A SSiW learner's progress from zero to...now!

A few days ago, while doing a search in the Forum I accidentally came across an old post of mine 3 months after I had started learning Welsh with SSiW.
It was about 6 years ago, so it seemed a good moment to check how I have improved since then.

I’m sharing it here because I can see that my progress of speaking and listening was incredibly higher than after 6 years of studying English back in school, despite a common belief that learning languages as an adult is way harder.

And I have to credit very much of this success to SSiW method, and its constant reminders of “making mistakes is good” and a great way to learn!

I copy here part of my original post for comparison. It’s written with a bit of humour, and a bit of bragging - but…hey! I’m really proud of what I have achieved! :sunglasses: :blush:

My Official Common European Framework of Reference Skills : Welsh Language

When I started SSiW (July 2018)

Listening:
-Can recognize the words from their titles when listening to the songs from one record (*).
-Can identify a few sequences of sounds as possible words.

Speaking:
-Can repeat words and sentences, including a few tough to pronounce ones like “reit lawr i’r gwleidyddiaeth”, from the lyrics of 3 songs from one record (*)
-Can repeat sequences of sounds from a few more songs quite accurately (without any idea of what they mean).
-Can say good night to a dragon.

Reading:
-Can follow and read aloud lyrics of 4 songs from one record (*) while listening to them.

Writing:
-Can spell “Datblygu” and “Nos da, Draig”.
-Can copy words, one by one (without any idea of what they mean).

(*) Hwgr-Grawth-Og EP by Datblygu

3 Months later (October 2018)

Listening:
-Can recognize most words from SSiW lessons (*) and a few from familiar songs, in a fluent conversation.
-Can understand random words and sentences from TV shows or in basic, slow conversations.
-Can understand simple questions.

(*) Levels 1 and 2 - Southern Welsh version, which I had completed in about 2 months

Speaking:
-Can build dozens of simple sentences, mostly based on SSiW vocabulary.
-Can repeat full and more complex sentences from about 40 songs.
-Can answer to simple questions.

Reading:
-Can follow most songs lyrics while listening to them.
-Can understand the gist of texts on various topics.

Writing:
-Can remember how to spell several sentences from SSiW vocabulary lists and from a few songs.

6 Years later (now)

Listening:
-Can enjoy most S4C programmes without subtitles.
-Can follow lessons, conferences, talks and radio shows and even understand about 70% of what Tudur Owen says.

Speaking:
-Can travel around Wales using only Welsh, as long as I can find Welsh speaking residents.
-Can take part effortlessly in conversations with first language speakers from most parts of Wales, and have very basic conversations with Cofis.
-Can manage a 10-minute chat on Radio BBC Cymru with presenter Huw Stephens speaking to me at full speed. (**)
-Can automatically start every conversation in Welsh instead of English in England, after spending only a few days in Wales.

(**) available until 7/12/24 here for proof: Huw Stephens - 07/11/2024 - BBC Sounds

Reading:
-Can read most of the news and posts on social media without a dictionary.
-Can read stories, novels and texts in various registers.

Writing:
-Can write messages, postcards, short e-mails and comments on social media, although overthinking almost every word most of the times.
-Can translate sentences (*) up to level Uwch 1 without a dictionary with just a few minor mistakes without having ever done courses up to level Uwch 1.
-Can write a short essay about Welsh poetry and literature marked 70/100 by Mererid Hopwood (but took me an awful lot of time).

(*) from weekly e-mail sent on request by the tutor known on social media as Daval Donc/Mr D, for learners of all levels to practise, with self correction key

So thanks again SSiW! :star_struck: @aran @CatrinLliarJones (and of course @Deborah-SSi, @nia.llywelyn and so many forumists who helped me in my journey - sorry if I don’t tag you all, but you know :wink: )

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:joy:

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Bendigedig!

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Congratulations on your successful language journey.

May I ask which resources you used beyond/after/during SSiW?
Did you go through the levels on “Dysgu Cymraeg”, Mynediad, Sylfaen, etc?

