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Cymraeg

The Tired Translators

Illustration of a girl using a laptop with a daffodil sticker, surrounded by schoolwork and speech bubbles showing cultural and creative symbols. Two small red dragons sit on her shoulders as she works. Darlun o ferch yn defnyddio gliniadur gyda sticer cenhinen Bedr, wedi’i hamgylchynu gan waith ysgol a swigod sgwrs sy’n dangos symbolau diwylliannol a chreadigol. Mae dau ddraig goch fach yn eistedd ar ei hysgwyddau tra mae’n gweithio.

The Tired Translators are dedicated Welsh-medium practitioners who regularly adapt English-language resources to suit their learners. Faced with a shortage of editable, high-quality Welsh materials, they spend valuable time translating and reworking content – often duplicating effort. Resourceful and committed, they draw on peer networks and digital tools to lighten the load, but the process remains demanding.

Our research suggests that these users:

  • Rely on editable formats (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Docs) to adapt resources quickly and effectively.
  • Invest significant time in translating English-language content due to limited Welsh-medium availability.
  • Share and source materials through peer networks such as WhatsApp groups and shared drives.
  • Make use of AI tools (e.g. Copilot) to support and speed up translation when time is tight.

Resource preferences

Tired Translators are Welsh-medium practitioners who regularly adapt English-language resources to meet the linguistic and cultural needs of their learners. They typically use platforms such as Hwb, Twinkl, and TES for inspiration, but most resources require modification. Editable formats are essential, and tools like Canva, PowerPoint, and Google Docs are used to rework or translate content. Peer-sharing networks, such as WhatsApp groups or shared school drives, are key sources for pre-translated or partially adapted resources. AI tools like Copilot are sometimes used to accelerate translation workflows, particularly when time is limited.

Common challenges

The most significant challenge for this archetype is the lack of high-quality, editable Welsh-medium content. Practitioners must invest considerable time in translation and adaptation, which adds to an already demanding workload. Common issues include encountering static file formats (e.g. PDFs), limited Welsh-language versions of creative or inquiry-based resources, and duplicated effort when multiple teachers independently translate the same materials. The cognitive and emotional effort required to maintain both accuracy and pedagogical quality in translation is substantial.

Opportunities and recommendations

Supporting Tired Translators involves reducing the duplication of effort and enhancing access to editable, bilingual content. The aim would be to:

  • Develop and prioritise bilingual resource creation.
  • Offer editable templates in dual-language formats to reduce translation workloads.
  • Build shared, searchable banks of translated materials with appropriate tagging and metadata.
  • Integrate AI-assisted translation tools with built-in checks for accuracy and readability.
  • Encourage communities of practice for Welsh-medium educators to co-develop and share resources efficiently.

Tired Translators play a vital role in making bilingual education work, and they need tools and systems that lighten the load and recognise their expertise.