CLASSES

Currently, informal classes are provided at three levels in different locations around Sydney:

• Intoductory and beginner level. The class provides an introduction to the Welsh language using sections of popular courses and exercises.  The class is held in the Gaelic Club in the city (Central) on Tuesday evenings by a native Welsh speaker.  For further information please contact Huw Evans at huwman82@hotmail.com
• Intermediate level with emphasis on spoken / street Welsh using current news items and topics from Welsh web sites. Participants must have a basic knowledge of Welsh before joining this group.  The class is held in Pennant Hills on Monday evenings.  For further information please contact Ian Williams at refine@bigpond.net.au
• Advanced / academic level for university students and keen followers of the language. The class uses a variety of techniques and topics including translating best-selling English language novels, folk songs, Christmas carols and Welsh culture and mythology. The class is held in the Eastern suburbs on week-ends by university lecturer John Coombs.  For further information please contact John at wjcoombs@optusnet.com.au

ONLINE RESOURCES

For self-directed learners, there are many books, online resources as well as classroom learning tools available. Here are some useful courses / websites to help you get started:

Several popular courses which have been available for many years are still available for purchase on-line or through good bookshops and include LINGUAPHONE, CATCHPHRASE, and various editions of TEACH YOURSELF WELSH.

For those who prefer tablets and smart phones there are some very good, newly introduced courses including DUOLINGO (www.duolingo.com) which would suit young and mature learners.  This course is free and provides a fun and easy way to begin learning.

SAY SOMETHING IN WELSH (www.saysomethingin.com) is also very good and offers better and faster ways to get you speaking the language.  Opportunities for skyping and using the language outside Wales, and two Welsh dialect choices make this a good course for getting to speak the language quickly.

BBC WALES – LEARN WELSH (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/learning/learnwelsh/) has a range of resources to help you learn or improve your Welsh and there are resources for helping to teach children.

CROESO: BEGINNERS’ WELSH  (www.open.edu/openlearn/languages/welsh/) provides a very basic introduction to the language with 5 levels covering a total of some 20 hours of tuition.  The course is free and was developed by The Open University in the UK.

You can search for a local course in Wales on the Cymraeg website (http://cymraeg.llyw.cymru/learning/Adults/Welsh-for-Adults/).  There are several Welsh for Adults Centres in South West Wales, Cardiff and the Vale and North Wales that welcome international students on their summer courses.

Nant Gwrtheyrn Welsh Language Centre, located in a former quarrying village of the Llŷn Peninsula, specialises in Welsh for adults and residential courses as does the University of Wales at Aberystwyth and Lampeter campuses.

DICTIONARIES

There are several dictionaries available in hard copy and on line.

One of the most useful hard copy dictionaries is The Modern Welsh Dictionary edited by Gareth King which includes numerous illustrative examples taken from everyday speech and writing.

The more traditional Collins Spurrell Welsh Dictionary (which has been around since the 1800s) has been completely revised (2017) and follows the conventional layout for language dictionaries and contains a far greater number of word entries.

Both books can be ordered from bookshops in Sydney.

Much work has been done in producing on line dictionaries and two popular choices are:

University of Wales On-line dictionary http://www.geiriadur.net/index

Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru A dictionary of the Welsh language http://www.welsh-dictionary.ac.uk/