I’ve been going through challenge 1 and I’ve found it hard to absorb the longer sentences for instance “I still want to learn how to practice speaking welsh” in terms of my brain. Obviously with it being challenge 1 I have had to use the pause button, but I’m having to use the pause button to absorb the sentence if that makes sense!? I am autistic so it takes me more time to learn things and it takes me longer to process information. I’m getting annoyed at myself because I’m forgetting what I’m supposed to be repeating in Welsh. I know the answers but remembering the long sentences is something i’m finding challenging. Could I write down what is being said for me to repeat in English so I don’t forget it? I know it will mean I will be pausing it quite a bit but it is only during the long sentences and I know I won’t learn any other way unless anyone has any other tips?
Also, should I move on to session 2 now because I’ve played session 1 twice?
Any help would be appreciated. I’m autistic so information takes me longer to process especially during translation.
Thank you,
Hannah x
Oh, Hannah fach, I am just old and I have terrible trouble with those long sentences. Try starting to say your bit while still listening. If that is too distracting, just use pause!! We are all different. The instructions are for the ‘average’ person, whoever that may be. Too many repetitions are discouraged, mainly because all the material is covered over and over in later Challenges and you can always go back and try one again if you seem to have a gap! Very good luck! I am sure you will end up just fine. I know it is a different sort of challenge, but years - no decades ago when at Uni, I joined the Rifle Club. I remember a lovely guy who was having trouble. We had to put a big pistol target up for him to see where his shots were going, they were so far off! That guy ended up the best shot in the Club!!
Thank you for your lovely reply. Maybe if I could write down the key points I may remember lol. I’m just sitting here with a mind blank sometimes and it is getting to me as I know what I need to say but I’m having trouble remembering the key points during the long translations. I think I will box off challenge 1 now as I have done it twice and like you said, I can always go back to the challenge if I think there is some sort of gap as I go along. I can’t get involved of any of the talking and stuff yet so just trying to help improve my personal learning styles as I know I could listen to a challenge 10 times but still, the long sentences will get me and you get used to the repetition, for instance, it would then be questionable whether I have got used to the routine of that challenge hence me knowing what to say or that I did actually know the Welsh lol!
Sorry for rambling! I was hoping to do challenge 2 today too, I will give it a go I think and then I can always replay it tomorrow if I feel the need to.
You are very welcome, but I just wonder, would it help if you chopped the challenges up a bit? Did 5 minutes, then tried that with another few minutes… and so on? Writing, I think @aran discourages.
Thank you. I could give that a try. I just find it hard to remember the longer sentences. I’ve just done 10 minutes writing down the key points “I still want to practice speaking” which is helping me to absorb what is expected of me and it helps me to absorb the sentence. I may try the 5 minutes thing though. I’ve stopped for a bit now. Writing it down did help, even if it was just the key points but hopefully aran will see my question on here and then hopefully he will tell me if I’m doing completely wrong by writing it down, I hope I’m not but if I am then I definitely need to find an alternative way of learning these sentences lol.
Thank you again! Your help and kindness is very much appreciated x
Hi Hannah,
It may seem time consuming but try listening to the first five challenges without pausing and then starting again at challenge 1 and see if that helps. As everything is continually reused in each challenge it helps things sink in. At least it does with me.
That said we all learn at different paces and using different methods work for different people. I’m sure you will discover what suits you best with time.
Best of luck.
And as for the longer sentences - don’t worry about them. Everyone has a different cut-off point - it seems to be at least partially dependent on straightforward working memory - just say any stuff you can remember, and then listen carefully to the model, and you’ll be fine. I’ve actually watched someone go the whole way through Level 1 and 2 of one of our courses without getting ANY of the longer sentences, and still end up capable of producing long-ish sentences of his own in conversation…
Hello Hannah. I am on the six month course too, they are proper challenges and tongue twisters arent they. Often I am left standing with my mouth open but its too late, I then concentrate on what Aran says and sometimes saying it at the same time hoping some will sink in. I never use the pause button I just replay the lesson later, you may be surprised what sinks in. Think what usually works for you too as we are all different. Good luck with lesson 2.
Yes, I agree, just move on up. I didn’t get any of the long sentences out at the time, but now I can and also I can make up my own long sentences. It comes with time. I think it’s just a matter of saying what you can, and sort of absorbing what you hear of the longest sentences on the Challenges.
Also, I didn’t write anything down. All I needed for sinking in/revision etc is already there by clicking on “Vocubulary” on each challenge (on the website version).
HI Hannah! Don’t worry, I also had trouble with the longer sentences to start with, but eventually I got used to them. For the first few challenges I would sometimes have to hit pause and repeat the English sentence to myself a few times to get what I was supposed to translate straight in my head.
Don’t let it worry you; as you move through, you’ll get used to some of the longer sentences and you won’t find it quite so hard to grasp what’s being asked of you.
Thank you all for your replies they are very much appreciated! I didn’t do anymore of the challenge today due to personal issues but I plan on going back and revisiting challenge 2 tomorrow. I think using the pause button and writing down the key words in English may help me because I’m pausing it, repeating the English a few times and then forgetting the English so if I write it down quickly i can be sure I know what it is I’m supposed to be saying if that makes sense lol? I only need to do it on the long sentences, usually when coming to the end of the challenge lol.
I am grateful to you all. You’re such a supportive and kind bunch! I really want to learn Welsh, it’s a personal goal of mine and as always been on my bucket list as I’m Welsh and I live in Wales lol so I’m determined to make this a success! X
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