Today I was asked if I spoke welsh and all I replied was a little bit (in welsh). I knew I could say more than that from the few challenges I have learnt on level 1 but lost all confidence. I left the conversation feeling disappointed in myself but it is the kick I think I needed.
So I have come back more determined and there appears to be more course options etc and I was wondering what would be best for me.
I am looking at the 6 month/two year course at the moment but I see people mentioning subscriptions? Is that different to the courses or the same thing? Can i join the 6 month course if i have only done 5 challenges of level1?
Well done for that! It’s lots of little steps, so using Welsh out in the wild after just 5 challenges is a real achievement!
These courses are new to me, they weren’t here when i started with SSiW. My understanding is you can still carry on through the challenges as before. When you get to Level 2 you need to pay a subscription to access Level 2 and 3.
There is now an alternative in these courses, which as I understand it as still based on doing the challenges but you get extra stuff to do and weekly Skype chats with fellow learners at a similar level, which must be incredibly useful. Though there is the slack group which you can join without signing up for a course. The course probably provide extra motivation and support which can be very useful. If you are still around Level 1 Challenge 5, you can still start the 6 month course or the two year course, if you want that bit of extra support, you will just have that little bit of extra experience and not be starting from completely cold.
Yup, sure - it just means you’ll be doing a bit of revision at the start, but that’s no bad thing - the key element is that you’re sure you have time for the 6 month course - 3 to 4 hours a week - if you’re not sure about that, better to go the steadier, less intensive 2 year programme, which only needs about 30 to 60 minutes per week…
I did consider doing the two year course but i do have time for 3-4 hours a week and signing up will make me do it too! Learning on my own just doesn’t work and i feel this would give me the push that i need.
My concern was that i would not know enough to be on the course but if i need to put a bit more work into it thats fine!!
Aww thank you thats really kind of you to say. I just wasn’t expecting it whilst I was in work in England haha sometimes being put on the spot is better though as i probably would have ran away if I knew someone was going to test me but I just wish I did better!!!
I think I started learning in 2016 and the courses weren’t available either it was just the challenges that were available so it was great to see the courses were an option. Having that support and structure I think is what I need.
Thank you very much for explaining everything for me. I did see in one of the forums the slack group being mentioned and wasn’t sure what that was. How do i find it?
Smarian, I look forward to your postings appearing in the (very helpful) Slack workspace in the Introduce-yourself and Week00 channels, then seeing you perhaps, speaking with you even better, on a 6mws Hangout soon! Croeso i ti!
(I’m not using the WSP Slack space yet - I have plenty to keep me busy on the 6 month course for the moment.) Hwyl am y tro!
Hi Sian, Well if I were in your position and providing you can put in the requisite hours each week, I would definitely go for the 6 month Welsh speaker course.
I am in the position of having done the 5-day intensive last October, which is something different but covering the same ground, as it says, a lot more intensively. So when the 6mws course popped up earlier this year, I decided not to go for this as going over similar ground - a decision I now regret as I’ve heard back from those on the course.
The opportunities on the 6-month course for chatting with other beginners on the weekly hangouts and asking the tutors any number of questions are second to none, and would have suited a slowcoach like me.
You can also register at the same time for the more general Welsh Speaking Practice site on Slack, as indicated above, where you will find other hangouts and speakers at all levels - but if I were you I would make the 6mws course a priority for now.
@Smarian If you have the time required per week for 6 months, and you’re willing to put in a lot of effort, go for it! You appear to have the correct attitude - pob lwc!
Yes will definitely be looking into the slack option once I can decide on 6 months or 24 months. From the sounds of it the 6 month course does take up some time which I do have at the moment I just need to make sure I can commit
Thank you for your message!! The 5 day challenge must have been very intense to cover levels one and two!! Must have been a great feeling at the end though!
Talking to other beginners is the biggest attraction for me as the confidence to speak Welsh is very little. I can imagine the support received too is very encouraging. It’s good to see that the slack group is another option too!!Will definitely be looking into this! I just need to decide on whether I can commit the time on the 6 months course.
Well the 5-day intensive was basically intended to cover Level 1 (for a beginner), rather than Level 2 as well. But that alone covered 25 challenges, which was more than enough! By the end of the week well apart from a headache (as I’d not slept too well), yes there was an lot of Welsh swimming round in my head and it gave me the real boost that I needed at that stage.
But I always need to steadily consolidate what I’ve learnt and on Slack I still put myself in the beginners category (compared to the shooting stars). If you make it onto there perhaps we can have a chat sometime. Meanwhile, pob lwc - with whatever you decide to do!
Yeh I can imagine you were dreaming in welsh nevermind speaking it!! You must have learnt so much in such a short space of time! I think that’s why I want to go on the 6 month course because I think it will make me learn at a great pace instead of learning on my own taking ages to do one challenge! I also dont have anyone to talk to in welsh which I think is a big downfall when trying to learn a language.
Well I have officially become a member tonight so I am sure once I am all set up hopefully a welsh conversation can happen
Yep the 6 month course will give you the direction AND the speaking practice you need - everybody I’ve heard comment on it says the same sort of thing. I was in a similar boat to you before I did the 5-day, having taken forever and a day to do the old course 1. I was also pretty isolated speaking-wise before, living as I do on the Isle of Wight - Welsh learners outside (and sometimes inside) Wales tend to be quite scattered. But since the Slack site has appeared I’ve spoken - albeit very basic - Welsh to a range of learners, and gradually built a bit of confidence. May see you there in due course!
Diolch @Baruch. Well I can generally churn out some stuff when I know what’s going on, but continue to have great difficulty picking up what’s being said, it STILL doesn’t come at all naturally to me. (Yes I need to get back to the Radio Cymru podcasts.) All of which is why I currently tend to avoid most of the standard Slack hangouts - but would love to have done some of your 6mws hangouts and kick myself most days about it, but at least I can catch up with a few of them on Google!
will hopefully sign up tonight so I get my first task on Monday!!