WEA courses

Develop foundational reading skills with this non-accredited Pre-entry Reading course. This English course is for speakers of other languages and is a face-to-face class in a local centre.This ESOL reading course helps people who are just starting to learn English. It will help you gain confidence reading short simple texts and common words in English. What we’ll cover:- Recognise the letters of the alphabet in upper and lower case; use an understanding of letters and sounds to identify common English words in everyday situations; read signs, symbols and texts you will come across in the community; and understand how punctuation is used to help you read more easily.

The core of the course is a close but leisurely engagement with the work, first of Johannes Vermeer himself, secondly of his closest contemporaries, and thirdly of the emerging new world of the Dutch Golden Age. We shall consider Vermeer's work chronologically, though there will be some grouping to allow discussion of thematic interests and concerns. The works particularly of Gerrit Dou, Gabriel Metsu and Pieter de Hoogh will never be far from us as points of comparison.

The course presents all twenty-two “fables” of Robert Louis Stevenson, some as short as a few lines, others running to several pages, all of them challenging the reader with unexpected approaches to human life. We will read all the fables in six weeks, coming together on Zoom to share responses and questions, examine the literary merits and explore the ways the fables might enhance our understanding of ourselves and others we come into contact with day by day. There are podcasts for each fable to supplement our discussions, as well as space on the Canvas site to continue the Zoom discussions.

Build up your writing skills with these ESOL classes. This English course for beginners is aimed at speakers of other languages. It will help you learn writing skills that will support you to work or study in the UK. This ESOL entry 2 writing course builds on skills you learnt at entry 1. Expand your knowledge of grammar and improve your writing skills in English. There are also reading and speaking & listening courses at this level. If you’re helping others access ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place

Learn basic writing skills with this foundational English course for beginners. This English course is for speakers of other languages. It will help you learn to write in English to study, work, and live in the UK. Entry 1 ESOL courses help people who are just starting to learn English. It will help you gain confidence to write basic sentences in English. There are also reading and speaking & listening courses at this level. If you’re helping others access ESOL classes in the UK, you’ve come to the right place.

This six-week course is for those whose first language is NOT English. It is an intermediate (B1) level course and learners should already be familiar with a basic grasp of the English Language in order to access this course. The sessions will develop learners’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. 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 reflect on the English they hear around them and bring new vocabulary and expressions into the classroom to share.

This basic course will introduce learners to the world at work and the language needed to enter it. The course has been developed in partnership with Wolverhampton City Council which refers learners to this and other programmes hosted at the Old School, which is a community centre run by Blakenhall Action Community Forum. This course is particularly suitable for students are unemployed and have been referred by Job Centres to improve their spoken and written English and thereby get closer to getting a job.

This course is for people who live in Nottingham 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.

Enhance your storytelling skills with our Short Story Workshop. Learn the art of crafting compelling short stories through practical exercises and expert guidance. Ideal for writers of all levels looking to refineIn this course students will explore the art of short story writing, focusing on the fundamental elements that make a compelling narrative. Through guided exercises, discussions and peer feedback, participants will learn how to develop characters, craft engaging plots, build vivid settings and experiment with narrative voice and structure. By the end of the course students will complete a polished short story, showing structure and plot effectively and gain practical skills for refining their storytelling craft. This is a friendly and supportive Writing Workshop where learners are able to receive feedback each week on the previous week's Homework writing assignment. their short fiction writing abilities.

In this course we will be celebrating, criticising and discussing together writings which either portray rebellion and defiance, or which by their very style overturn the rules. From the most modern writers today such as Sarah Moss and Zoe Gilbert through to Shakespeare’s plays and back in time to legendary figures described by the earliest writers in English, questions arise around rebels, their actions – and how authors perceive them: what situations drive personal or political acts of rebellion? What is an author’s intention in presenting disobedience or unrest? How do writers portray to us the act of rebellion or the character of a rebel? Together, we shall be seeking answers.