New opportunities to learn Welsh

Coleg y Cymoedd is taking part in a pilot scheme for learners to learn Welsh for free during their time in college. Launched by SaySomethinginWelsh and the National Centre for Learning Welsh, this project is offered to all learners who express an interest in developing their Welsh language skills. The online course can be studied at the learner’s own pace and level. 35 learners have signed up to the scheme to date, either as individual learners or as a class who will learn as a group.

Aran Jones, founder of SaySomethinginWelsh said “There is an exciting new experiment happening in seven colleges and schools in Wales during the autumn term this year – access to a new learning tool by SaySomethinginWelsh called ‘Automagic’. This tool focuses on spoken language, and improves the learners’ speaking skills through many mini-exercises where the learner hears an English prompt and has to say it in Welsh. It’s possible to learn for as little or as much time as they like, and it’s possible to choose an intensity level by answering a question about how you feel – if you feel ‘Okay’, you’ll get easier exercises than you would if you chose ‘Amazing’. The reception so far has been very positive, and we hope this experiment will lead the way in helping everyone in English-medium education reach a level where they are very confident communicating in Welsh.  ”

Karen Workman, Coleg y Cymoedd’s Vice Principal/Chief Operating Officer added: “Coleg y Cymoedd is thrilled to a part of this project with SaySomethinginWelsh and the National Centre for Learning Welsh. This is a wonderful opportunity for our learners to learn Welsh and the response so far has been positive. It is part of the College’s wider strategy to develop learners’ Welsh language skills during their time in college and to strengthen learners’ connection to their own culture and history. It also complements the opportunities available for our staff to learn Welsh, through the Work Welsh FE project, funded by the National Centre for Learning Welsh through the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.”

When asked why he wanted to learn Welsh, one of the learners, Kyan Dyer currently studying Entry Level 3 Professional Cookery, answered, “I want to learn about my own culture and language, and I feel that it would also open up more opportunities for me by learning Welsh”.

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