Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Discussion and Essays, grade: 1,7, University of Wuppertal, language: English, abstract: This term paper concerns the advantages as well as disadvantages of bilingual education in Wales based on personal experiences I made in a primary school in South West Wales. I chose this topic because I had the great opportunity to have a direct insight into the Welsh primary school system over a certain period of time and therefore can draw on my own personal perceptions. The relevance of this subject-matter is of great importance since Wales can be considered an international character in educating through a minority language. It demonstrates that in one society two languages can co-exist, which contributes to a stronger community-spirit and pride but at the same time exhibits different opinions concerning the effectiveness of early bilingual education. In the following I will provide a definition for bilingualism and explain the meaning of bilingual education as well as its different types, referring to Baker. Furthermore I will introduce the theoretical framework this term paper is based on, making reference to Jim Cummins Balance Theory , Interdependence Hypothesis or Dual Iceberg Theory and the Thresholds Theory . The first two mentioned theories can be classified into the idea of Separate Underlying Proficiency and Common Underlying Proficiency , which will be elucidated later on. Subsequently I will move on to the emergence of bilingual education in Wales, illustrating the justification of bilingual education at an early stage of life, the infant and primary school period. Ensuing I will outline my personal experiences made with primary school children in a Welsh village called Letterston, located in Pembrokeshire, from age five to eleven, stating my own observations concerning the educational situation. Ultimately I will present a conclusion relating to the advantageous or unfavourable function of bilingual education performed in Welsh primary schools based on my own experience and theoretical background.