Pilot Welsh Language Program Starts July 4

Tegid, living in New England, only speaks to his mother in Welsh. Christine moved to Ohio as a young girl and tries to share her Welsh stories with friends. Ana's family fled to Argentina over 100 years ago, where she teaches Welsh as the first language in a Spanish speaking country. The language and history of Welsh is complicated. Thousands of native Welsh speakers are scattered all over the world. Cada Dia Welsh brings them together in a daily online meeting, to share Welsh culture and language.

Through a grant from the Welsh Government , the University of South Wales has teamed up with Point-Productions, to produce an authentic language learning program. The pilot program will run eight weeks, July and August, when students and native born Welsh speakers will share stories, songs and talk about the Welsh language and culture.

This innovative approach to language learning is based on the idea that authentic language is not taught through grammar or even vocabulary. Rather it is an effort to understand, based on contextual cues, in a social language learning environment. The program sessions start in English. Facilitators help participants understand how to participate. Then they start a "virtual immersion" experience. Students will hear and see native language Welsh in the daily web meeting, and figure out what is happening, by reading the helper text on the screen.

Beginners as well as native language speakers are welcome to participate at their own level. "We found that student want to talk... not study language," according to one of the program designers, Michael Henry, at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. "After some experimentation, we developed an environment for beginners, intermediate and advanced speakers, and they don't even realize they are learning" Henry adds. Advanced speakers help the beginners, by sharing stories, culture and history of Wales, in Welsh.

The program is offered for free, during the pilot program, through a course on the Canvas Network, ( https://www.canvas.net/) Open house meetings are being conducted the month of June. More information for individuals and organizations that would like to be a part of the pilot program are encouraged to visit CadaDiaWelsh.com

See the Full Schedule of CDW Webcasts .

Ernesto Suarez - Ariel Media 877-708-2093

Produced through a grant from the Welsh Government, administered by the University of South Wales.