Ever tried the SSiW Old Courses? They are like hidden gems that folk who have finished the three newer Levels could find really useful.
Back in the day when I started SSiW the Lessons only went up to the end of Course 1, but new material was being released just as I thought I had caught up.
It’s a long while since I completed all the Old Lessons and the New Challenges, then did a year of Welsh while pursuing Celtic Studies at UWTSD, and forged ahead as far as Uwch 1 via Coleg Gwent. Having run into a bit of a snag with the latter last month, I decided to review all the SSiW material, starting with the Old Course 1–what a pleasure, what a gift!
As soon as the music started I was transported back to those happy days of realizing the 101 ways I could already express myself, and felt a real thrill to be able to complete that first Vocab 10 session without a pause with 95% correct. It is quite a workout, even now, because of its rapid-fire format.
However, what I have rediscovered are really useful explanations, things I had forgotten, and the benefit of drills to fix certain patterns in the brain—which works for me.
It’s great to hear you find them so useful! And you’ve certainly made amazing progress with your Welsh since those early days - llongyfarchiadau!!
If anyone is curious about the Old Course lessons, you can find them by clicking on ‘Learn’ above to get to the main website, then click ‘Learn’ again at the top of that page. Select ‘Challenges’ from the dropdown selection, then scroll down to the bottom of any of the Challenge pages to find the links to the Old Course.
So interesting - I only ever did the old course, but I bet I would still have that nostalgia rush, having listened to the theme music at least once a day, every day, for a year!
From AutoMagic, you should be able to click the SSiW logo and select challenges, which is the ‘new’ course, and underneath any challenge page there is a link to the ‘old’ course.
Loved the old course. I followed while the “new” challenges were being completed. Definitely head ache inducing but I found the lessons to be a great way to learn. Also, loved the story lines regarding industrial disputes and troublesome kids - or was I reading too much into them
Like this magnificent Old Lady, I was not only feeling rusty, but had run out of steam part way through Uwch1, mainly because of how much new vocabulary I needed to cram into my noddle every week. I could hold it in my short-term memory, but it was not ‘sticking’ so learning had become a chore and demoralizing rather than enjoyable.
As luck would have it, my hearing aids had also come to the end of the line, and that forced me to miss some classes until my new ones arrived. Gwych! My new HAs allow me to stream SSiW directly, and that’s what inspired me to run through the Old Course again now I can hear far clearer than ‘back in the old days’.
Thanks to SSiW, this Old Girl is having a ball polishing-up her Welsh and feeling fired up again
PS my dad used to drive steam trains for the GWR, so I painted this to honour him, but railway enthusiasts will recognize it is not one of the Castle Class that he drove.
That’s a fabulous painting Mari (as are all your paintings!), you’ve really captured rusty textures and the perspective and shadows make it so 3D - I’m in awe of your talent!
So glad you’ve been able to re-ignite the spark for Welsh, it’s lovely to hear how you’re getting on
Aw, diolch yn fawr iawn and bless you Sharon, you always say the nicest things. You are such a gem—so encouraging and helpful!
So let me pick your brains and float an idea please….
Is there a Welsh word for a ‘salon’—the virtual equivalent of what writers, artists and others used to attend in the likes of Paris? Do we have one in SSiW? My apology to everyone if we do, but if not, would it generate any interest do you think? Eisteddfods tend to be annual, but I was thinking of an ongoing thread where folk could post and discuss their creative ideas, writing, thoughts, arts work—and discuss them.
Would a dedicated channel in the Welsh Speaking Practice open Slack group be suitable do you think @MarilynHames ? That can easily be arranged. Then you post material, but also organise discussion groups from time to time if you wished.
There’s not an SSiW salon thread as far as I know, though I guess one would work similar to the ‘What’s Outside’ thread. I could certainly bore everyone with my slate sculptures/assemblages if there was one!
