ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) - Adults aged 19+
Overview
If you want to improve your English skills but don’t know where to start, our FREE short courses are perfect for you.
These courses are designed as a pathway for adults with English as a second language to gain confidence and either learn from the beginning or enhance their existing English skills. You have the option to progress all the way through to our accredited ESOL Speaking and Listening, Reading, and Writing qualifications. After, you can study further with our Functional Skills English and/or Maths courses or GCSE English.
These courses are free (subject to eligibility), and you will have to complete an initial assessment to determine your current English level.
These courses are delivered at either our Adult Learning Centre in the Four Seasons Shopping Centre, or at our Derby Road campus.
Please contact us on 01623 413 602 or drop into the Adult Learning Centre for more information.
Do you know a young person between the age of 16-18 who’s also looking to improve their English skills? Our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) course for 16-to-18-year-olds is available here.
Stage 1
Beginner (non-accredited)
- When/Where: Various – contact us for more information
- Cost: FREE* or £3.50 per hour
This 6-10 week short course is perfect for beginners with limited English language skills.
You will:
- Focus on basic vocabulary, grammar, and everyday communication.
- Develop fundamental reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
Once you have completed this course, you can progress on to our stage two course, Next Steps (below).
Stage 2
Next Steps (non-accredited)
- When/Where: Various – contact us for more information
- Cost: FREE* or £3.50 per hour
This 6-10 week short course is the next step for people looking to improve their English language skills.
You will:
- Build on your English skills with a bigger focus on grammar.
Once you have completed this course, you can progress on to our stage three course, Pathway to ESOL (below).
Stage 3
Pathway to ESOL (non-accredited)
- When/Where: Various – contact us for more information
- Cost: FREE* or £3.50 per hour
This 6-10 week short course is the final step for people looking to improve their English language skills.
You will:
- Expand your vocabulary and improve your grammar structures
- Focus on real-life communication scenarios.
After completing this course, you can progress on to our stage four accredited courses, ESOL Speaking and Listening, ESOL Reading and ESOL Writing (below).
Stage 4
An accredited ESOL qualification is a great way to reassure prospective employers that you have the English skills they are looking for.
ESOL Reading – Entry Level 1 to Level 2 (accredited)
This 12-week course is the great opportunity to continue your reading study.
Depending on your level, you will**:
- Listen and respond, identify details and relevant information, understand and follow lengthy or multi-step instructions
- Engage in discussions, make requests, ask questions, present ideas or information.
- Speak clearly to be heard or in a way which suits the situation.
ESOL Speaking and Listening – Entry Level 1 to Level 2 (accredited)
This 12-week course is the perfect opportunity to continue your study in speaking and listening.
Depending on your level, you will**:
- Follow a short narrative, identify information, scan texts to locate information, identify the purpose of a text
- Recognise the letters of the alphabet, understanding words on forms, use reference materials to find the meaning of unknown words, understand technical vocabulary.
ESOL Writing – Entry Level 1 to Level 2 (accredited)
- When/Where: Various – contact us for more information
- Cost: FREE* or £150
This 12-week course is an amazing opportunity to further your writing skills.
Depending on your level, you will**:
- Construct sentences, plan and draft writing, use the correct tenses
- Learn spelling, punctuation, and grammar
- Produce legible text.
You will receive a certificate for each module you complete. If you complete all three modules, you will receive an overall certificate at your lowest level.
*Courses are FREE for adults aged 19 and over and free for learners who are unemployed and in receipt of certain benefits at the start of the course, or for learners who are in employment and earning less than £20,319 per year. We will also need to check your immigration status prior to enrolment to confirm eligibility for funding.
**This list isn’t comprehensive, if you’d like more details about the levels of each course, please contact us on 01623 413 602.
What can I progress onto?
Career opportunities
There isn't currently career information listed for this course.