English communication skills - improve your confidence and fluency when you speak (entry 3-level 1)

What is the course about?

This course will help you become a more fluent and confident user of English. We will ask what ‘fluency’ means and in what situations you want to become more fluent. You will work on developing your English for situations you are most often involved in e.g. at home, in the workplace, amongst friends. You will work on how to express yourself without worrying too much about making mistakes. You will focus more on getting your message across rather than on complete accuracy. You will practise becoming more automatic when you speak and write so that you can respond to unusual or difficult situations that you have not prepared for. By the end of the course, you will err, umm, err far less!

What will we cover?

• responding to both familiar and unfamiliar situations such as when someone approaches you in the street
• dealing with conflict or difficult situations from your daily life
• developing your vocabulary and range of expression
• writing messages quickly and spontaneously
• speaking and writing at the same time e.g. when taking notes during a work conversation
• linking words, ‘chunking’ your language and pausing in the right places
• asking questions with good pronunciation.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• respond to both familiar and unfamiliar situations more confidently
• deal with conflict or difficult situations from your daily life in a more relaxed manner
• develop your vocabulary and range of expression
• write messages quickly and spontaneously
• speak and write at the same time e.g. when taking notes during a work conversation
• link words effectively, ‘chunk’ your language and pause in the right places
• ask questions with good pronunciation.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course level is for level 1 students (B2). At this level you can engage in most everyday conversations. You know the basics of English but need to develop more sophisticated language and improve your vocabulary.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

You will learn in a supportive and welcoming environment with an emphasis on your discovering how to do and complete tasks, with guidance from the tutor. You will work on your own and with other students on different tasks so you are always practising important in-demand life and work skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, prioritising, negotiating, collaborating and independence. You will learn in a step by step manner so you can complete challenging tasks in enjoyable and relaxing ways. Your tutor will also work with you individually so you know how to improve and how to work in a way that improves your learning. You will need to do work outside the classroom and use Google Classroom to help you.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will need a pen, some lined A4 paper and a file to keep your work in. Your tutor will provide handouts and
worksheets. It will be helpful if you have access to a computer.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

There are many courses you can do before, at the same time or after this course. These include:
• Communication skills: how to speak with confidence inside and outside work (ESOL entry 3- level 1)
• Workplace communication skills: how to be confident and do well in interviews (ESOL entry 3-level 1)
• ESOL - communication skills for life and work (level 1 speaking and listening)
• ESOL - communication skills for life and work (level 1 reading and writing)
• ESOL - communication skills for life and work (level 2 speaking and listening)
• ESOL - communication skills for life and work (level2 reading and writing)
• Workplace communication skills: customer care and front of house hospitality (ESOL level 1-level 2)
• Develop your writing and language skills (level 1-level 2)
• ESOL pronunciation: stage 1 (level 1-2)
• Communication skills: read well, write well (level 1-level 2)
• Writing skills in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)
• ESOL and making podcasts: pronunciation, presentation, expression (level 1-2)
• Workplace communication skills: formal, informal and being polite (level 1)
• ESOL: communication skills for work and life - formal, informal, polite, challenging conversation and writing (level 1-2)

For more information, talk with your tutor or contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 4582 0423.


Ask your tutor or contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 7492 2511 for more details.