Think Without Limits:
You CAN speak Welsh
Lynda Pritchard Newcombe
Learners experience high points and low points, like a ‘Super Mario’
game, coasting along then smashing into a wall, or a game of snakes
and ladders.
There is conflict between the need to communicate in a global village
and use minority languages demonstrating sociability and
community spirit.
Learning a second language has been compared to climbing a
mountain, a mountain without a peak.
The achievement of passing an examination is nothing compared
with communicating with a first language speaker.
Many parents believed that it was better for their children to speak
only English. The death of the language ran through families like a
geological fault. Some areas were like parts of America that never
managed to get the boat.
Motivation to succeed is often a more important factor than any
other.
Today, Hebrew is taught to immigrants in Israel using the direct
method, Hebrew through Hebrew, with very little grammatical
explanation and extensive use of drills, games and dramas. (ULPAN)
According to Mrs. Eytan of the Jewish Institute, the major factor in
the early success of Hebrew was the enthusiasm and personality of
the tutors, who mainly used chalk and talk.
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Some consider that the methodology used does not take into
account the fact that learners learn in different ways.
Hilda Hunter and Caroline Williams (Dysgu Cymraeg/Venturing in
Welsh) challenge the way Welsh is taught to adults, calling for
smaller classes with greater emphasis on error correction.
Many believe that learners make good teachers, they understand the
learners’ difficulties better and should be able to inspire students to
follow their lead.
First language tutors are able to provide insights into the language
that a second language speaker may not.
Ideally, a mix of both types of tutor is of great benefit to learners.
People who already speak more than one language, learn faster than
those who are monoglot English, as they have already been through
the process of acquiring another language.
Willingness to communicate is more important than ability.
Motivation is the key to success.
When first language speakers revert to English, the learner can feel
rejected on language; not just their linguistic skills, but their
acceptance within the Welsh speaking community.
However, many first language speakers feel that their Welsh isn’t
good enough for learners, or that the learner’s Welsh is too good.
Compared to Europe, there is a negative attitude towards learning a
second language in the UK. Here it is viewed as a special
achievement rather than the norm.
Welsh speakers are more likely to accept a learner’s errors if they
sound Welsh, than an accurate speaker with a poor accent.
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Many learners feel restricted in a second language, saying not what
they wanted to say, but what they were able to say.
Tanni Grey-Thompson says to achieve needs self belief. Anyone can
be successful once, successful people are able to deal with and come
back from failure.
Learners are not usually prepared for the jump from speaking in class
and practising Welsh in the community. More preparation by tutors
is required.
In the 1960s and 1970s, course providers and tutors realised the
need for learners to be taught to speak the language, to switch from
formal translation.
There can be difficulties for learners when trying to communicate
with first language speakers or children in Welsh medium education,
as people do not always use the standard form learned in class.
Helen Prosser explained that research has shown that Welsh
speakers are more willing to communicate with learners who use
colloquial Welsh and have a good accent than with those who speak
very correctly but have poor pronunciation.
Classes give learners a good grounding, but learners may need to
adapt to a local dialect.
Learners need a class like a child needs parents, the learner who
seeks fluency and integration, gradually becomes independent.
Welsh speakers may treat advanced learners as first language
speakers, as they forget or fail to realise their limitations. Advanced
learners may also feel more diffident to ask Welsh speakers to
reduce their speed as they may feel more is expected of them.
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Wearing the orange language badges, by Welsh speakers and
learners, would encourage more conversations.
The notion of Welshness by degrees and the question of identity is
more likely to occur in a lesser used language community.
Tutors could try to integrate the Welsh language into activities
already going on in the learners’ lives, such as sport or music, and
consider setting individual homework.
Motivation is key to learning. Learners should be proactive in finding
opportunities to practise. One sympathetic person is better than a
hundred who are clueless about encouraging learners. A mentor
system has been used in some centres.
The confidence to have a go, is often more important than a
learner’s ability.
Tutors and students both rank a lack of confidence as the number
one issue. Boosting this confidence is a vital message to be conveyed
to all Welsh speakers.
There is also a lack of confidence in Welsh speakers when facing
learners. They may switch to English as they can feel uncomfortable.
Some believe that the tutor can do little unless the learner provides
the motivation. Marilyn Lewis (How to Study Foreign Languages)
writes: Although the urge to learn must come from within, there is
no doubt that being congratulated on one’s progress is a great
support.
The author recounts her own experiences speaking German on
holiday. The main problems were:
 German speakers turned to English.
 Some Germans did not want to speak at all.
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Different accents and dialects.
The speed of first language speakers.
Inability to hear because of background noise.
Condescending attitudes.
Lack of confidence triggered by mistakes.
The main lessons learned were:
 Insist on using the language you are learning, whatever the first
language speaker does.
 Always ask if you don’t understand.
 Ask the speaker to slow down or repeat if necessary.
 Don’t worry about mistakes, just enjoy the experience.
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