It was good to see that there were nine people at the meeting yesterday. As the group grows would it be better to structure at least some of the time into different ability levels? Also, those in the earlier stages have less that they can say, so would it help for each meeting to have a topic for those who wish to extend their vocabulary?
Would anyone like to make suggestions for use in 2015?
Raymond
Good idea Raymond. Everyone could prepare a few (or more) sentences to say on a topic. Perhaps we could gather a few ideas together from other groups too? John Archer gave me the story game that Owen (Lurch) made up. I brought it along last Saturday, but it wasnāt suitable for the occasion - too difficult for some and all of us sitting in a long line, which made mixing more difficult. Perhaps we should have moved round a bit. I think that everyone would benefit from a dim Saesneg period of speaking - even at a beginners level (with the right support). Some of us would like to have an extended period of dim Saesneg, since it is difficult in our home situations to speak much Welsh.
Hi folks, long time no see! Raymond asked me to chip in with any thoughts, so here they are for what itās worth (having only managed to appear once in the last 18 months Iād feel something of a fraud suggesting they should be given any prominence!)
A theme/topic per month sounds like a good idea - you always have a fall-back when conversation hits a lull, plus if advertised in advance, people have some time ahead of the meet-up to prepare things to say. Can I suggest Christmas/New Year as a theme for the January meet-up (if itās not too distant a memory by then)? Plenty of scope for discussing where we went, who we saw, what we got/gaveā¦
Games and activities are a great way for beginners to learn, almost by osmosis at times - cf my mention in a comment many months ago of teaching my son a whole host of animal names simply by playing āsnapā with him. Games and activities which are appropriate for the setting, and neither patronising nor incomprehensible, take some thinking about though. And I donāt count myself as sufficiently clever or pedagogical to make any informed suggestions, though I have some ideas to try on my eldest so Iāll report back!
Dim Saesneg time also sounds like a successful introduction - the longer the better, for those of us with little/no opportunity for Welsh conversation practice outside of meet-ups. Provided there is support for those with less experience/vocabulary (eg a more advanced speaker spending some time helping out the beginners with vocab/grammar queries), thereās no reason everyone canāt join in and get something out of it.
There we go, my two penneth as requested - and hopefully itāll be less than 6 months 'til I resurface again!
Can I suggest putting some structure to the January meeting to include these ideas? The times can be a bit flexible as we wouldnāt want to cut short something that is working well but would give some sort of a template to the meeting.
How about?:
12:00 to 13:00 - meet, food, chatter
13:00 to 13:30 - Say Something in Welsh about Christmas (something about food, presents, visits, people, activities, etc) in turn.
13:30 to 14:00 - game, news, events, etc
14:00 to 14:30 - Dim Saesneg - divide into smaller groups if necessary. Speak for a few minutes about an animal of your choice. This allows those who wish to prepare for it in advance and fluent speakers could maybe ask and answer questions on the day.
14:30 onwards - recovery time and plan February, making adjustments if necessary.
What are your thoughts?
Raymond
Our meetings have generally been well attended and the group has expanded. So before making any changes to our meetings I would like to be sure that everyone is happy with the suggested changes.
Could I ask that you each respond to the ideas and suggestions made by Carys, Graham and myself in this thread?. It could be very brief, even a single line, but would help us to gauge the feelings of the group.
Thank you.
Raymond
Raymond, Yes please to some structure. I like the schedule you have set out and definitely approve of some dim Saesneg time - itās good to force your brain to stick to Welsh, even if only for a short time. Lynette
I like the idea of more structure it is difficult in a pub with other customers about at the last meeting we had all welsh speakers at one end and non or little speakers at the other end of the table and it was very hard to hear what was going on due to the volume of other people. A non English time scaires the life out of me as my welsh is limited to " im tyring to remember to speak welsh" etc but would give it a go
Nadoleg llawen pawb x
I think we need some non Saesneg time definately. Itās hard, with our limited knowledge of Welsh, to remember that Welsh is the reason why we are meeting.I like the idea of learning through games and also of preparing a few sentences. Itās well worth trying the timetable idea. Splitting into abilities for a short period may be useful but you also learn from the more fluent speakers.
