LVP Action Plan,March 2015

Version 1

Panel Llais y Dysgwr Canolfan Cymraeg i Oedolion Caerdydd a Bro Morgannwg

Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Welsh for Adults Centre Learners Voice Panel

Learners VoicePanel(LVP) ACTION PLAN 2015: Entry

Issues / Response
Class management
  1. 5 minute Q & A at end of lesson
/
  1. Director of teaching to remind tutors of technique.

Materials
  1. Print Do You Remember on a separate leaf to the homework
  2. Recycle vocab
  3. Distribute list of numbers and colours in tutors’ guidelines
  4. Create list of weather terms
  5. High frequency vocabulary
  6. English translation
  7. Pronunciation guide
  8. Lesson content quite dry – more fun activities, games, etc. needed
  9. Glossary / vocabulary at back of book
  10. Combine handbook and activities book
  11. Dialogue boxes to be a lighter colour so you can see what you've written on them.
  12. Would it be possible for the Geirfa to be coloured coded for ease of use and memorisation of feminine and masculine nouns? We find it quite misleading with the current colour coding.
  13. We felt it would be beneficial to have more revision units available.
  14. It would be beneficial for course participants to be given the soft mutation rules at the beginning in a booklet.
  15. Would like more opportunity for written practice.
  16. Some of the games and exercises are a little repetitive.
  17. Maybe more explanations behind tenses and mutations.
  18. Some exercises are awkward when we have to move around the classroom.
  19. Would like more grammar reference materials, i.e. quick references.
  20. Layout can be confusing with difficult endings in booklet.
  21. Would prefer format of 'speech bubbles' text to be different.
  22. Would like opportunity for more written homework, i.e. weekend diary.
  23. Maybe a few short tests would also help.
  24. Sufficient space to include translation where required and/or notes.
  25. Would prefer to have the grammar taught in a more structured way showing all the conjugations together, rather than the lists shown in our books where it gives 4 examples of she went….. etc etc.
  26. It was felt thatactivity exerciseswere not that productive for learning and disruptive during the lesson,grouprepetition lead by the tutorseemedto be favoured.
  27. Exercise book needs more detail.
  28. Book too tutor-led.
  29. Explanations needed.
  30. More practise like weather listening.
/
  1. E-learning officer to correct proofs.
  2. Has been recommended.
  3. Director to remind tutors.
  4. Training officer to contact tutors to see if resource exists.
  5. Will pass on to national entity.Director to remind tutors to distribute WJEC Specification.
  6. Has been actioned, available online but limited space.
  7. Tutors to share resources.
  8. Refer to entity. Observation team to focus on this.
  9. Has been recommended to national entity. E-learning officer to action.
  10. Will pass on to entity to consider.
  11. E-learning officer to check the dialogue boxes.
  12. Will have to continue with current scheme because of gender issue.
  13. Will pass on to entity. Remind learners of resources available on Y Bont.
  14. Tutors are reminded of Cymorth Cyflym at all levels.
  15. Written practice - To be focused on by the observation team this year.
  16. Will be referred to national entity. Will be a matter of focus for observation team.
  17. Please see response above re cymorth cyflym.
  18. Director to seek info from learning rep and tutor.
  19. Please see above re cymorth cyflym.
  20. Please see cymorth cyflym.
  21. Not practical to change currently.
  22. Tutors reminded of setting homework for assessment for learning.
  23. WAG to pilot new programme.
  24. Will pass on to entity.
  25. Refer to cymorth cyflym.
  26. This goes against Estyn’s recommendations.
  27. Exercise book – to be passed on.
  28. Weather – learners to watch and listen to weather bulletins.

E-learning
  1. Update audio files
  2. All tutors to inform learners of Y Bont
/
  1. Has been done.
  2. Tutors reminded of going over welcome pack.

