Let us introduce ourselves. . . We are a group of staff learners aiming to improve our use of spoken Welsh. Our course is aimed at learners who already have some basic Welsh language skills, where  Addysg Oedolion Cymru | Adult Learning Wales has commissioned this training under the Welsh in the Workplace scheme.

Addysg Oedolion Cymru | Adult Learning Wales is the National Community College and Democratic Movement for adult community learning in Wales, promoting active citizenship and skills development, providing the best quality learning through a collaborative approach, across the whole of Wales. Access to education is offered from pre-entry level learning to level four qualifications.

Our learner groups are based in two offices where a video conferencing (VC) facility enables those in our Bangor group to participate with the Wrexham group and vice versa. Our group of 10 - led by our Welsh language tutor Huw - consists mostly of part-time tutors and curriculum development officers who teach on a variety of courses from Drama to Art, Counselling to Photography, Digital skills to Youth Work and Crafts, with a full time Curriculum Manager and Administration staff.

We believe that learning should be fun and this is certainly the case in our classes! We also make up stories to support our learning. Why? Well when playing games or repeating verse you sometimes need to make things up. . .

“Be fyddi di’n wneud heno?” (What will you be doing tonight?)  

Although if all of us say, “Mi fydda ni ymlacio ar yr soffa,” (I will be relaxing on the sofa), then it gets a bit dull! So we make things up and say things like “Nofio” (swim), “Gweld ffrindiau” (see friends), “Rhedeg” (run), “Peintio” (Paint), “Chwarae drymiau” (Play drums), “Mynd ir dafarn” (Go to the pub), “Dawnsio” (Dance), “Coginio” (Cook), “Smwddio” (Iron).

We play games to reinforce vocabulary and we practice, practice, practice! Recently we decided to challenge ourselves to sing a Welsh song. The video below records our first go. Ash kindly brought in the music equipment, we had a trial run through of the lyrics with Huw, watched a Youtube clip – and then we gave it a go. Even with the VC delay we think it sounds quite good (even if we do say so ourselves!).  

Staying in touch

In order to keep in touch, we have a WhatsApp group, so if anyone misses a session they can let the group know and the group can let them know what they’ve missed! If we find some new words then we share them too. . .

November 5th brought with it an extended lesson which ran throughout Bonfire Night week with group members writing in Welsh and recording whether they were out watching a fireworks display or were home by the fire.

Our learning reflects our continued positivity towards our Welsh language where this we think, will enhance our current and future work relationships, as well as those we have with our learners now and for years to come where we engage and converse in Welsh. Speaking Welsh will also feature in our homes and our social lives.

So for our next blog: fancy dress or Christmas carols?

Addysg Oedolion Cymru | Adult Learning Wales 

Adult Learning Wales is the National Community College and Democratic Movement for adult community learning in Wales. The organisation promotes active citizenship and skills development across the nation.