Are you a tongue-tied traveller? Gain confidence speaking and using another language at a variety of levels from complete beginners to more advanced and get so much more from your holiday or business visits. Classes help you to learn the language you need, discover different cultures and give you plenty of opportunities to practice and have fun at the same time!

Choose from: New!! Japanese, Polish, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Italian, Russian, Spanish.

Accreditation is available through the OCR Asset Languages framework, helping you map your progress to the national Languages Ladder.

Businesses– tell us how we can help you. Courses can be arranged on employers’ premises.

Individual supported self study, intensive courses and short courses are possible in some languages. Contact the freephone helpline and ask to speak to the languages Curriculum Managers.  (Supported self study is possible in Greek and Mandarin Chinese).

British Sign Language (BSL) is the first or preferred language of an estimated 50,000 - 70,000 deaf people in the UK.  In March 2003 BSL was recognised by the Government as a language in its own right.

Do you just want an introduction to BSL? If so, you can join a short Unit 101 course, instead of committing to a full Level 1 course. If you work in the voluntary, community or public sector and need a recognised qualification in British Sign Language, join our accredited Signature BSL Level 1 or Level 2 courses, which are made up of 3 units each. www.signature.org.uk for general information about these qualifications.

Makaton is an internationally recognised communication programme, used in more than 40 countries worldwide. Most Makaton users are children and adults with learning and communication difficulties, who need it as their main means of communication, but everyone else who shares their lives will also use Makaton. These include the families, carers, friends and professionals such as teachers, speech and language therapists, social workers, playgroup staff, childminders, college lecturers, instructors, nurses, and psychiatrists.

We offer Makaton for Parents and Carers, Makaton Foundation and also Makaton Enhancement Workshops.

Look at further information on Makaton at: www.makaton.org

The Languages Levels Guide

Check out the Levels Guide below for more information about modern foreign language courses, or call the Enrolment Helpline, FREEphone 0800 988 0308 for help and advice.

Detailed course information sheets are available for each course.

Try the BBC languages website to gauge your level: www.bbc.co.uk/languages

Look at the descriptions below to help you choose the correct level.  If you are still unsure, please ask for advice from our freephone helpline 0800 988 0308. Below is a grid showing how each course matches against the level of other qualifications, including Asset Languages levels. Emphasis on all courses is on speaking and listening.

Beginners - Part 1 - Aims to encourage confidence to begin to speak and use the language. Covers topics such as: greetings, introducing yourself & others, ordering food & drink in cafes, finding your way around and booking accommodation.

Beginners - Part 2 - You can join at this point if you already know the basics of the language. Includes topics such as: shopping, transport, tourist information, dining out, home and leisure activities, weather, plus revision of beginner topics

Year 2 - Builds on beginners course, to include more variety of content. Includes talking about the past and future, personal opinions, likes and dislikes.

Year 3 - Consolidates Year 2, aims to develop confidence and fluency.

Year 4 - Courses will broaden vocabulary and structures, using present, past, future and conditional tenses and increase confidence and fluency.

Year 5 Intermediate - Further developing Year 4 work, moving towards more complex structures and improving ability to hold conversations in social situations and at work.  Based on a variety of current issues and topics.

Year 5+ Advanced - Varied activities to give confidence in presenting opinions and understanding those of others, through current affairs, personal interests, films, travel, culture. The emphasis on speaking and listening and there will be plenty of opportunity for practicing conversation. The level of classes can vary according to the make up of the group.

Signature Level 1 Award: Can be taken as 3 separate units or a full year course.

Unit 101: Introductory course covering fingerspelling, personal information, meeting and helping people, talking about family, numbers, time, calendar, weather, transport and food.

Unit 102 Conversational BSL

Unit 103 BSL at work/college

Level 2: Builds on everyday conversational skills from Level 1 and introduces key themes such as travel, shopping, eating and drinking. Made up of 3 units: Unit 201 tests receptive understanding through watching a video and answering questions, Unit 202 tests productive ability by producing a presentation on a pre-prepared topic, Unit 203 is a discussion between learner and tutor.

We are offering the following courses:

Route 1: Makaton Foundation, followed by Makaton Enhancement Workshop, suitable for learners who need Makaton for use at work, in care settings/schools.

Route 2: Makaton Parents and Carers Workshop.

The initial courses are suitable for learners with no previous experience. The Enhancement Workshop requires previous study of the Makaton Foundation course.

Information on course content is available in the course information sheets or contact the freephone helpline for advice.

Beginners - Develops vocabulary to help you communicate in simple phrases in business and social situations. Measure 1 or more of your skills through internationally recognised London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Intermediate - Advanced - Improves your social and business communication skills and grammatical awareness. Measure your skills with LCCI assessments. (Satisfies 24 UK universities’ English Language requirements for candidates whose mother-tongue is not English.)

Supported self study - A mixture of class teaching and tutor supported study at home in Greek at beginners level.

Intensive weeks - Beginners' courses offered over 2 or 3 weekday evenings and a Saturday, covering basic survival language.