Blended-learning
  1. Lack of thorough induction
  2. Not told of log-ins at start of course
  3. Long-winded online explanations
  4. More writing practice
  5. More grammatical explanation
  6. People have asked for more 'points of access' for course resources - i.e. Phone/Tablet friendly Files and Web Pages. Following on from that, most would like to be able to do the exercises on their phone and tablet.
  7. People have asked for more 'collated' information - i.e. a big sheet with all the vocab divided up in one file.
  8. People have asked for downloadable .mp3's of the drilling.
  9. People have asked for more consistency in the exercises (i.e. flashcards).
  10. People have asked for stronger 'thematic' content. I.e. weeks built around a single strong theme instead of what is considered to be a bit 'bitty' at the moment.
  11. People have reported that the course app doesn't work on their phone / tablet.
  12. Emails from tutor with homework late e.e. Monday to be done by Tues. (M011)
  13. Some learners need more help and would have benefited from doing Taster first but did not know about it.
  14. Online support could be more user friendly.
  15. Scrolling can be slow.
  16. A table of verbs.
/
  1. Learners’ responsibility to read all information sent at start of course.
  2. Learners’ responsibility to check personal emails for info.
  3. Has been addressed with corrections made by AD last year.
  4. Has been addressed by AD.
  5. See above.
  6. Points of access – not possible with present e-learning platform.
  7. Will be actioned by e-learning officer.
  8. MP3’s – e-learning officer to investigate.
  9. Flashcards – please go to national Bont site.
  10. Thematic – cuts across current education research.
  11. Phone/tablet – our app hasn’t been launched by Apple.
  12. Will speak to tutor’s line manager.
  13. Taster courses will be in prospectus with entry level courses in next prospectus.
  14. E-learning officer to look at online support.
  15. E-learning officer to investigate.
  16. Table of verbs – training team to ask tutors to share resources. Tutors to recommend books.

Class size
  1. 25 too many in one class
/
  1. Will bear in mind in future.

Locations
  1. Lack of directions for classroom in the Centre
  2. Bigger desks needed (M012)
  3. Room moved a lot to start. (M011)
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  1. P25 can be problematic. Staff Support Manager to ensure clear instructions.
  2. Refer to staff support manager.
  3. Refer to staff support manager.

Teaching
  1. Supply tutors need to be better prepared
  2. For some who are new to the language it can be difficult on occasions to hear/understand some of the words. It’s really important that when we are being taught something new it’s shown written down on the board, rather than just relying on verbal understanding. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t any written material added to the white board to help.
/
  1. Sometimes short notice given.
  2. Tutors are reminded of importance of writing patterns during drilling.

Saturday Courses
  1. Concern over level of fee
  2. Information on loyalty cards required
/
  1. Fee was increased because of WAG cuts.
  2. Loyalty cards to be introduced in 2016.

Welsh for the Family
  1. Units in 2nd half of Course 2 are too long
  2. The CD often has different pronunciations to what we have learned in class which can be confusing even a little demoralising at times.
  3. Ble mae’r CD’s? (Chapter)
/
  1. Will refer to entity. Will pass on to WJEC.
  2. Will pass on to WJEC.
  3. Welsh for Family officer to investigate.

Progression
  1. Concern whether a Foundation 1 class will be arranged for M063 in Barry as there are only 2 left on course
/
  1. Transition being discussed with course tutor.

Support
  1. People have expressed the need to be made aware of Points of Contact outside of the tutor to inform if they aren't' going to be present / need resources.
/
  1. Information supplied in learner handbook. Tutors should give email address to learners in workplace courses.

Administration
  1. 3 cheques cashed at once which cause problems.
/
  1. Unfortunately due to illness of Finance Officer there was a backlog.

