I just read my Day 3 email which tells me not to look back at the practice sessions from previous days, as it will evidently make things harder. Go figure.
This is good timing because that is exactly what I was thinking about doing. But it raises another question: I have been writing down the vocabulary as I go along. Should I not do that?
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I gather itās discouraged on the principle that notes act as a crutch and actually slow down your ability to use the language in a practical setting.
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Writing down vocabulary as you go along and looking at it while you do the lessons does slow you down as Alan says. However, you can use written vocab to help in other ways - for instance, writing words or short phrases on post-it notes and sticking them around the house. But do try to do the lessons without visual references if you possibly can. There are people who have extreme difficulty learning without visual references, and thatās fine, if you really canāt do without notes, but for those who can do without notes - and it does feel odd because itās not the traditional way most of us are used to learning - it is by far the more productive way to learn a language.
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Iāve written down the vocabulary for every lesson. Iām currently on Level 2 Ch 12 and I still do this. Iāve been glad to have the written reference - it has helped to keep me on track when sometimes it is not clear what is being said, and has certainly helped me to progress with writing and reading Welsh. I sometimes also make a very short note during/after a lesson, if there is something Iāve noticed and want to come back to/find out about.
I can understand the idea of learning completely aurally - after all, that is how we start to learn our own first language from our parents; however, as grown ups we have more idea about how we learn best - and for me, an small element of visual reference is invaluable.
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I am willing to try this new approach to see how well it works. Sometimes, due to my less-than-stellar hearing, things are unclear, so I like to look at the words to have a better idea of what is being said. I have also noticed a mild difference in pronunciation of certain words between the male and female speakers. I assume it is a regional issue, but the written word helps there, as well.
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Hi Craig, I did just that at the beginning, but just for the words which werenāt sinking in. I realised, after just a couple of weeks, that as the vocabulary is repeated so often, I wasnāt referring to my notes any more. Iām on week 20 now and I can honestly say that i have only written one phrase down in the last 15 or so weeks. Best of luck. Stick with it. Youāll be amazed by how much you will learn, and how quickly.
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I always write down the vocabularyā¦and I also add the words phoenetically as they are introduced. Iām sure itās frowned upon but doing that means I can āseeā the words in my head. I rarely have to refer to them again after the lesson. I know itās SAY something in Welsh but the ability to read it too is a bonus.
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The vocabulary is already there in the Challenge, so no need to actually write it. I listen on my phone app and its just underneath where the challenge number icons are. Click on āvocabluaryā. I tend to listen to the dialogue a few times, then click to vocab if I am stuck.
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Iām with sylvia-walter on this: I find it much easier to remember the vocabulary if I know what it looks like. Iāve just finished level 3 and Iāve written down the vocabulary for every challenge; I rarely look at them but I do think itās helped me learn. I suppose I always learned things by taking notes - maybe itās just my age!
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I suspect itās about whether writing things down helps or hinders you in actually processing it. If you write it down after the lesson as an active act of remembering then thatās helping your brain build connections so it helps in the long run. But if you end up constantly referring to the written word then it gets in the way of you dragging the word from your memory so it slows you down at creating that connection.
Kind of like how when we walk through the woods we create little paths through use and we find new place, but if we panic about are there stingy nettles and will we get lost so we stick to the laid path, we canāt create our own routes and can only follow the existing path.
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Good analogy.
Always look at the vocabulary too.i had a bit of trouble with ātellā a while back. I made a transcript of the prompts, and bythe time Iād finished doing that,it was all straight in my head.
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Iād say looking at it after hearing and speaking the words the first time is great. Obviously thatās why itās there.
Just to avoid our brains subconsciously jumping to wrong conclusions on pronunciation from the written word only, which could be tricky to undo.
It can even happen in English with new words like Biopic - My brain told me that it rhymed with myopic, so it took me a while to unlearn that 
Hi all, would love to hear how other people go about the weekly challenges. I do so much a day and then if it is OK I move on to the next day by skipping the first say 6 mins. Just wonder if there is a better way of doing it. Gave up over a year ago at week 15, life and and the time need for it all to stick ā¦Cheers.
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