Into lesson 5 of the South Wales version of the course and I’d like to join the ssiw community.
My welsh speaking grandparents were very firm that we speak English, so Welsh is not used much within our family and I’d like to practise to get fluent. I can imagine a fair few people here have a similar experience?
I speak a jumble of English and Welsh at home with my toddler although all of her first words have been English! We have a few Welsh language books and DVDs but wish there was a parent and toddler group/ysgol meithrin nearby (We live in Leicester). Any advice from other parents outside Wales?
I hope you are finding the course enjoyable and it is helping you achieve your goal of getting fluent. Any questions you have about the course, the Welsh language, Welsh culture, or anything at all, just ask us and there will be at least one person who can answer your questions, sometimes within the hour!
With your toddler, if you not already doing this, and you have either Sky, Virgin or Freesat to receive your television, you can use S4C’s childrens service called “Cyw”. It airs every morning from 7am to 1pm Monday to Friday, 6am to 8am Saturdays (older childrens programmes are then aired until 10:45am) and 6am to 9am Sundays. There are also more childrens programming Monday to Friday afternoons from 4pm to 6pm.
On Sky, it will be on channel 134, and Virgin on 166. If you have Freesat, it will be channel 120. You can also watch online at www.s4c.cymru or by downloading the S4C Clic app, which also has pre-aired programmes available for up to 35 days.
I say this because these very programmes can also help with your own Welsh, so you can learn together! Also on Sunday mornings from 10:30 to 12:30 there is a Welsh learners service called “Dal Ati”, with programmes designed with learners in mind.
A warm welcome Lou you are in the best place to learn. Keep letting us know how you go and asking questions. I won’t be much use to you as I am a beginner too. Most of all, have fun with it.
A very warm welcome to the group, Lou! And yes, that’s a very common family history - it’s sad, but terrific that so many people are working to bring the language back into their families now…
The two things I’d focus on in your situation would be to get as many Welsh DVDs as possible, in the hope that your daughter will fall in love with one or more of them (even just hearing the sounds will make Welsh feel much easier and more natural for her) - and I’d also bust a gut to try and find a Welsh-speaking family with a youngster of the same age for play-dates - even to the point of sticking up cards in newsagents or writing letters to local papers. Nothing beats having a Welsh-speaking friend for your kid, and there are almost certainly some out there, even in Leicester!
Helo! I don’t have any children myself, but I actually enjoy using children’s programmes as listening practice sometimes, because they tend to speak slowly and more articulately/exaggerated than the regular radio talkshows. Radio Cymru has a podcast called Tic Toc for children. It’s little five or so minute stories. It’s pretty cute.
Ooo, yes. There surely is one … your own child inside (if you understand what I mean) …
I do have a kid of my own but there’s still a child in me and I don’t let it flee away … so thank you for this suggestion @FrankMorys. I’ll search for those podcasts and I hope they’re not geo-restricted so I also could listen to them.
Wow thank you everyone for the lovely welcome! Will definitely look into all of these. Never heard of tic toc, will totally have to watch s4c and wouldn’t at all have thought of advertising for Welsh speaking play dates. Glad i joined the site now
Hi Lou! From a 74 year old going on 4!! My little dog and I watch a lot of S4C and my pup really likes the programs for plant!! We like Y Dwysoges Fach, Hafod Haul, Peppa, Octonots, Sam Tan etc… I suspect it is programs with catchy signature tunes which appeal to her! I am not sure how old your child(ren) is/are, but Ysbyty Cyw, I think is brilliant at getting children to see hospital as a friendly place where you go to get better! Ti Fi a Cyw shows older children teaching Welsh to their parent or child-minder!!
your own child inside (if you understand what I mean) …