ESOL level 1 (reading and writing)
Time: 09:45 - 12:15
Location: Keeley Street
Before this course, you need to do a pre-course assessment face-to-face or online. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / (telephone temporarily unavailable) or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if a) you are on a Low Wage or b) you are either on Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) or Employment & Support Allowance(ESA) or c) you want to get a job or progress into a better job and you receive other state benefits (including Universal Credit). For more information click here
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Course Code: ES408
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Duration: 32 sessions (over 19 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This is the second half of a year long course which will help you develop the English you need to participate actively in UK life both at home, in the street, with friends and at work. You will develop your English language skills in writing, reading, speaking and listening but focus more on reading and writing ready to take English Speaking Board Level 1 reading and writing exams in July. Throughout the course you will develop your fluency in conversations about everyday topics and interpersonal issues. You will practise how to exchange opinions, and ask and answer questions on a range of topics such as the news, current affairs, music, sports etc. Your ability to understand details and respond appropriately to a variety of conversations and recordings e.g. radio programmes will improve. You will develop your use of a range of tenses including continuous forms in both active and passive voice. You will practise writing opinion essays and articles with clear arguments and evidence on a range of topics. You will write formal and informal letters and emails with grammatical accuracy and correct layout and structure and complete forms with appropriate levels of detail and correct conventions. You will also learn how to write reports or leaflets with appropriate language and conventions. You will practise how to write coherent paragraphs with a clear structure which link to other paragraphs and improve your spelling of non-everyday topics. You will practise reading for gist and practise summarising the mains points plus extracting details. You will also practise identifying the purpose and tone of different texts and distinguishing opinion from fact.
What will we cover?
You will practise reading, writing and speaking and listening but you will focus more on reading and writing in order to prepare for the exam. Each class will focus on a certain topic such as the news, current affairs, music, sports, employment, or cultural values. You will focus on:
• speaking more fluently in conversations about everyday topics and interpersonal issues by learning how to link your words and stress the right syllable
• exchanging opinions and asking and answering questions on a range of topics such as the news, current affairs, music, sports etc.
• understanding details and responding appropriately to a variety of conversations and recordings e.g. radio programmes
• using a range of tenses especially perfect forms both simple and continuous
• developing your use of the passive voice
• writing opinion essays and articles with clear arguments and evidence on a range of topics
• writing formal and informal letters and emails with grammatical accuracy and correct layout and structure
• completing forms with appropriate levels of detail and correct conventions
• writing reports or leaflets with appropriate language and conventions
• writing coherent paragraphs with a clear structure which link to other paragraphs
• improving your spelling of non-everyday topics
• reading for gist and summarising the mains points and extracting details from a range of texts
• identifying the purpose and tone of different texts and distinguishing opinion from fact.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• use your English to participate actively and confidently in most situations in everyday life – at home, in the street and at work
• pass the English Speaking Board ESOL Level 1 Reading and Writing exams
• speak more fluently in conversations about everyday topics and interpersonal issues
• exchange opinions and ask and answering questions on a range of topics such as the news, current affairs, music, sports etc. with good pronunciation of auxiliaries
• write opinion essays and articles with clear arguments and evidence on a range of topics
• use a range of discourse markers to organise your writing
• write formal and informal letters and emails with grammatical accuracy and correct layout and structure
• complete forms with appropriate levels of detail and correct conventions
• write reports or leaflets with appropriate language and conventions
• write coherent paragraphs with a clear structure which link to other paragraphs
• spelling a range of words relating to non-everyday topics
• read for gist, summarise the mains points and extract details from a range of texts
• identify the purpose and tone of different texts and distinguish opinion from fact
• use a range of tenses especially perfect forms both simple and continuous
• use the passive voice accurately
• use compound and complex sentences with more than two clauses including relative clauses, reported speech and question tags
• use a range of phrasal verbs and use particle order correctly
• develop the correct use of indefinite, definite and zero articles
By the end of this course you will also have improved your digital skills through use of Google Classroom, the internet and Microsoft Word/PowerPoint or Google docs.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a Level 1 intermediate to upper-intermediate course (B2). This course is ideal for you if you are comfortable using English in everyday life but now need to become more accurate, increase your vocabulary, do well at work and express your ideas and opinions.
You will need to do a pre-course assessment.
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 a code for Google classroom so you can communicate with classmates and access materials, videos etc. online.
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:
• ESOL level 1 (speaking and listening)
• Develop your writing and language skills (level 1-level 2)
• ESOL: develop your English skills to find a better job (entry 3-level 1)
• ESOL for hospitality: front of house (level 1-2)
• Office skills for ESOL students (entry 3-level 1)
• ESOL: Learn about London, its people and your rights (entry 3-level 1)
• Communication skills: working with people (ESOL entry 3 to level 1)
• ESOL pronunciation: stage 1 (level 1-2)
• ESOL and singing: sing your way to better English (entry 3 - level 2)
• Learn English - discover London, its history, culture and people (level 1 - level 2)
• Grammar in practice: intermediate (entry 3 -level 1)
• Communication skills: read well, write well (level 1-level 2)
• Communicating at work: formal, informal and being polite (level 1)
• ESOL Communicating at work: letters, emails, memos, notes, meetings and presentations (level 1)
• English dialogue: speaking, listening, pronunciation, performance (level 1-2)
• Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)
• Writing skills in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)
• ESOL and making podcasts: pronunciation, presentation, expression (level 1-2)
There also many maths, employability and digital skills courses you can do. Ask your tutor or contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / (telephone temporarily unavailable) for more detail. These include:
• Maths for life and work (foundation) / (level 1)
• Becoming confident in numbers: mental maths (level 1-2)
• Complete beginners: becoming confident on your computer and online
• Becoming confident with digital skills: on your computer and online (beginner)
• Becoming confident with online communication: Zoom
• Becoming confident in digital skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook (beginner)
• Becoming confident in file management and Windows 10 on your PC (beginners).