ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)
City Lit has a wide range of courses to help you develop your reading, writing, and speaking and listening skills in English (ESOL).
Our offer includes both a year long and short termly courses at different levels.
- Level 2
- Level 1
- Entry 3
- Entry 2
- Entry 2
- Pre-Entry
- Maths for ESOL
- Conversation Club
- Grammar in practice
- Writing skills in Practice
- ESOL, maths and digital skills for Life
- Learn English- learn about London
The courses are FREE to most learners. For more information about our live online courses, please see our guide to online learning.
- Grammar in practice: intermediate (entry 3-level 1)Course start date: Mon 6 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Confused by verb tenses? Need to know when to use past simple or present perfect? Puzzled by the passive? This course will make English grammar simpler for you and increase your confidence by giving you lots of opportunities to put your grammar into practice.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £65.00 - Entry 1 Reading and WritingCourse start date: Thu 9 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to improve your reading and writing skills in English for everyday use? On this course, you will practise your reading and writing skills, but also improve your speaking and listening. Covering different topics such as daily routine, transport, health and shopping, you will practise identifying and reading different texts, writing answers, and asking and answering basic questions in the present simple tense.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £0.00 - Communication skills for life and work (entry 3 - level 1)Course start date: Sat 11 Jan 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Are you quite confident about your everyday English? Can you go shopping, talk about simple subjects, and write a letter or email? But do you make quite a lot of mistakes? Is it difficult to speak, read or write about more complicated topics? This pre-intermediate course will help you practise your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills so you can understand people better; talk about most daily topics with more than one person; read and understand short, straightforward texts such as emails and simple news stories; and write different sentences, learning how to effectively proofread.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £0.00 - Learn English - discover London, its history, culture and people (level 1-level 2)Course start date: Mon 13 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to improve your English and learn about London, its history, culture and people at the same time? On this course, you will visit places of interest and learn about the history of these places especially about the different people and cultures who have lived there, and about important events which have shaped the city. You will do your own research and so improve your reading and writing skills as well as your speaking and listening. In addition, you will feel more at home in London and able to participate in its rich and diverse life.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £35.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 1 (Speaking and Listening)Course start date: Mon 13 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating with others on different topics in a range of contexts. You will practice speaking fluently in different types of conversations, responding to questions on a range of topics and you will build your vocabulary by learning more synonyms and antonyms. You will also have the opportunity to hear a variety of accents and varieties of English. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise different tenses and improve your pronunciation including stress and intonation to convey meaning.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £150.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -Entry 3 (speaking and listening)Course start date: Mon 13 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating with others. You will practice speaking fluently in different types of conversations, asking and answering questions to build your vocabulary. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise different tenses and improving your pronunciation.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £300.00 Senior fee £240.00 Concession £150.00 - ESOL - communication skills for life and work -level 2 (Speaking and Listening)Course start date: Tue 14 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Blended (learn both online and in-person)
This is the Speaking and Listening unit of the ESOL course to give you confidence in communicating straightforward and detailed information, ideas and opinions clearly, adapting speech and content to take account of the listener(s), medium, purpose and situation. You will improve your fluently and accuracy in extended and varying conversations, responding and contributing on a range of topics. You will also build your vocabulary by learning more sophisticated words for formal settings. You will have the opportunity to hear a variety of accents and varieties of English and be able to apply speaking skills in face to face and telephone situations. Speaking about interesting everyday topics you will practise a wide range of sentence structure and tenses and improve your pronunciation including stress, rhythm and intonation to convey meaning.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
This course will be delivered online and in person. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £150.00 - Develop your Writing (ESOL Entry level)Course start date: Tue 14 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Is writing your most difficult skill in English? Do you want to improve your writing skills and techniques at entry level? Do you struggle with knowing which words should be capitalised? Do you need to improve writing in the correct tense? In this course you will focus on how to improve the structure of your writing - the whole text, sentences and paragraphs, and you will work on understanding and practising common writing conventions such as correct spelling, punctuation, capitalisation, use of symbols (e.g. & @ £) and the grammar of the English language. The skills you learn to develop your writing will also help you improve formal speaking whether this is for job interviews, meetings at work or giving simple presentations. This course is ideal if you are an ESOL learner who lacks confidence with your literacy skills.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £69.00 - English communication skills for life and work (ESOL entry 2)Course start date: Tue 14 Jan 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Can you have short conversations in English, and read and write simple emails, but want to do more? This course will help you talk, read and write about more interesting subjects and make fewer mistakes so people can understand you, you can understand them and you can read and write important messages, emails, forms and news stories. You will improve your vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. By the end of this three-term programme you will able to interact confidently with English speakers in your daily life. You can join the course at any time.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £90.00 - English communication skills for life and work (ESOL entry 1)Course start date: Wed 15 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
For students who can speak or write only a few words in English or maybe none at all. On this beginners' course, you will learn new words and grammar, how to ask and answer questions, how to read and write about yourself, your family, and friends, and how to complete forms and short emails.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £140.00 Concession £70.00 - Conversation ClubCourse start date: Wed 15 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you speak English as a second language? Do you want to practise your speaking and listening skills in an immersive and engaging environment? Want to practise making good conversation? Would you like to improve your fluency and learn social cues, norms and natural key phrases we use in the English language. The conversation club will allow you to develop your verbal and non-verbal communication skills. You will meet different people on the course and explore different themes and topics.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £159.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)Course start date: Wed 15 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Unsure when to use present perfect or past perfect? Is reported speech still causing you problems? Do you need to practise your conditionals? Join this course and put your grammar into practice in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Gain confidence in using grammar effectively through high level and engaging tasks
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - Numeracy and ESOL - the language of maths - Entry levelCourse start date: Thu 16 Jan 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to learn important numeracy skills that focus on learning and becoming confident with everyday mathematical language we use in different settings? This course will allow students to build confidence and develop basic skills in Number, Measure, Shape and Space, Handling Data and Talking Maths. You will also learn how to identify, read, write numbers, and mathematical signs including money and common calculations. This course will also help you develop mathematical, problem-solving skills which is an important skill needed in our daily lives.
Free course: This is a Multiply course. Multiply is a new government programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This course is free for Londoners aged 19 or over. For more information Click here
Full fee £19.00 - Communication skills: developing your writing, speaking and digital skills through creating a radio programme (ESOL level 1-2)Course start date: Thu 16 Jan 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £70.00 - English pronunciation: stage 2Course start date: Tue 21 Jan 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: David John GwillimDesigned for people who have completed ‘English Pronunciation: stage 1’ although new students with sufficient skills can join. Develop confidence and clarity, explore diphthongs and triphthongs, inflection and the rhythms of Standard English. This term the course will be taught online.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00
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