Tag: French language

From Screen to Conversation: Taking Your Language Learning to the Next Level

“I’ve been using language apps for two years, but I still can’t hold a conversation.”

This is something we hear all the time from people joining our language courses. They’ve mastered the gamified exercises, earned countless virtual achievements, and can perfectly translate sentences about owls riding bicycles. But when it comes to ordering food in Paris or chatting with locals in Madrid, they find themselves stuck.

The Missing Piece

Language apps are brilliant at what they do – introducing vocabulary, basic grammar, and giving you that daily dose of language practice. They’re like having a pocket-sized language primer always at hand. But language isn’t just about remembering words and rules – it’s about connection, culture, and real-world communication.

That’s where our courses come in.

What Real Language Learning Looks Like

Whether you’re joining us in person or connecting online, you’ll be part of a live, interactive learning experience. Your native-speaking tutor will welcome you and your fellow students in their language, and suddenly you’re having a real conversation – not just selecting multiple choice answers or swiping through flashcards. Yes, you might stumble over words at first, but you’re speaking with real people who encourage and support you. This is how natural language learning happens.

In our courses, you’ll:

  • Jump straight into authentic conversations from day one
  • Learn the expressions locals actually use (not textbook phrases)
  • Pick up natural pronunciation from native speakers
  • Understand the cultural context behind the language
  • Build lasting friendships with fellow language enthusiasts

A Different Kind of Progress

While apps measure progress in points and streaks, we measure it in real-world achievements:

  • Having your first unscripted conversation
  • Understanding jokes in your target language
  • Successfully handling unexpected situations abroad
  • Making friends in another language
  • Thinking in your new language instead of translating

Breaking Through the Digital Ceiling

Many of our students come to us after hitting what we call the “digital ceiling” – that frustrating plateau where app-based learning stops delivering results. They’ve built a foundation but need something more to achieve true fluency.

Our courses provide that crucial next step. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have been using apps for years, we’ll meet you where you are and help you build practical, usable language skills.

The Human Touch

Our native-speaking tutors don’t follow rigid scripts or pre-programmed responses. They adapt to your needs, answer your specific questions, and help you navigate the nuances of their language. They’ll explain why locals phrase things certain ways, share cultural insights you won’t find in any app, and give you personalised feedback that makes a real difference.

Learning That Fits Your Life

Whether you prefer learning in person or online, we’ve got you covered. All our courses are available in both formats, so you can choose what works best for you:

  • Join us in the classroom for face-to-face interaction
  • Learn from home with our live online sessions
  • Evening options for busy professionals
  • Small groups for maximum speaking practice

A World of Languages

From East Asian languages to European classics, we offer ten options including:

Each language is taught by native speakers who bring their culture and real-world experience to every lesson.

Your Next Step

Ready to move beyond an app? Whether you’re planning a trip abroad, connecting with family heritage, or simply love languages, our courses will help you achieve your goals. Bring your app-learned vocabulary – it’s a great foundation! We’ll help you transform it into real-world language skills you can actually use.

Join us and discover what it feels like to truly speak a new language, not just learn it.

Explore our courses today and take the first step toward genuine fluency.

What ‘The Rest is Politics’ taught us about learning a foreign language

The Rest is Politics is having a bit of a moment.

The odd-but-good pairing of Alastair Campbell — Tony Blair’s former Head of Communications — and Rory Stewart — former Conservative MP and London Mayoral candidate — exchanging views on their weekly current affairs podcast has proved an unexpected hit, with worldwide audience numbers now into six figures and a million downloads per episode.

photo of hand holding words hashtag study in blue sign against backdrop of tree-lined road

Always Be Learning

Photograph of Eiffel Tower in Paris

Parlez-vous francais?

As avid fans of the benefits of learning a language here at City, we were delighted to hear last week’s podcast in which Campbell pointed to the importance of mastering influential languages such as Mandarin and Arabic, and also to the value of learning any language for the process alone.

Both podcast hosts speak from experience. While Campbell is fluent in French and German, Stewart speaks eleven languages, including French, Latin, Greek, Dari (a form of Farsi), Nepali, Urdu, Indonesian and Serbo-Croat.

If after listening to their podcast you’re still in any doubt about why you should learn a language, here are five more reasons:

  1. Learning a language can increase your confidence and mental alertness

A 2019 Italian study, looking at the effects of language learning on adults between 59-79, found that it improves “global cognitive and re-organizes functional connectivity.”

