WEA courses

Are you bilingual? Ever thought about using your language skills to help out in the community? Did you know you can get many jobs with languages? If you speak English and another language fluently, you could make a great community interpreter. This community interpreter course gives you an introduction to the language and interpreting skills needed for this type of work. It can teach you foundational concepts to test your community interpreting skills informally with family or friends. This course can prepare you to help members of your family or community to overcome language barriers in their everyday lives. It can also help you decide if you’re interested in pursuing community interpreting jobs.

Are you fascinated by art and how it developed, and would like to know more? The story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus has been at the forefront of western art for 2,000 years - from early inscriptions in the catacombs, medieval altarpieces and Leonardo’s Last Supper, to the twentieth century works of artists such as Marc Chagall and Graham Sutherland. This lavishly illustrated six week course takes you through the Easter story through the eyes of the major artists.

Each week we focus on a classic work of fiction, reading and discussing key passages. The texts include short novels which can be read in one week, and longer novels which we’ll study over two weeks. The course is organised chronologically and spans over 200 years, from the mid-19th century to modern times. We begin with Jane Eyre and end with Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. We’ll share and debate interpretations, sharpen our critical and appreciative faculties, understand what fiction can tell us about the society and culture that produced it, and, hopefully, be inspired to read other works by the writers featured on the course.

Are you bilingual? Ever thought about using your language skills to help out in the community? Did you know you can get many jobs with languages? If you speak English and another language fluently, you could make a great community interpreter. This community interpreter course gives you an introduction to the language and interpreting skills needed for this type of work. It can teach you foundational concepts to test your community interpreting skills informally with family or friends. This course can prepare you to help members of your family or community to overcome language barriers in their everyday lives. It can also help you decide if you’re interested in pursuing community interpreting jobs.

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. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The act of looking is so closely bound up with the act of writing. Novels depend upon those moments when an author presses the pause button and allows their characters to just stop and look at something. This course will explore how photos, especially, can be used as a vital stimulus for creative writing. Over two days, you will explore the work of some of the world’s finest photographers, from Andre Kertesz to Garry Winogrand, all projected upon the screen. You will then be encouraged to look even closer and see where these images take your own writing. The course will also consider how established writers have engaged with the art of photography, from John Berger to Susan Sontag, Tony Harrison and Geoff Dyer. Most importantly, you will encourage you to find a way of using your own photos as a way of unlocking your own hidden powers of writing and observation. Come along and join our friendly lipreading group at The Centre in Newlyn. This class is suitable for all levels of lipreaders and is ideal for those recently experiencing hearing loss. Our experienced tutor will guide you through the basics of lipreading and show you how to practice your lipreading skills in everyday life. Research has shown that attending a lipreading class can give you greater: • Confidence to communicate with others • Control over your hearing loss, as you develop new communication skills • Independence, as you’re less reliant on others to help you follow conversation (Source RNID.org.uk) You will learn in a supportive environment alongside other learners who will be able to share their experiences of hearing loss and learn how to overcome them together

Did you know that learning Latin can enrich your knowledge in all sorts of other areas? Far from being “dead”, Latin is all around us. This intermediate Latin course can give you essential background knowledge to understand terminology in law, medicine, family history, and many other subjects. Latin has hundreds of applications in contemporary contexts. This course is ideal for you if you’re interested in learning Latin, or gaining general knowledge to help you learn modern languages or other disciplines.

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 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.

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.