Hoping to see you all in January
Ruth
Eileen has responded to this thread. As I canāt see it here I am entering a copy that she had sent to me:
In reply to Raymond and Gumboot I will be happy to go along with whatever is decided by way of organisation to the Leeds group and its activities. I will sit with a group who would like to ask questions or deal with Welsh on a basic level, or join in general Welsh conversation, whatever is required. I would find it hard, however, not to use the written word.
EileenI have added some notes to the schedule to point out where āanything goesā and where we have a common purpose.
I am hoping that it accommodates the varying views and leads to a more fruitful meeting.
Guidelines for the January 2015 meeting:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 The times can be quite flexible as we wouldnāt want to cut short something that is working well.
2 The purpose is to give each person their individual opportunity to speak and hear Welsh and benefit from it.
3 Please remember that whoeverās turn it is, that person is the centre of attention.
12:00 to 13:00 - meet, food, chatter.
This time is fairly fluid and your chance to mingle.
13:00 to 13:30 - Say Something in Welsh about Christmas (something about food, presents, visits, people, activities, etc) in turn. You can prepare notes if you wish and look up words in the dictionary in advance. Use it however you want as long as you tell everyone something about your Christmas using Welsh.
13:30 to 14:00 - game, news, events, etc.
Carys is bringing a new game for this meeting. If you have some activity for another meeting please mention it in advance so that we donāt have two items one month and nothing the next.
14:00 to 14:30 - Dim Saesneg - divide into smaller groups if necessary. Speak
for a few minutes about an animal of your choice. This allows those who wish to
prepare for it in advance to do so and also allows fluent speakers to ask and
answer questions on the day.
The intention is to work towards using just Welsh. If you are not yet up to that standard say as much as you can in Welsh first and then fill in an odd gap with an English word or two. It is a bit on the scary side for many of us so donāt worry about it, just do what you can.
Remember that there are people in the room who can help you if you want.
Iāve set this for just 30 minutes as it requires intense concentration. We can extend it if the need arises.
14:30 onwards - recovery time and plan February, making adjustments if
necessary.
I look forward to seeing you in January,
Raymond
Oh, Just seen this!
First of all, and this is very important, if anyone has paid out money for the game and doesnāt like it, let me know and I will immediately refund the money. I always ask for people to check it out before they give any money, so as I say, that is the most important thing!
Iām sorry to hear you didnāt find it suitable, or that it was too hard- I have had people who canāt speak a word of Welsh enjoy playing it, when they find out what stories they have ended up playing! Still, depends how effective the humour is - not nearly good enough, obviously! 
Iām not really sure why everyone would be sitting in a long line- itās really designed to be played with people just sitting round a table, like with any game of cards! Itās tended to enable mingling and conversation around the table in that way - in my experience.
But horses for courses in everything, as always. Sorry to hear it wasnāt suitable, and any dissatisfaction carries a āmoney backā gurantee if you get in touch (and, as I say, I encourage people not to pay anyway unless they are satisfied after receiving it!)
Hello Owain. You misunderstand me (or I wasnāt clear enough)ā¦I think that the game is great! I didnāt get it out because it wasnāt suitable on that occasion (rather noisy/busy room and diferent seating arrangements). But we will certainly use it in the future.
Carys
Oh, I see! Oops!
You are perfectly clear! Thanks for explaining that. I(And any feedback, good or bad, about the cards is always gratefully received.)
(I do always like to make sure any payment arrangements are clear for everyone, though! That was the main thing.)
Anyway, hope the first meeting of the new year goes well for everyone there!
Afraid itās highly unlikely Iāll make it this month after all - a friendās surprise birthday gathering in Otley was sprung on me this evening. If we get out early Iāll hot-foot it into Leeds, but Iād put my chances at somewhere below 25% 
Apologies for the lateness of this message, but Iām rather lost (it doesnāt take much 
) Iām currently circuling around the Prince of Wales (the pub, not the member if royalty, that is) but canāt seem to find The Brewery Tap. If thereās anyone still there thatās good with directions, thatād be much appreciated 