  1. Learning a language can protect against Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia

Several studies have found that language learning engages parts of the brain’s network that overlap with regions which can be negatively impacted by ageing.

  1. Learning a language can broaden your horizons

A 2021 UK government report recognised the value of learning a language to protect against ‘insularity and provide an opening to other cultures’.  And by being able to talk to more people, you’ll also be able to express yourself in a more diverse range of ways. A win-win!

Photo of Chinese lantern hanging inside a room

Chinese Whispers

4. Learning a language can make you more compassionate

A recent study found that bilingual children were ‘better at grasping other perspectives,’ something we could all do with more of in our increasingly polarised world.

  1. And if nothing else, learning a language is a useful exercise in humility

There’s nothing like learning a language to remind you of your fallibility! But being in a position of uncertainty can actually help you recognise the steps you need to close those knowledge gaps. No bad thing for any learner, or any human being for that matter!

For all City’s short online language courses, visit our languages home page.  We cover everything from Arabic to French, German, Korean and Japanese all taught by qualified, native speakers using the recognised framework of languages such as CEFR (for European languages), JLPT (for Japanese), or HSK (for Mandarin).

To learn from our students how they found learning with us, read our blog post here.

And if you’d like to talk through your options, just email our friendly team on shortcourses@city.ac.uk and they’ll be happy to help.

For all our other courses, visit our home page here.

Meet the Languages Coordinator

In a new series of interviews we meet some of the team behind City’s short courses. First up, our languages coordinator, Agnes Shepherd

 

Agnes Shepherd, Languages Coordinator

1.Please tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Agnes Shepherd and I’m the Course Coordinator for languages at City’s short courses – which means that I organise how the languages courses are run. I am also a native French speaker and a French teacher who is passionate about teaching. I love to watch students progress and get a great sense of achievement when I see that lightbulb moment as students start to learn. I think it’s also important to teach students about the culture of a country, not just the language. In my spare time I like travelling, learning about ancient history and gardening.

2. What’s your role at City and how does it work?

I coordinate the language courses at City where we offer ten different languages across a variety of levels from beginners up to advanced. City is actually one of the few language providers to offer Japanese language courses right the way up to advanced level. In total I look after more than 25 courses and manage all the visiting lecturers, language enquiries, relevant marketing, social media, and administrative issues. I also come up with new ideas for courses, such as our recent holiday French course. And watch this space for our brand-new simple conversation classes!

3. Why do you think it’s important to learn a foreign language?

First of all, it’s important for effective communication. While English might be the most commonly spoken international language, if you want to communicate well while abroad or when you work with colleagues from overseas, I would say it’s crucial to learn that language.

Secondly, it is excellent gymnastics for the brain. You get to stretch yourself and fire up those neurons in a way that research has proven to be beneficial. Whether you learn Spanish, Korean or German you get to extend yourself.

Finally, but not least, it’s fun. When you learn a language, you are with peers of a similar level. It’s great to discover together the intricacy and pronunciation of a language. You get an extraordinary buzz when you realise that you are making proper sentences. Maybe you’ll find yourself abroad and suddenly the waiters understand your order, or your French colleagues will invite you for lunch and you can finally participate in the conversation!

Ready to order?

4. What are your three top tips for learning a foreign language?

  1. Immerse yourself as much as possible: join a language course where speaking in the target language is prioritised. Having to speak in a foreign language, with feedback from your tutor, will accelerate your language skills.
  2. A little bit every day: while on your language course make sure you practice even a tiny bit each day, whether that’s grammar, vocabulary or even reading packet labels in the target language, it all helps to build your knowledge and understanding.
  3. Develop a peer group within your class and do some fun activities together through Whatsapp, or even go to see a film together.

 

5. Why would you recommend studying a language short course at City?

City’s teachers are all qualified, native speakers who follow the European framework (CEFR) for language learning. Through interactive and engaging methods of teaching, they will teach you more than just a language; they will teach you about the culture too. You’ll be with peers and slowly you will find, even if you’re really shy about learning and speaking a language, you’ll make good friends. Our teachers will put you at ease and before you know it, you’ll be speaking and understanding your chosen language. For example, if you learn Arabic, our tutor Ahmed will provide you with lots of relevant material which will help you quickly progress.

 

Agnes Shepherd coordinates City’s language short courses.

Agnes also teaches City’s short online French language courses.

For more about our other online language courses visit our website.

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