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You have made amazing progress in your Welsh @gisella-albertini. From that first time that you visited me in Llandysul I can’t imagine speaking anything other than Welsh with you - in Wales, in Italy, or here in the Basque Country!

And if we’re ever in Caernarfon together, you’ll probably have to interpret for me if we get into a full pelt conversation with a Cofi! :joy:

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Yes! :star_struck:
Sometimes with a bit of language-switching confusion because of those bits of English, Italian, Euskara, Spanish, Esperanto, French, Uzbek, Arabic (did I forget any?)…around us. :face_with_spiral_eyes:
But no doubt, our official language is Cymraeg! :slight_smile:

Well, don’t expect a fluent conversation about any topic. The feeling is very much like the first time I visited you in Llandysul, when you started speaking Welsh right away all day, and I was really only able to catch a few words here and there, but then more and more I managed to fill the gaps, get an idea of what was going on, and attempt a reply. :joy: But it worked, the last time I was there, I suppose it will work again next time! :sweat_smile:
And we can always ask @siaronjames, who should have got used to the accent by now! :wink:

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Diolch @verity-davey a @christopher-14! :slight_smile:

Just answering quick now as I’m a bit in a hurry, but sure I’m happy to share which resources I used, later when I have more time!

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So you’d think! :rofl:

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Well, there was that German pamphlet …

:rofl: :joy: :rofl:

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I mean … that’s possibly more than many people who have Welsh as a first language… :rofl:

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It’s just because…I remember seeing him in some programme whose title I can’t remember but I had really enjoyed it. I’m pretty sure he had been to Rockfield Studios, among other things, and I think talking about that and his accent somewhere with @siaronjames…well, one way or another, being able to understand him became one of my goals! :rofl:

Also I used Gogglebocs a lot to prepare myself for the level Uwch exam, :sweat_smile: and I’m pretty sure it’s him doing the voice, isn’t it?

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yup, Tudur does the Gogglebox commentary :slight_smile:

I don’t know if Tudur has been to Rockfield Studios, but someone who has that I’ve mentioned to you before is Dewi Prysor, who has a different accent all together :wink:

And for @christopher-14 and anyone who has spare time to spend here… :laughing:
my updated Main Resources list!

Courses/Methods (self-study)

  • SSiW Level 1 and 2 South (Summer 2018) + Level 3 and whole Level 1 and 2 again (Summer 2019)

Note: I always kept among plans to do all the “Old Course”, the Automagic version and the Northern version too - but truth is that all I did was a few random lessons from those!

  • SSiW Advanced content (from Autumn 2018) I think a lot of learners aren’t even aware that it exists because it’s a bit hidden in the website. And it’s a shame because in my opinion, that’s really great content especially for practising listening and reading, and learning colloquial expressions!

  • Duolingo Welsh course (started in March finished in December 2020) I’m definitely more of an auditory learner, so doesn’t really suit my style, but gave me the basics in written Welsh

Chat groups and sessions

  • Lessons/sessions with Richard Morse (Free) - tutor with Coleg Gwent Dysgu Cymraeg courses. They are presented as free live sessions for Duolingo learners because he’s one of the creators of the course, but they’re open to everyone and very varied (Free)
    (I found and joined these after finishing Duolingo until I decided to join a year-long course with the same tutor)
  • Sesiwn Sgwrsio Nos Fercher with Philippa Gibson (Free) - I don’t think she’s doing weekly classes at the moment, but has been tutor with Ceredigion provider for many years.

https://www.dysgu.com/2020/05/01/sesiwn-sgwrsio-nos-fercher/

  • Learning Welsh with Mister D (Free material on YouTube, then you can get in touch for sessions, weekly homework, etc. He’s also a tutor of Dysgu Cymraeg courses somewhere in the Gogledd!!)

https://www.youtube.com/@zePOINTofzeDAY

I also occasionally joined other on line groups sessions (like Zoom at Noon The Saturday at Noon (UK time), Zoom! - #446 by ann-6

that’s still going on, I see - . And chats with other learners on Slack - info elsewhere in the Forum or ask!), and elsewhere - on line and in person when I visited Wales.

