WEA courses

This is the first course of six aimed at Upper Intermediate (B2) level learners of English. This six-week course is for those whose first language is NOT English and we will practice all four major skills in each session to further develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Lessons will be delivered face-to-face using a range of teacher led and freer interactive activities to develop learners’ proficiency and confidence. In addition to a focus on general pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, students will be encouraged to focus on colloquial English and develop an awareness of the local English being used in their contexts.

On this course we will explore: ● How the ghosts of metre and rhyme may exist in free verse, and how to achieve this ● How rhythm is generated within free verse through sonic devices. ● How rhythms of conversational speech are related to the rhythm of free verse, and how this produces a form of elevated speech. ● Rhyme and Rhythm in traditional poetry. The course will explore one technique each week and concentrate on workshopping this via the development of a subject during each session. These sessions will be built from structured inspiration tasks, discussion and experimentation with ideas and languages.

As the National Gallery stages an exhibition of van Gogh’s paintings in the Autumn, it is a good occasion to deepen our understanding of the Dutch master’s art. In this session, we will look at the central role and place given to the natural world in his paintings. In this session we will focus on a specific group of paintings, representing a variety of flowers, skies, fields, blossoming trees, and more. As we discover what meaning van Gogh imbued the natural world with, we will also look at the colours, lines, and brushwork.

If you are new to machine sewing this course is for you. It is a beginner’s course which will introduce you to the different functions of a sewing machine. You will learn how to use a machine for a variety of projects. We will also explore the language used in sewing and try out some basic sewing techniques, types of stitches and also different ways to seam fabric. You will have an opportunity to develop your creative skills and safe money on simple clothing alterations and repairs

When people ask why someone does something (for example why they lie) or what the reason for something is (for example for flooding or increased support for a political movement,) what exactly are they asking ? This course introduces you to three philosophical answers to this question. The first is to distinguish types of reason – ‘explanatory’, ‘motivating’, and ‘normative’. The second consists in pointing out that there are different reasons for accepting a statement as valid – truth, rightness (e.g. moral), and truthfulness. The third is to specify criteria for what creates or maintains moral or political justification. The course is intended to help you think more clearly about the ‘why question’ and to bring useful insights to what can be contentious topics.

Course Outline Come and join our enthusiastic tutor and a group of likeminded crafters as we immerse ourselves in the rewarding world of festive card making. If you’ve made Christmas cards previously you will know that it is never too early to start! Craft in general is known to have a positive effect on the mental health of those that do it, and card-making is fun, productive and very rewarding: you create lovely, personalised cards to delight the special people in your life. We will cover all aspects of card making from cutting the bases to adding the final elements of bling. We will try various fun folds, different techniques and a range of materials to create our stunning cards. This course is suitable for those with some experience of card making and a well-stocked craft room. Come and join us and build on your existing craft skills and add some new ones to your crafting library!

Why was Britain's genetic make-up radically changed between 500 and 800 AD/CE? Were the newcomers environmental refugees, pagan plunderers, invaders or missionaries? Who were these new arrivals and what were they doing over here? This course will use recent information on sites, finds and their interpretation to shed new light on Anglo-Saxon Age archaeology in Britain. How and why the migrations took place will be illustrated using new (since 1980) excavation evidence, metal detecting finds, scientific analysis and aerial remote sensing data.

The role of the community interpreter is an integral part of our changing communities and increasingly important. The interpreter acts as a bridge between communities and enables people to access the services they need and approach situations which otherwise would not be possible. The Level 2 Certificate in Preparing for the Community Interpreting Role enables learners who are speakers of other languages to develop the language and skills necessary to go on and train as Community Interpreters at Level 3 and Level 4. This is the ideal qualification for anyone who wants to enter the interpreting profession and become a paid interpreter or volunteer in the UK. The session on March 11th will take place face to face- Venue TBC. This course is only for learners in CB and PE postcodes.

Welcome to the world of creativity! This beginners' course in arts and crafts is designed to introduce you to various artistic techniques and mediums, providing you with a solid foundation to explore your creativity. Whether you're a complete novice or someone looking to refresh their skills, this course will guide you through the fundamentals of different art forms, encouraging you to express yourself through hands-on projects.

What does it take to keep the audience on the edge of their seat for the classic film thriller experience? What happens when crime is thrown into the mix? We explore five examples now regarded as classics of this genre and question – do they all have far more than ‘just’ generic entertainment value? For a brief period in the 1980s, it appeared as though the crime thriller expressed something about what was perhaps a changing, or changed Britain – we examine two of these films, The Long Good Friday and Mona Lisa. Classics such as Brighton Rock provide an interesting and historical British cinematic parallel to the gangster and noir films of 30s and 40s U.S. Whereas, Get Carter, a film now regarded as an icon of national cinema was initially conceived as a trashy ‘pot-boiler’ for the U.S drive-in market, leaving some to argue it could be viewed as more of a ‘revenge Western’ set in North East England? Whilst Danny Boyle’s Shallow Grave seemingly reinvigorates the genre into something arguably more sophisticated and/or accessible in the 1990s? What common techniques do these films employ and what do they say thematically about reoccurring anxieties and tensions of the societies which produced and consumed them? Can filmmakers still learn from these or have some now dated in their power to keep us on the edge of the seat? Mona Lisa (1986), The Long Good Friday (1980), Get Carter (1971), Brighton Rock (1948), Shallow Grave (1994).