I’m up to Challenge 18. The last two or three have been a struggle to fit in. Sounds ridiculous I know as it’s not a lot of time - but things get pressured … and then when you’re free you’re too tired … As a result I feel I’m losing momentum as I might be rushing to ‘tick a challenge off’ as a task rather than really absorb the learning. I intend to go back and go through the challenge again but life takes over … Add to that - as the course moves on I’m not getting the speaking practice to back it up. Additionally - I haven’t found the SoundCloud app very user-friendly and haven’t bothered with it since failing to make it work - but I’m not too sure that’s a major issue for me. All this may sound a bit negative - not intended to be. More reflective, acknowledging where I am, taking stock … I have learned loads more Cymraeg than ever before through SSiW but I think I need to find a way of getting speaking practice in that fits around the volunteering, family commitments and when I’m not knackered …! About to start Challenge 19 …!!
Are you on level one or two? Have you tried the hangouts? Or send a message to @nia.llywelyn and ask to be added to Welsh Speaking Practice, if you’re not on it already, and you’ll be able to find someone willing to practice with you. Practising speaking has always been the best thing for me.
Don’t worry too much about racing through the learning - it’s all good - and it doesn’t matter when you take gaps, either - just don’t get caught in continually repeating stuff, and aim to push on through to the end of Level 2 - you can add one-on-one speaking work whenever is possible for you - if it can be done regularly, fantastic, but if not you’ll still see a really big shift just from one or two sessions of one-on-one work… 
S’mae Huw, I too have struggled with Soundcloud. I think the android app is a bit counter intuitive. But I’m going to get that 5 minutes speaking up there if it kills me! Not sure I can make it last five whole minutes though as my sentences weren’t very adventurous when I put then on my phone instead. I think they last a couple of minutes in total. Maybe I’ll stutter and hesitate and it’ll magically become a 5 minute sound bite. I would avoid ticking off challenges if you aren’t comfortable with the content. I’ve found some very difficult to get to grips with and others much easier. If I fall behind, I listen to the next audio and if it’s too complicated to move on I request a reset for one week so I can catch up. It works for me and takes the pressure off. After all we want this to be enjoyable don’t we.
Best of luck moving on. Gareth
Thanks - that’s reassuring. Having just just completed Challenge 19 I feel a little more confident
Thanks. I know within myself that I must keep up the momentum by hook or by crook so that I don’t fall behind. It’s a personal thing … It has to be fun and / or give a feeling of accomplishment. Thanks for the reassurance though. And good luck with your learning
Diolch yn fawr
Hi. Level 1. Thanks for the pointer. I shall try your suggestion … Diolch yn fawr
There is no perfect answer, as we are all individuals, but at the end of level 1, I happened to hit a patch where time was difficult, so set a pause for three weeks, during which I revised what I felt was lacking or weak in my level 1 learning. this proved invaluable.
My end of level 2 will coincide with the Christmas break, so I intend to use it the same way, to consolidate my learning to date.
Knowing this, I have managed to keep my finger off the pause button in between, even though I have found some points hard, so I have just ploughed on regardless.
It works for me, but for you?
Thanks for the response. It feels similar to when I studied with the Open University. Come what may the momentum has to be maintained with perhaps an acceptance that sometimes it sinks in when at other times it doesn’t but it sort of comes together at some point …
Hi Huw, Thanks for posting this. I could have written this myself, word for word. I have finished all the challenges in Level 1 +2 but being able to find anyone to complete the speaking practice requirements has proved impossible, for all the reasons you state, plus a new job. I never got up to the 5 minutes speaking practice let alone 1 hour. I am very grateful to the course for now knowing a great deal more Cymraeg than I have ever, ever known and believe me I’ve tried with other courses. I’m really glad that I have come this far but have stopped now because the aim became getting through the challenges to finish and the last weeks were a real struggle, which feels like I’ve only done 50% of the course. So I feel in danger of slipping backwards and until your post popped up I think I was reconciled to that. So thanks for posting.
It is not the destination but the journey that matters. We all learn at different rates and sometimes we get a spurt on, other times we just do a little and make slow progress. It sounds as though you expect to go at a certain speed and are disappointed that the rest of your life is not letting you do so. Learning Welsh should be your time to relax and enjoy. If this means doing the challenges in bite size chunks for now, then do so. I know people who rushed at their Welsh learning, doing courses at breakneck speed and putting great pressure on themselves. But now they really do not speak as well as me, and I have had some very difficult times health wise. I just taylor my learning to my life and how I feel. SSIW does work, whatever rate you complete it at. A relaxed mind learns better. Just ease off and enjoy it.
Thanks for posting this. I am struggling and have had only one speaking practice ages ago. My work hours are crazy lately and I’m very tired. Trying to fit everything in.
I can empathise. I’m going to try making contacts re speaking practice - easier said than done. I’ve found SSiW has got me much further than other attempts inc a residential weekend (I think it was the tutor insisting on singing some stuff - assumed too much about how (un)inhibited I/we were …). But fitting it all in isn’t easy if you have a busy life. The advice from SusanBurt was helpful. Do it at your own pace - you’ll still learn loads - try not to make it a relentless joyless chore …
sounds quite normal Huw. I’m feeling the same way on level 2 challenge 5. what with work, other committments, going to clwb clecs on a monday evening and not understanding most of what is said or making no progress whatsoever in my speaking practice i’m wondering on the best way forward. Perhaps its just a phase you all go through when learning a language. if this sounds negative then well it is. Cant keep going around with a smile on my face being super positive when making no progress.
You’re probably making more progress than you realise … I know SSiW has been better than other approaches I’ve tried. Perversely I think it’s the relentlessness of it - and with that the pressure to keep up. Happy to help if I can with a Skype call or whatever …?
Hi! There are so many of the previous replies I could have written myself - I’m up to challenge 20, stage 1, and found 18 & 19 a struggle but pushed forward not sure how much I’d remembered but trusting in the process. Sort of ok till I suddenly wasn’t well so I’ve put myself on pause and am getting to the stage of looking forward to releasing the pause so that feels good - a bit of revision first I think.
We are in sync. Extended Challenge 20 and I’m feeling it was the right thing to do. Happpier now!
So pleased to have found this thread. I’m on level 1 and although should be doing week/challenge 18,i can’t bring myself to leave challenge 14 as I can’t get my head round all of it. I’m usually fine with taking Aran’s note about not hanging round but some of the stuff isn’t going in and I really need to practice speaking Welsh with someone. I didn’t get on with Soundcloud but I’ve got an android phone and sounds like I’m not alone there. So nice to see I’m not alone with this stuff. Thanks for sharing! One question, am I too early in the process to do the Welsh speaking practice that’s been mentioned in this thread?
No, absolutely not too early at all - the sooner you start having conversations (even if they are only very short ones to begin with), the better!