Learning English Part 1: Finding support and resources
English is a very essential skill for people living in the UK. But for foreign speakers, it is also a skill that will take some time to acquire and to hone. Fortunately, for the eager English learners, there are many free or cheap resources easily accessible! In this first part of this series, we will briefly introduce resources and support, like English classes, English grammar and vocabulary exercises, and self-learning apps.
1. ESOL classes
For those of us who prefer a more structured approach to learning, joining an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) class is a good choice. Online and in-person ESOL classes are offered at different levels of English competency, and are open to everyone from beginning learners to advanced students who are getting ready to take English-qualifying examinations like IELTS or Cambridge Assessment.
Many local councils and organisations across the UK offer ESOL for free or at a discounted price for refugees, people seeking asylum, migrants, and other eligible persons. You can check the following links to find if there are any ESOL local or online classes that will suit your needs. (Some of these courses are offered for free to eligible students, and you might want to check whether you are eligible before applying.)
England and Wales: The City and Guilds (You can use their search engine to find to find a centre offering ESOL in your city)
Scotland: ESOL Courses (You can also get in touch with your local council and email them directly about ESOL opportunities here)
Northern Ireland: ESOL NI
While council-funded free ESOL classes often have limited openings, they are not the only English classes on offer in the UK. National and regional charities and NGOs, like WEA in England and Scotland, or Odils Learning Foundation in Plymouth, offer free ESOL courses to eligible students. Sometimes some local schools or centres will also offer free ESOL classes taught by trainee teachers (like the British Study Centres). You can easily find out more about local non-council-funded opportunities by searching the name of your region and ESOL in any internet search engines.
As these courses are offered by different organisations, if you would like to find out more about what the learning experience would be like before enquiring or enrolling, you can chat with local refugee / migrant support organisations, churches, or friends from your diaspora to see what they might recommend.
2. Exercises and self-learning apps
If you are interested in improving your English outside the classroom, there are also many free and comprehensive online exercises and learning resources available. Here are some of the samples:
BBC Learning English and The British Council: Both offer lessons varied in levels, themes, and focus. You can follow their lessons and materials, or choose to focus on a particular aspect like grammar, vocabularies, or conversational English. The British Council even offers a free online English test, and you can use the test result to find contents and resources on their website that are appropriate for your English ability.
Free ESOL resources: An online ESOL teaching and learning resources website that offers materials according to levels. From “Starter” to “Advanced” they cover everything from the alphabets to reading and grammar. (For absolute beginners, you can start here.)
Cambridge: English Language Assessment: It offers over 170 free English activities.
Some of these organisations have also compiled their lessons and materials together and launched them as mobile apps, so that you can practise your English wherever you want!
BBC Learning English app: You can access their latest lessons and English materials on the app.
The British Council apps: The British Council offers a series of English learning apps with different focuses, like games, grammar, quizzes, pronunciation, even a podcast with transcript and quizzes! You can download the apps according to your needs.
So, where to begin?
If you are a beginner, navigating these websites and finding the materials suitable for you might not be easy. Pay attention to words like “easy”, “entry”, “beginner” or “starter” - these words are usually the indicators about where the beginners’ materials are located. Alternatively, ask a local friend to walk you through these mazes of English resources by helping you to find an entry point.
Of course there is more to English learning than classes, exercises and apps! In the next issue, we will introduce resources, support and tips in the four main aspects of everyday English skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. We will also share about how to keep your learning sustainable by keeping it fun! So watch this space!
Additional tip: Can I join a council-funded ESOL if I have NRPF (“No recourse to public funds”) condition in my migration status?
This is tricky - for sometimes a programme that is funded by the council or the government might actually be outside of the “Public Funded” category. In this situation, even a person with a NRPF status might be considered eligible. If you are interested in a course and are feeling unsure, you can always ask the programme organiser via their contact details.
