Would you like to improve or learn English while you are living in the UK?
In this article we are going to provide some useful information for you to do it!
A lot of people come to the UK to learn English. This is because it’s a great way to improve their employ-ability with the potential employers.
We can see a lot of students from other countries in University cities spending one year course. Or during the summer doing their express English course in some townships.
Same goes to the foreign workers that wish to study English while they are working here in the UK.
There are a few ways for you to learn English, from learning in a private language institution to almost free alternatives.
That depends on your preference of learning the formal way in classes or even informal ways of one-on-one communication. And of course how much you’re willing to spend out of pocket.
WHERE CAN WE LEARN, STUDY or TALK ENGLISH?
Language Academies:
In the UK there are so many different language academies to learn English for you to choose from.
In major cities, you can find more options with more variety of programs and price ranges, comparing to smaller towns.
But I have to say, that the academies are not cheap here, and not everyone can join these courses.
The prices ranges between £160 to £240 per week! It depends on the area and the status of the academy.
Normally the groups are of a maximum of 10 people per class and you would be having about 20 hours/per week worth of sitting in for classes.
The academies offer general English courses to more advanced levels. It ranges from courses to prepare you for college examinations, for employment applications and business-level English and also for students just to improve their speaking skills.
Council Courses:
Free English courses are offered at most universities, institutes and state centers throughout the United Kingdom.
These courses are normally long-term official courses (semester based or annually) taught by qualified teachers.
These courses may be chargeable, but if you meet certain requirements you may also sign up for free. There are conditions where you would be eligible for a waiver.
The 3 basic requirements are usually :
If you’re a UK resident.
You’re unemployed.
You’re receiving unemployment benefits from the UK Government.
The first two are easy conditions to fulfill but the third is not easy for new-comers. So if you want to learn English, the easiest thing is to go to the private academies as mentioned above.
But my tip is you should personally ask the council at their office. They would explain to you about all the courses that they have to offer and the ways to access to them.
Exchange groups:
Nowadays with the internet and social networking, we can find more options to learn English language for free.
For example : On Facebook, we can find groups of people that meet in cafes or pub. You can get a drink and have conversations in English as a practical way of improving speaking skills without having to enter a class-room.
This is a good way to meet with new people while you’re doing something fun and learning the language in the same time. And the best thing is that, it’s totally free!
Normally the group’s name is the name of the city where they currently live. You have to send a request to be included in the group and that’s it. When they approve you in, you can ask them right away about when is the next meeting, place and time or just look out for posts in the group itself.
For example, if you live in Liverpool, you would want to search on Facebook for “Spanish people in Liverpool”. Or just search for <Your nationality> in Liverpool.
Online Language Classes via Video Chat:
Also there are a lot of teachers that give English classes online using Skype or other similar platforms.
They normally offer much cheaper rates than the academies. But some of them are more expensive because they consider it as a private tutoring class.
Search on Google with the keyword “English classes with Skype” and there should be lots of websites listed.
Take your time to search for a good one as there are many of such online services offered!
» If you are moving to the UK, you may also be interested in our articles about “UK Transportation: Best ways to get around this country” and “How to write a CV & How to find a job in the UK “.