For a variety of reasons, I had to pull away a bit from the course, but for a few weeks now, I’ve been getting back into the groove, so to speak. In doing so, I ended up downloading the Northern course again, and hyd yn hyn it seemed somehow different. I’ve just realized that I have been working at the new level one programme (sometimes referred to by our host and tutor as either the challenge or the game), rather than the older version.
I’m quite enjoying it, even it is a bit harder than the earlier set I’d downloaded. I’m using the pause button more than before, but its primarily to get my head around the various clauses in Saesneg as they’re being presented rather than trying to getting the right Welsh words in before her ladyship speaks.
All in all, it’s a grand stretch, but I still need (Dw i dal angen; weehee!, from memory) to put more effort into it. Thanks, folks. I appreciate all the work you’ve put into getting us into the language.
Well done for getting back into learning Welsh! It can be a bit of a challenge after a break. I am so glad that you downloaded the new Level 1, even if by accident, because it is definitely the way to go. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to post on the forum, as we have loads of helpful, willing folk on here you will be able to assist, support and inspire you!
It’s a good way of learning. It’s unusual because I’ve done a bit of Welsh before so some things are new but I find like I’m sailing through a few of the lessons.
Hi everyone, I have a quick question about the new level 1.
I am a new learner and have nearly finished course 1 (which has been fab). Would I be best to try level 1 before moving on to course 2?
Diolch
Jenny
I would say go with the new course. There is some important stuff in the new level 1 which you don’t get until level three in the old course, so you will definitely be learning new stuff rather than going over old ground!
I finished Level 3 (Southern) a few weeks ago and have been looking round for ways of keeping up my learning. I thought I’d look at the new course 1 on Friday and am finding it both reassuring and challenging at the same time. I’m now on Challenge 4 trying hard to limit my use of the pause button and it is really making me work.
I was able to use my Welsh on a recent trip to Pembrokeshire and was pleased to be able to understand native speakers and to be understood. (A visit to the Sloop Inn in Porthgain proved particularly enjoyable - good food, beer and conversation.) One thing which did strike me was the amount of positive reinforcement I got by simply reading information and road signs. Resolution :- I must spend more holidays in Wales.
I should clarify: I’m not saying I think there’s anything wrong with the new course 1 in and of itself. I just didn’t enjoy going from OldCourse1 to NewCourse1.
I found it to feel a bit like “a lot of the things you spent a long time learning previously, we don’t actually say them like that, we say this instead”, and I had a similar feeling with the Southern Lesson 0 in course 2. Some of this may be because my family are still doing OldCourse1, and I wanted to stick with saying things in the same way as they are currently learning.
I’m doing course 2 now instead and it feels like I’m building upon what I did in course 1, rather than (it feeling like) throwing away a lot of course 1; I’m really enjoying it.
Perhaps it’s an entirely illusory difference, because I know I’ll have to learn all the material anyway, including of course the different ways of saying things, but I found it demotivating to feel a bit like everything I thought I knew was actually wrong. Having never been successful in any of my language endeavours in school (Welsh, French and German) or adulthood (Russian) it doesn’t take a lot to knock my confidence in this area.
That can be very demotivating, but isn’t it better to think of the lessons as learning new ways to say things? There is never only one correct way to express yourself, that’s the beauty of languages!
True. You could argue learning more ways to say the same thing is learning more just as learning to say more things is learning more, and if that’s your thinking then all power to you.
Ah. I can see, now you describe it, how someone could fall into that trap - but I want to emphasise that it is absolutely, absolutely not the case. Everything you learnt in (old) Course 1 is 100% usable, and you will hear all of it from first language speakers. What (new) Level 1 is doing is just focusing on possible dialogues a bit more and bringing in some short form alternatives at an earlier stage, which will make you less likely to be tripped up when first language speakers use them with you.
But it’s absolutely fine for you to carry on with Course 2 - and then you can see if you fancy getting to grips with the short form via the (slightly clunky, in my opinion) Course 3 route, or via the (more natural, in my opinion) new Level 1 (and 2, by then, insha’allah!)
I would highly recommend the new Level 1 listening practices (they accompany lessons 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25) even if you do not return to Level 1 for a while. They are only complete for the Northern course, but they are excellent for helping with comprehension and boosting the speed with which you can process Welsh. Give them a try and let us know how you get on!
I know what you mean, but rather than believing everything is wrong, I am working on the principle that there are other ways of saying things … I don’t have to get too hung up on remembering exactly what I have already learned and that is a real bonus for someone like me who was always making “mistakes” at school.
One of the real advantages of doing the new course for me has been to reinforce the “natural” use of mutations.
I have also found the listening exercises are also a real boost to confidence… I know a lot more than I gave myself credit for.