Learners Voice Panel (LVP) ACTION PLAN 2015: Foundation

Materion / Issues / Ymateb / Response
Materials
  1. Need to explain the meaning of dod â in Unit 8
  2. Somehow the Sylfaen book and curriculum is much more "patchy" with little opportunity to consolidate ourlearning before we move on to something totally different.
  3. We would all like to stop now and practice what we already know before facing a new tense.
  4. I am not keen on the big colour banners as it’s difficult to write on these to add notes etc.
  5. Vocab random and often unrelated to unit content.
  6. The dialogue on each Unit bears no resemblance to what we are actually learning.
  7. Whose terrible idea was it to put the summary of the unit on the back of the homework page?!
  8. There is not enough on the summary/grammatical page!
  9. Two people asked if there could be more English translations in the units to help with revision.
  10. One person asked if there could be more general everyday vocabulary as they felt the vocab was more geared towards the workplace.
  11. Some felt that the vocabulary lists would be more useful if they were themed better (i.e. if have masculine word also have the feminine in the same list/ words relating to e.g. marriage and weddings together…).
  12. One of our group is not keen on the drills.
  13. Not enough room to make notes.
  14. Feels that the dark dialogues are difficult to read.
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  1. Director to check.
  2. Will refer to entity.
  3. Will pass on to entity.
  4. Banners – will liaise with entity over new national courses.
  5. Will pass on to entity.
  6. Dialogue – not strictly true but some extra vocab is introduced in order to extend.
  7. E-learning officer to look at format.
  8. Please see cymorth cyflym.
  9. More English is available online.
  10. Tutors to distribute WJEC specification.
  11. WJEC specification to be distributed.
  12. Drills – noted.
  13. Aware of not enough room.
  14. E-learning officer to check.

E-learning
  1. Improved integration of Y Bont in face-to-face classes
  2. There was a consensus as to whether an app could be developed to aid practice.
  3. Y Bont not discussed. So not aware of the audio ar y Bont.
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  1. This has already been actioned.
  2. There are apps available by other providers at this level.
  3. Info provided in welcome pack.

Dysgu Anffurfiol / Informal Learning
  1. More information needed (S006)
  2. I am not sure we get passed all the learning adverts e.g. we have not had the learners magazine for 2015. (S028)
  3. Hoffen ni wneud pethau yn ystod ein cwrs, such as, mynd i TV recordings for S4C, Noson Quiz, as well as gweithio o'r llyfr.
  4. Several people were keen to take part in meet ups with other learners - perhaps with students at the same level across Cardiff?
  5. We would welcome the chance of a day trip!
  6. Reading class needed please (S002)
/
  1. Tutors to distribute all info to class.
  2. Line manager to speak to tutor involved.
  3. Mae rhaglen dysgu anffurfiol ar gael sy’n cael ei dosbarthu i bob dysgwr.
  4. This is possible in Saturday courses.
  5. Informal Learning Officer welcomes suggestions. Trip to St Fagan in autumn had little interest.
  6. Glyn Wise to investigate.

Locations
  1. Noisy projector in Gwaelod-y-garth School
  2. Parking could be better at Albert Rd Methodist Church, Penarth
  3. The room where the lessons take place is furnished with low benches and tables which are a bit uncomfortable for adults. (Severn Road Primary School)
  4. The only issue we do have is that the church hall in Rhiwbina is very cold our teacher has cancelled a lesson once and the following week wasn't much better. This problem has been going on for years.
  5. Room is smart but has no white board. Can they not have another room? (Coleg Dewi Sant – Sylfaen 1)
  6. Morganstown village hall- not very nice and smelly and grubby. Paper board. Key has to be collected which has caused problems. (Sylfaen 2)
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  1. Catrin Stephens to investigate.
  2. Noted
  3. Catrin to investigate.
  4. Catrin.
  5. Board been sent.
  6. Morganstown – Catrin to investigate.

Learner Voice
  1. For future meetings I don't know whether there is a more suitable time for parents
/
  1. Have to hold meetings that suit the majority.

Teaching
  1. Sometimes I feel the tutor does not come prepared for class especially in relation to exercises. (S028)
  2. In previous classes I had we have done a lot more drill on the patterns and that has helped my pronunciation and memory of the phrases and patterns. (S028)
/
  1. Manager to speak to tutor.
  2. Manager to speak to tutor.

Class management
  1. Sometimes it feels like I am back in school being scolded. (S028)
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  1. Manager to speak to tutor.

Welsh for the Family
  1. It was suggested that there might be opportunities to integrate some of our learning with the children's.
/
  1. Will refer to entity. Can use WJEC book if demand is there.

Library
  1. Would it be possible to have student ID that allowed us to access other student services, e.g. a Welsh language library for course books and CDs?
/
  1. Tutor needs to bring selection to class.

