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You are here: Home > Education > Learning Activities > Adult Education and Activities > Languages

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Languages

Modern Foreign Languages

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: 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

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 CACDP BSL Level 1 or Level 2 courses, which are made up of 3 units each. www.cacdp.org.uk for general information about these qualifications.

Makaton

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 Baby Signing courses.
Look at further information on Makaton at: www.makaton.org
The Languages Levels Guide will give you more information, or call the Enrolment helpline, freephone 0800 988 0308 for help and advice.
Detailed course information sheets are available for each course.

BBC Languages: Test your level online!

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

Learner quotes

  • “I’ve loved the course, because I can really talk to people now when I go on holiday”
  • “I really wanted to try again at a language, I never dared to speak out in class at school.  I’ve made so much progress!”
  • “I can understand jokes and join in at the local bar when I go on holiday”
  • “I wish I’d come years ago, school was never like this!”
  • “I often travel for work and being able to speak even a little of the language makes so much difference”

The Languages Levels Guide

Modern Foreign Languages

How do I choose the right level for me?
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.
Course NQF Level OCR Asset Stage
Beginners Entry - pre GCSE Breakthrough
Year 2 Entry/Level 1 Breakthrough/Preliminary
Year 3 Level 1 GCSE D-G Preliminary
Year 4 Level 2 GCSE A*-C Intermediate
Year  5+ (Advanced): a range of levels and languages at certain centres.
Emphasis on speaking and listening.
Levels of individual courses may vary depending on the makeup of the group please ask for further details.
Level 3 AS/A2 Advanced
Beginners - Stage 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 - Stage 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+ 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.

British Sign Language (BSL)

Level 1: 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.

Makaton

We are offering the following courses: Makaton Foundation, Makaton Parents and Carers workshop, Makaton signing for babies.
These courses are all suitable for learners with no previous experience. Information on course content is available in the course information sheets or contact the freephone helpline for advice.

English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

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.)

Other options

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.

further information

Contact: Louise Robinson
Telephone: 0116 305 6387
E-mail: adultlearning@leics.gov.uk
Last Updated:
2 June 2008
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