ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 1 (Speaking and Listening)

What is the course about?

This course focuses on improving your writing skills for a variety of real-life contexts. You will practise planning, drafting, editing, and proofreading your work. You will learn how to use grammar, punctuation, and spelling correctly and develop your confidence in expressing ideas clearly in writing.

You will work on a range of written tasks based on everyday themes. The course also helps develop your reading and speaking skills to support your writing.

The course prepares you for the ESOL Level 1 Writing exam, accredited by the English Speaking Board (ESB) and helps you progress towards further education or employment.

What will we cover?

Each class will focus on a theme relevant to your daily life or future goals — such as work, communication, health, transport, technology, or personal interests.

You will focus on:

· Writing for different purposes (emails, letters, forms, blogs, notes, stories, and opinion pieces)

· Planning and organising writing (structure, sequence, paragraphing)

· Using formal and informal language appropriately

· Writing in different tenses and sentence types (simple, compound, complex)

· Using correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling

· Expressing opinions, ideas, facts, and personal information clearly

· Editing and proofreading your writing for clarity and accuracy

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

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

· Plan and structure your writing clearly and logically

· Write a variety of text types using appropriate language, tone, and format

· Use paragraphs to organise your ideas

· Use a range of sentence structures and correct tenses

· Apply punctuation (e.g. capital letters, full stops, commas, question marks) correctly

· Spell common and some less familiar words accurately

· Proofread and edit your own work to improve clarity and accuracy

· Demonstrate the writing skills needed to pass the ESOL Level 1 Writing exam and progress to Level 2 ESOL

You will also improve your digital skills using:

· Google Classroom

· Microsoft Word or Docs

· Online writing tools

· The internet

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

This is a Level 1 course. You should already be able to write short texts in English, use punctuation, and communicate familiar ideas clearly in writing. You must also be able to use the present, past, and future tenses with some confidence and understand the fundamentals of sentence structure. You will need to attend regularly, and complete and pass all in class assignments to your tutor’s satisfaction to be entered for the exam.

IMPORTANT: Please DO NOT travel or take holidays during the course unless it is an emergency. Regular attendance is required for exam entry and is essential for success on this course.

The ESB Level 1 ESOL Writing exam for course ES403C will be on Monday 13th July 2026.

The ESB Level 1 ESOL Writing exam for course ES407AC will be on Tuesday 7th July 2026.

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

You will learn in a supportive, inclusive environment with individual guidance from your tutor. Lessons will include step-by-step learning, practical writing tasks, peer feedback, and regular opportunities to practise in a range of styles.

You will work individually, in pairs, and in small groups. Homework will be set weekly, and you will need to use Google Classroom to access additional resources and submit assignments.

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

Please bring:

· a pen

· a lined A4 paper notepad or notebook

· a folder for your work

Your tutor will give you worksheets, other materials and a code to join Google Classroom.

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

This course has three parts. You usually complete one part each term.

After this course, you can move on to the ESOL Level 2, Reading unit .

There are other courses you can do at the same time or after this one. These include:

· ESOL - Communication skills for life and work – Level 1 (Reading, Speaking & Listening) ACCREDITED COURSE

· ESOL - Communication skills for life and work - Level 2 (Reading, Speaking & Listening, Writing) ACCREDITED COURSE

· Communication Skills for Life and Work (ESOL Entry 3 - Level 1) – Online Weekend Course

· Communication skills: developing your writing, speaking and digital skills through creating a radio programme (ESOL level 1-2) (Terms 2 & 3)

· Grammar in practice: Intermediate (Entry 3-level 1)

· Conversation Club

· Learn English - discover London, its history, culture and people (level 1-level 2)

· Develop your writing and language skills (level 1-level 2)

· Any suitable new year courses starting September 2026

Your tutor will help you choose the right next course during progression week.

Questions? Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423.