Sebastian Harker comes from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, and although he had heard some Welsh on the Dr Who TV series when he was young, he didn't know much about the language until he started a Performance Course at University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen in 2013.
And although he was very interested in the language, and could hear it around him every day, Sebastian didn't think he would be able to learn Welsh.
But at the end of his third year, he was persuaded by a couple of friends that he could learn the language and he started learning with the Duolingo app.
Sebastian went on during lockdown to use the SaySomethinginWelsh (SSIW) app, and had the opportunity to start speaking Welsh on a daily basis while working on the production of Operation Julie with Theatr na nÓg in 2022. He started online lessons with Learn Welsh North East in 2023.
He now uses the Welsh language in his work every day with Theatr na nÓg as a Creative Engagement Coordinator and regularly discusses work with schools and artists through the medium of Welsh.
As someone who has used Duolingo, SSIW and online lessons with Learn Welsh North East, he is proud to have experimented with different ways of learning, and feels all three methods have helped in different ways.
Sebastian says Duolingo has been great for developing vocabulary through games etc, and that SSIW is great for starting to speak Welsh. He then sees the online lessons with Learn Welsh as a great way for practising speaking and learning about language structure and patterns.
Sebastian says, “Learning to speak Welsh was like finding another level in a video game – it’s opened up a whole new world. I start every conversation in Welsh and I love speaking the language and using my new skills.
“Being able to speak Welsh is a very special feeling. I believe every new speaker is important to ensure the future of the language.”
His advice to anyone starting to learn Welsh is to experiment and combine different ways of learning, as everyone enjoys learning differently.
