, 253). That there is a kaleidoscopic variety of bilingual educational practice (Baker, 1993) across Wales – with many classrooms containing differing balances of L1 minority and L2 majority children - means that a wide variety of approaches are utilized by teachers. It also means that a well-defined policy and practice in language allocation is required (Lewis, 2006) with decisions having to be taken about the use of both languages as teachers experiment with concurrent/contemporaneous use of both languages within the same lesson period. Although bilingual education in Wales has flourished for more than 60 years, no comprehensive data or evidence exists regarding the use of different language allocation strategies currently situated in Welsh classrooms. Furthermore, ‘no exisiting typology of bilingual education in Wales captures the full kaleidoscope of colours that exists’ (Baker, 1993). This research project aims to define and analyse different models of bilingual education in Wales today. Following interviews/observations in 15 secondary schools and 25 feeder bilingual primary schools across Wales, this paper will discuss the theoretical background to the research before going on to analyse emerging models of dual language allocation. Specific reference will be made to ‘translanguaging’, an increasingly used methodology that nurtures a more dynamic bilingualism in students where the input and output are deliberately in different languages (Baker, 2000, 2003; García, 2009).

The methodology encompasses a number of research instruments so as to collect the widest possible qualitiative and quantitative evidence to elucidate processes and practices, based on a survey of existing practices in the use of two languages in the classroom in a purposive sample of a minimum of 15 secondary schools and 25 feeder primary schools in 14 LEAs across Wales: § semi-structured interviews with headteachers, language co-ordinators, teachers and pupils focusing on language use and allocation; § whole-school observations; § non-participant observations in classrooms; § case studies of particular classrooms; § focus groups, conferences and consultations; § collection of background information and evidence on the schools.

§ Producing an evidence-based typology of strategies for dual language allocation in classrooms in bilingual settings that will be of interest and relevance to bilingual education systems in an European context where decisions have to be taken about the use of two languages in the delivery of the curriculum in schools in minority language regions. § Producing in-service and pre-service training materials so that theory and research moves directly into practitioner education.