Blended Learning
  1. The online aspect of the course is not enough. It doesn’t feel proportionally like the equivalent contact that we would get in class and there is not enough depth to the materials and activities to substantiate the 2 hours online time or to justify the cost.
  2. More comprehensive explanatory notes (nodiadau not always available and could include more examples)
  3. More interactive exercises that give responsive feedback
  4. Extended exercises such as narrative homework tasks
  5. Asynchronous discussion questions via the under-utilised forum to extend the unit
  6. Interactive drill tool (such as Can-8) to record and listen to own effort
  7. It was felt that some of the activities done in class could be better explained in the book and then suggested as self-directed learning tasks outside the classroom/online so more time was available in class for the group activities and tutor explanations which all find very useful.
  8. Some disappointment expressed that the vocab is not available to download as an mp3 and can only be listened to online, and that it is just a stream of the Welsh without the English translation (so only any good to listen to if the vocab lists are in sight).
  9. It was felt that verbal vocabulary exercises would be as, if not more, useful than the oft used flashcard/crossword exercises (and see above regarding recording of answers…)!
  10. A translation for the deialog in each unit would be useful online as we often don’t get the opportunity to go through this in the blended format of the course (and perhaps even a recording to listen to?).
  11. Gone from WJEC to blended. Resistant due to change to blended. (Courts)
/
  1. Course has already been thoroughly revised. Centre would welcome meeting with learner that has made many comments.
  2. Nodiadau – tutor to distribute cymorth cyflym, suggest grammar books.
  3. The Bont platform is limited in its interactivity. The technology is not there as yet in being fully interactive.
  4. Extended exercises – tutors should be setting this and summer challenges are also set.
  5. Tutors to be reminded to use the forum with their groups.
  6. Has not been included in Bont upgrade.
  1. Will refer to national Entity
  1. e-learning officer to investigate
  1. limited interactivity, will be developed over time
  1. Discuss with tutor.
  1. As result of a national contract. Workplace needs to communicate with the staff.

Learners Voice Panel (LVP) ACTION PLAN 2015: Intermediate

Materion / Issues / Ymateb / Response
Amserlen
  1. Pawb yn teimlo tymor yr haf yn gorffen yn rhy gynnar - mis Mai. Mae e'n llawer o amser i anghofio yr iaith dros wyliau’r haf.
/
  1. Courses to finish for exams and the Summer Course. One week needed to allow for training and holidays. Informal Learning continues.

Lleoliadau / Locations
  1. Dyn ni’n teimlo tipyn bach yn ynysig o ddosbarthiadau’r Brifysgol achos dyn ni yn Nhreganna e.e. dyw hi ddim yn bosib defnyddio llyfrgell.
  2. A bit of concern that classes may not be held Radyr School in future
/
  1. Selection of books to be taken to other locations.
  1. Access issue in the school.

Deunyddiau / Materials
  1. Weithiau mae gormod o ramadeg yn y cwrs - gramadeg sy ddim yn cael ei ddefnyddio yn y byd go iawn.
  2. Maybe there is too much to do in 2 hours. In the future maybe the ‘Entity’ can extend classes to 2.5 hour or 3 hours.
  3. Why is there no content page to the course book?
  4. Some want more challenging tasks e.g. writing and listening.
  5. Course book needs more family content.
  6. No English so time wasted on it.
/
  1. Entity
  1. Currently following the national framework for learning
  2. Will be added.
  3. Tutors to set extra tasks through Assessment for Learning and Examination past papers
  4. Entity
  1. Entity

Dysgu Anffurfiol
  1. Un o’r dosbarth yn teimlo bod y Brifysgol ddim yn trefnudigwyddiadau ychwanegol ar gyfer dysgwyr i sgwrsio.
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  1. Saturday Courses, Clonc yn y Cwtsh, Coffee Mornings. Please see learner magazine

Library
  1. The question was raised about how we could possibly make this more accessible to learners who lived on the outskirts of the city?
  2. Library not really family friendly.
  3. Access to the library is a problem (C019)
/
  1. Local library and tutors to bring books.

