Evening Language Steps Courses
Evening Language Steps Courses are a suite of extracurricular evening language courses aimed at students, staff, and members of the community who wish to learn a new language or build on existing knowledge of a language.
| Applicant type | Prices | Time | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge Hill student | No charge (fee of £90 will be covered by the Student Opportunity Fund) | All classes run from 6 – 8pm. The evening of each course differs, see the individual page for details. | Courses commencing in the 2022/2023 cycle will be delivered in person on our Ormskirk campus. |
| Edge Hill staff | £120 | All classes run from 6 – 8pm. The evening of each course differs, see the individual page for details. | Courses commencing in the 2022/2023 cycle will be delivered in person on our Ormskirk campus. |
| Member of the public | £170 | All classes run from 6 – 8pm. The evening of each course differs, see the individual page for details. | Courses commencing in the 2022/2023 cycle will be delivered in person on our Ormskirk campus. |
Support and resources
Why learn a language?
Language Steps courses are perfect for individuals who wish to take up a new hobby, prepare for travel abroad, or for students who wish to enhance their CV and diversify their University studies.
- Learn a brand new invaluable skill which is enjoyable and rewarding.
- Gain an insight into a different culture through language.
- Enhance your employability.
- Improve the functionality of your brain and your problem-solving skills.
- Improve your listening skills and comprehension.
- Open up the possibility of living and working abroad.
- See the world from a new perspective.
- Become better at English.
- Meet new people and boost your confidence.
- Enhance your employability.
Language levels
Courses run at three main levels: beginner, elementary and intermediate. These levels accommodate beginners, those with a GCSE and those with an AS or A Level qualification in the chosen language. Each level consists of two parts: Step 1 (October – December) and Step 2 (January/ February – March/ April). The course should be determined by your language level.
| Language level | Description |
|---|---|
| Beginner (A1) | Very little or no prior knowledge of the language GCSE grade 3 (D) or below |
| Elementary (A2) | GCSE grade 4-9 (C-A*) or equivalent in recent years |
| Intermediate (B1-B2) | AS or A Level pass or equivalent |
There may be some variation to language level descriptors above. For example, you may not have a qualification in the language but may have lived in a country where the target language is spoken. If you are unsure of your language level, please contact the Language Support Tutor who will be able to advise you on the best route.
Note on progression
Please note that these course levels are not a direct continuation of one another. For example, the beginners’ course is not a direct springboard onto the elementary course, and the elementary course is not a direct springboard on to the intermediate course. This is because it requires more hours to transition from one level to another than the courses offer. If you have completed Step 1 and Step 2 of a level and would like to continue, please contact the Language Centre. Subject to sufficient demand and viable numbers, we will endeavour to provide a bespoke level for your cohort.
FAQs
Testimonial
Beginners’ Italian – I enrolled on the Beginners’ Italian Steps course in autumn 2021, having realised that I needed to improve my knowledge of both spoken and written Italian for my PhD research – I was writing a novel set partially in Italy, was planning a research visit to Rome, and was also faced with the prospect of reading several articles in Italian. Although I already knew a bit of Italian, and had completed some of the Duolingo Italian course, the Steps course really met my needs and built my confidence in terms of holding a conversation in Italian, especially as I have always been nervous about speaking other languages. Our teacher (a native Italian speaker with years of experience in teaching English-speaking students) was outstanding and all the lessons were meticulously planned, with a good mix of activities including games and quizzes. The atmosphere was positive and encouraging, and I always came out buzzing with a sense of achievement. I felt that I learned a lot more over the course of the year than I would have done just from studying the language independently. I liked the course book – it was really helpful to have the book and its accompanying CDs to work through between lessons, to practise new skills and vocabulary. As well as learning the language we also learned a lot about Italian culture, food, lifestyle and society.
I think the Language Steps courses are a great opportunity for undergraduates, postgraduates and university staff, but I also like the fact that members of the public can join the classes as well, which helps to create a wide age-range and a good mix of Italian conversation topics! I always looked forward to lessons and I made several new friends – I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a new hobby or anyone looking to improve their language skills for holidays, research or business purposes.
Japanese – At the beginning of 2022 I approached the Language Department at EHU with potential funding for Japanese classes. This funding option fell through, but the university acknowledged the interest numerous Biology students had for Japanese language learning. With the help of Lucy McClennan (foreign language programme coordinator), Eliot Wright (director of the language centre), and the generous funding from the Bioscience department, a bespoke course was crafted for us. This has since developed into a credit-bearing module (from 2023 24). Edge Hill keeps their student’s interests at the forefront, and actively engages in developing their passions (Hannah Carbis, Biology Student studying Japanese).