Hi, I’ve happily reached lesson 11 of Course 1 but it has taken me till now to get a handle on this Forum. (I’m still not sure I have got it right yet, so apologies if I haven’t and have jumped in at the wrong place!). Anyway, thank you to those who went ahead of me for suggesting that Lesson 6 be split into two! I also wanted to say that I found Lesson 2 more challenging than any of the lessons I have tackled since then. Particularly the combined questions and answers. These were too long for a beginner and seemed unnatural as one doesn’t usually answer oneself like that (unless you live as a hermit). I know it is just an exercise but I felt that at stage in the teaching process it was a bit difficult. It reminded me of those occasions when you ask someone for directions when trying to Locate somewhere. After the first two directions: “turn right at the pub with the green door, then left after the second street on the right-hand side…” rhubarb, rhubarb. I just got totally lost trying mentally to remember what had been said, as well as struggling to repeat the request in Welsh, while being heavy on the pause button! However, that is now happily accomplished and in the past and I want to say a very, very, big thank you to all those involved in putting on this wonderful course which I am enjoying tremendously. Thank you all xx
PS It seems I have posted this in the wrong place?
This is totally normal Vivien, so don’t worry about it. However, you will master the longer sentences and Q&As, and it will really help you in the medium term, believe me. Dal ati and trust the method; feeling that you are struggling is good for you! I have worked through all of the Welsh courses and Levels, and am currently nearing the end of Spanish Level 1. All the feelings and frustrations of just beginning with the method have come flooding back to me (you tend to forget a lot of them), but most of all, I am feeling the benefits of these tough workouts and appreciating the skillful design of the courses even more now. Pob lwc and keep us appraised of your progress - it is great to get reports like this to share with fellow learners, as it highlights that we are all on the same journey and have issues at the same or different points in the courses.
Hi Vivien, and a warm welcome to the forum! I’ve split your message off into its own topic so that you’ll be a little more visible…
Well done for getting so far, and for surviving the imperfections of the older material, some of which we’ve managed to fix in the new Levels - but as Stu says, keep on keeping on and you will get there…
And thank you very much indeed for your very kind words!
It certainly will vivien. I have gone through levels 1 and 2 and the old courses 2 and 3…i confess that the final two challenges were just too difficult. However yesterday i was happily chatting to someone who had been to welsh classes for three years.
I adopted the"just move on" approach with this course as @aran recommends. At first it is unnerving to do so but it works.
At the chat session i went to yesterday people were very surprised that i only started learning at the beginning of May and i can assure you i am hopeless at languages usually so this method works!
I’ve been invited to a learners meeting in the summer at Nant Gwytheyrn and the tutor who is organising it has said he has no idea which class to put me in other than it’s clearly not the beginners group.
Dal ati. Ar hyn o bryd ti 'di gwneud yn dda iawn. Wyt ti’n mynd i fedru siarad cymraeg yn fuan. Wel i fod yn honest fedri di siarad hi rwan hyn. Llongyfarchiadau.
Any time Vivien. I do lack confidence speaking. But having bought a book to help me with things I can see now just how good the SSIW lessons are.
You already know so much. Probably as much if not more than someone who has been attending a two hour class for a year.
The hard part is now putting into practice. I confess I don’t find it easy. I can happily type away chatting to people in Welsh on Facebook but then I have time to look up new words although I try not to automatically default to doing so. Out in the real world…well it’s harder.
So far I’ve been to saith seren once where I said very little to be honest although I did have a chat with two fellow SSIW people who were very patient with me. Then I went to a chat session which was easier for me but still with those awkward moments when you’re completely stuck.
Last week I did a couple of days cycling round llanberis…tried speaking a couple of times only to find I was talking to a non speaker and then in a shop in mold I managed to ask for things and discuss the weather! Small steps.
Today I have arranged to meet a fellow SSIWer in Germany whose Welsh seems more advanced than mine. Doubtless his English will be perfect too but I’m going to try to stick with Welsh.
Then in three weeks I’m off to nant gwythern for the day and hopefully to saith seren in between.
I guess what I’m saying is try to do as much as you can. Most days I talk to myself in Welsh and try to think f what I said in English in Welsh.
Wow PETER, you are doing well and I really am impressed. Yes, finding practise for speaking is the difficulty. I completely lack confidence as I don’t think I have enough Welsh yet to hold a meaningful conversation and I certainly lack the vocabulary to go far at the moment. But, you have given me the hope that it won’t be too long before I can start chatting. Sounds as if you have a fun trip ahead of you. Have a good time.
Looking forward to hearing about your time at Nant Gwytheryn, Peter. My mum has been to several of their courses over the years and absolutely LOVED them! Hwyl am y tro!
Wel, mae’n bwysig i ddeallt yr iath. Dw i’n byw yn y Gogledd ond ges i fy ngheni yng Gaerdydd. Nes i ddechrau tair mis yn ol a dw i 'di mwynhau pob munud.
Dw i angen ymarfer mor cymaint a phosib a dw i 'di bod yn trio meddwl am be dw i di bod yn dweud yn Gymraeg.
Ff hefyd dechreuodd y cwrs Mai ond Mae gen i mot got cyn belled ag y byddwch hyd yn hyn. Yr wyf yn cymryd ei fod yn fwy araf. Fy uchelgais yw i fynd ymlaen i ddysgu Almaeneg, yna Eidaleg pan fyddaf yn rhugl yn y Gymraeg.
Fi yn hoffi cerdded, dawnsio a ioga a fi yn mynd i’r gampfa. Fi wedi gwneud yr arfordir I gerdded arfordir ( St Bees i Robin Hoods Bay) a Offa’s Dyke. Fi hefyd wedi bod gyda grwpian merlota tramor a fi yn arbenning yn hoffi cerdded yn Nepal. Gwneud gwersyll i chi pan fyddwch yn mynd feicio ?