Staffing
  1. 3 tutors this year. (C001)
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  1. Staff support manager

Teaching
  1. One tutor showed no sign of planning. (C001)
  2. Not much conversation or activities such as games in the class. (C019)
/
  1. Line manager
  1. Entity

CYNLLUN GWEITHREDU Panel Llais y Dysgwr (PLlD) 2015: Uwch

Materion / Issues / Ymateb / Response
Deunyddiau
  1. Strwythur ac esboniadau’r Cwrs Pontio yn ddiffygiol
  2. £25 yn ddrud i brynu copi newydd o’r Cwrs Pontio
  3. Gormod o Iaith Lenyddol (U2)
  4. Dim digon o faterion cyfoes (U2)
  5. Dim digon o wrando (U2)
  6. Angen atebion enghreifftiol a nodiadau esboniadol gyda’r ymarferion (U2)
  7. Angen atodiad gramadeg (U2)
  8. Gormod o wallau
  9. Angen creu Cwrs Uwch 2 Darnynol arbennig
  10. Gormod o ddeunydd ar gyfer yr amser sy ar gael
  11. Sometimes people in the class doesn't understand the grammatical terms in English (e.g. verb noun, conditional tense, preposition), which makes the explanations in Welsh hard to follow - examples of how these are used to back this up?
  12. The Ymarferion Llafar in each chapter of the course books aren't always clear to work on and we felt other exercises might be more helpful as practice. (Uwch 2)
  13. It would be useful to have resources or some basic notes and answers to exercises in the course book available for if we have to miss a lesson or need to go over something between lessons (Uwch 2)
  14. The Canllaw is good but does not have everything (Llyfryn y Llywodraeth).
  15. Sometimes English is needed by some in this group.
  16. Pontio too long. Now the Uwch is too fast to complete 15 units by the summer.
  17. Not enough listening (Uwch 1)
/
  1. Angen rhagor o wybodaeth
  2. Cyfeirio at Ganolfan Morgannwg
  3. Endid/ Trafod gyda’r tiwtoriaid/Iaith llyfrau yn bwysig i orffen eich dysgu.
  4. Endid
  5. Gwylio a Deall/Hen bapur arholiadau/radio gan y dysgwyr
  6. Endid
  1. Endid
  2. Adrian Price i edrych ar y gwallau
  1. Mae’r prosiect ymchwil cenedlaethol yn dweud bod un cwrs yn well ar gyfer llwybrau gwahanol
  2. Tiwtor i deilwra
  1. Atgoffa ‘r tiwtor am esbonio‘r termau-rhannu adnoddau
  1. Maen nhw’n cyflwyno pethau cyfredin dych chi’n clywed ar lafar.
  1. Language clinics for catch up/ Tutor should keep extra copies for learnerswho are absent.
  1. Entity
  1. Aware of issues in this class
  1. Tutor reminded of importance to follow the work scheme
  1. Atgoffa’r tiwtoriaid am bwysigrwydd gwrando/sain

Lleoliadau
  1. Parcio yn y Chapter yn anodd
  2. The coffee machine in the John Percival Building has been out of order recently
  3. The room is a problem with sound and the cold. (Chapter)
/
  1. aware of the problem but little we can do.
  2. Pasio at y Ffreutur
  1. Un dosbarth wedi symud

Mentora
  1. Dim mentoriaid wedi’u trefnu mewn dosbarth gweithle
/
  1. Cyfrifoldeb y Cynulliad yw hwn ac nid y Ganolfan

Gwybodaeth Cwrs
  1. Dim digon gan y Ganolfan (U2)
/
  1. Mae’r Ganolfan yn darparu Pecyn Croeso cynhwysfawr ar ddechrau’r cwrs i bob dysgwr.

Addysgu
  1. Un tiwtor yn mynnu defnyddio Cymraeg Llenyddol drwy’r cwrs (U2)
  2. The supply tutor was very hard to understand. (U018)
/
  1. Rheolwr llinell
  1. Rheolwr llinell/Acenion eraill yn fwy anodd ond yn ymarfer da

Anwytho
  1. Dim anwytho o gwbl
/
  1. Atgoffwn am bwysigrwydd anwytho

Amserlen
  1. Some would like to change dates to avoid long summer.
/
  1. See previous reply

CYNLLUN GWEITHREDU Panel Llais y Dysgwr (PLlD) 2015: Hyfedredd