WEA courses

Take your reading skills to the next level with these ESOL classes. Feel comfortable reading and understanding different types of texts in English. Improved reading skills can make life in the UK easier for you. This ESOL entry 3 reading course builds on skills you learnt at entry 2. You’ll continue to expand your vocabulary and reading skills. This is an English course for adults. It is aimed at speakers of other languages. ESOL courses are divided into three areas: reading, writing, and speaking & listening. If you’re helping others find ESOL courses in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

This course examines a variety of avant-garde short stories by modern and contemporary Chinese writers. Each session will be spent producing a close analysis of individual stories and excerpts from longer fiction, debating different interpretations and understandings of the set texts,

Do you struggle to adjust as the season changes? Many of us experience depleted energy levels, a lack of motivation and a lower mood as the days become shorter and colder. This mindfulness and meditation course can support you to feel a sense of equilibrium as we adjust to the changing season. You will learn to anchor in the present moment through your own body, breathing and surroundings. Mindfulness practice supports you to relax and replenish your energy levels and encourages mental clarity. Each session includes a guided Yoga Nidra practice to encourage deep rest of your whole being. This course aims to encourage you to celebrate the shift in season, recognising that it is natural to slow down as we move towards winter. It is a perfect time to practice mindfulness, turn our focus inwards and find joy in rest.

The course looks at the various fortifications found across Britain against their historical context. Each week we will look at different kinds of fortifications trying to work out why they were built when and where they were, how they functioned and how and why fortifications changed over time.

When and why did holidaying at the seaside become popular and where along Essex’s Sunshine Coast would you choose to go? Rediscover the carefree days of a seaside holiday at one of the Essex resorts. From families to famous names in popular entertainment, a stay at the seaside was just the thing in 19th and 20th centuries and we’ll be sharing memories of those days as we consider how the resorts developed, thrived and faced challenges together.

It is arguably a greater challenge for a modern architect to sympathetically expand the use of historic buildings, than to create new free-standing architecture. We will critically assess what a range of architects have achieved – including Norman Foster at the British Museum, Rick Mather at the Ashmolean in Oxford, and Herzog and de Meuron in creating and then expanding Tate Modern.

Away from any specific film movements or ‘waves’ relevant to their own countries, some filmmakers seem to earn greater acclaim internationally, often making films set outside their own native country, yet still telling the stories and expressing the themes they wish to portray. We examine what some of these, perhaps universal, stories and themes are, what are the stylistic approaches they use and just how and why these manage to resonate with critics and audiences. Are all these films received with equal praise within the director’s home country, are they seen as ‘selling out’? And regardless of what the director themselves might intend or state, are there still conscious or unconscious echoes of national cinematic movements within their work? And what role might financial sources play? Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon received praise yet the director was regarded by some as ‘selling out’ or ‘exploiting’ himself to the West. Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element could be viewed simply as a Hollywood sci-fi with a French Director, yet does the director add far more as an outsider, making more intellectual comment than one may expect from a commercial genre-movie. Not unlike Peter Wier’s Witness and Jane Campion’s The Piano, so many of these works which despite their creative diversity, also evidence their director’s own unique cinematic voice. Likewise, Wim Wenders recent Perfect Days, set in Japan, how far removed is it from the director’s early underpinnings of German Cinema? Perfect Days (2023), Couching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000), The Piano (1993), Witness (1985),The Fifth Element (1997).

This practical course aims to provide students with an introduction to issues connected with learning, teaching, training and assessment of adults in a supportive environment. Participants are asked to prepare a short presentation as well as using self and peer evaluation.

This is part two of the beginners ESOL course. It is a continuation from part 1. This course is for people who live in Coventry who are beginners in learning English. It is a face-to-face course. The course will help you to start using English every day ready to apply for work in the UK. It will also improve your confidence to speak to people in English in other everyday situations, like going to the doctor, shopping, using public transport and speaking to your child’s teachers. You will start to learn some of the words and phrases needed to feel part of your community and become more independent in your life in the UK. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority

Gain access to the essentials of modern life through vital digital skills in this beginner-ESOL learner friendly course. Tailored for ESOL learners lacking confidence in using laptop computers, this program equips beginners with fundamental skills. Learn to access services, apply for jobs, save work, and ensure online safety. The course targets ESOL learners who have limited laptop experience and seek greater proficiency. Dive into the digital era, building confidence and competence in utilizing technology to navigate various aspects of contemporary living. Join this this course to unlock the potential of digital tools and enhance your ability to engage with today's interconnected world.