Other on line/self-learning (for listening skills especially, learning colloquial Welsh expressions and a bit of reading too) the two things I did since the beginning, and always find them very helpful and enjoyable!

  • Watching all kinds of programmes on S4C Clic (alternating subtitles in English, in Welsh and no subtitles)

https://www.s4c.cymru/en/how-to-watch-s4c/

  • Listening to songs while following written lyrics. I’m a super fan of Datblygu especially, but you can find lyrics of many different songs here:

Books (for reading skills, and a bit of grammar)

  • “Modern Welsh Dictionary”, “Working Welsh” and “Thinking Welsh” by Gareth King

I’m not a grammar fan, but these are very helpful, and a great match with SSiW.

  • Cadw Sŵn book/method https://www.cadwswn.com (I found reading very difficult at first after SSiW that was basically audio only! Then I found this very basic, but with audio files as well, and a few exercises to go along with the story and was really effective to get me started with reading)

  • Novels & stories for learners (like “Amdani” series, but there’s several more from various authors and publishers)

Dysgu Cymraeg Classes

I’m not really a fan of classes and long courses, because I get bored easily, I pretty much always detested repetition, a slow pace like in most courses, too many brainy explanations and homework too.

If it wasn’t enough, with Welsh there’s an extra problem: in first levels classes (I think Mynediad and Sylfaen, but also often Canolradd I believe) all explanations are in English, which most of the time just add confusion to me!

I had tried a few lessons from different classes for a test, trying to figure out my level, mostly!

Then Richard Morse, from the Duolingo sessions invited me to try one of his classes in October 2021. It just happened to be Uwch 2 - rhan 2. I enjoyed it, and didn’t find it too challenging. So I stayed, and then joined the next class with the same group the following year Uwch 3 - rhan 1.

I even attempted the exam and passed it so then moved to Gloywi, always with Coleg Gwent provider and Antoni Morgan - who’s also a great tutor, and it’s a nice group. This is my current class, by the way!

Last but not least… (for speaking and listening but also for vocabulary and learning the structures of the language)

Full immersion time!

A few hours, one day, a weekend, a week…the more the better, but no matter how much time you have available, in my experience, this is the single thing that will make you jump to the next level (and then another level, and then another…).

It can be more informal (with friends and speakers willing to help - I’m so grateful to you all!) or more structured like these: Dates for 2025 released - Live Welsh Weeks / Wythnosau Byw’n Gymraeg 🥳 (Not SSiW) - #37 by nia.llywelyn

Ok, I hope this answers the question. Probably even too much…but oh, sorry it’s just so much fun for me, talking about this topic! :joy:
And I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten something and there’s a lot more - if anyone wants to add something important I may have missed, please do! :grin:

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Aaaah… you’re right! But did Dewi Prysor go to Rockfield studios? Maybe now I’m mixing names and programmes a bit! :laughing:

In any case I sure did practise with Gogglebocs - so that’s what worked for Tudur Owen (and he sure was in other videos and programmes on TV and radio).

But now I have to check again, cause Dewi Prysor sure was another big challenge, and now I had forgotten about him. Was he the one from Blaenau Ffestiniog 'te? :smiley:

Yes, we filmed part of an episode of “Darn Bach o Hanes” there. And yes, he’s from Ffestiniog.

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Reit! So they were both filed together under “impossible Gogs” - but I lost track od Dewi Prysor at some point and now confused them while writing, but oh…I’ll have to go back to part 2 of the challenge, then! :smiley:

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This is such a helpful link, thank you

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This is wonderful to be reminded of. It’s been such an extraordinary journey for you! I do hope that Catrin and I will get to see you in Caernarfon one of these days :smiley:

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It is! :star_struck:

I sure will be back in the Gogledd one of these days, and I hope to meet Catrin and you next time! :blush: (and @siaronjames for more roaming around and improve our understanding of Cofi ! :wink: )

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If exposure to Cofi accent is what you’re after, there’s a new series with Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts starting on S4C tonight at 9pm - Llond Bol O Sbaen where Chris goes on an unforgettable journey, cooking and eating his way around Spain!

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