Tag: languages

Summer Term 2024 at City Short Courses

April 2, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

Thank you to all who attended our Short Courses Open Evening last week. We had a great time meeting new students and introducing them to what we do here at City Short Courses. Many students took advantage of our free  taster sessions, which ranged across our six subject strands:  Business and Management; Computing; Creative Writing; Creative Industries; Languages; and Law. There were tasters in everything from Learning Python to Italian, Business Writing to Major Event Management.

If you didn’t have a chance to join us, never fear! There’s still time to browse our full range of 120 courses and book on for the summer term. Why not try Presentation Skills, or brush up on your French in time for holidays. Or you could consider applying for our year-long Novel Studio programme and finish that novel you’ve always wanted to write! Whether it’s personal development or adding a new skill to your CV, we have something for everyone here at City Short Courses.

If you’d like further information before making your decision, just email our team at shortcourses@city.ac.uk. If they can’t answer your questions, they’ll contact the relevant tutors and make sure you get the answer you need.

Your short course journey starts HERE. We can’t wait to welcome you.

 

Why You Should Learn Arabic – Top Tips from our Arabic tutor Ahmed El-Shareif

May 23, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Arabic tutor Ahmed El-Shareif

City Short Courses has a dynamic range of online language courses, which are a great way to immerse yourself in a foreign language. We cover everything from French to Japanese, Italian to Korean. With over 422 millions speakers worldwide, demand for fluent Arabic speakers is on the rise. We caught up with City’s Arabic tutor, Ahmed El-Shareif to find out more about this fascinating language and his approach to teaching.

  1. Please tell us about yourself

My name is Ahmed El-Shareif and I am a native Arabic speaker from Egypt. I got my First Master of Arts in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language from SOAS, University of London in 2012. I am currently finishing my second  MA in academic practice at City, University of London. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a qualified external examiner and an External Examiner for Pearson Education, the Chartered Institute of Linguists and other government establishments.

I am also interested in the development of Arabic teaching, and I am always looking for new ways to improve my teaching methods. I design and run training courses for the development of Arabic teachers abroad and in the UK and I am a member of several professional organisations and regularly attend conferences and workshops. For example, I have attended several workshops in Texas, USA and Spain. I am a member of the British Association of Teachers of Arabic (BATA).

I am passionate about teaching Arabic and I believe that it is an important language to learn. I am committed to providing my students with a high-quality education that will help them achieve their language learning goals.

2. What do you teach at City?

I currently teach Arabic at City, University of London’s School of Languages (Bayes Business School & LGPModules) and for their evening online short courses. I have previously taught at Suffolk College, Westminster University, International House London, Kings College London and SOAS.

3. Why do you think it’s important to learn Arabic?

Arabic is a major world language. It is the official language of 22 countries, and it is spoken by over 420 million people worldwide. This makes it an important language for business, diplomacy, and travel.

Learning Arabic can help you understand Arab culture. Arabic is a rich and complex language that is closely tied to the culture of the Middle East. By learning Arabic, you can gain a deeper understanding of this fascinating culture.

Learning Arabic can open up new career opportunities. There is a growing demand for Arabic speakers in many industries, including business, government, and education. By learning Arabic, you can make yourself more competitive in the job market.

Learning Arabic can also be a rewarding experience. Arabic is a beautiful and challenging language to learn. The process of learning Arabic can be a rewarding experience that will enrich your life in many ways.

City University is a great place to learn Arabic. The university has a strong Arabic program with experienced and qualified lecturers. The university also offers a variety of Arabic courses to meet the needs of students of all levels.

4. What are your top three tips for learning Arabic?

  • Set goals. What do you want to achieve by learning Arabic? Do you want to be able to read and write Arabic, or do you want to be able to speak and understand Arabic? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can start to develop a plan to reach your goals.
  • Find a learning method that works for you. There are many ways to learn Arabic. Some people prefer to take classes, while others prefer to learn independently. There are also many different resources available, such as books, apps, and websites. Experiment with different methods and resources until you find one that you enjoy and that helps you learn effectively.
  • Be patient. Learning a new language takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. Just keep practicing and you will eventually reach your goals.

Here are some additional tips that may help you learn Arabic:

  • Immerse yourself in the language. One of the best ways to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it. This means surrounding yourself with the language as much as possible. You can do this by watching Arabic movies and TV shows, listening to Arabic music, and reading Arabic books and articles.
  • Find a language partner. A language partner is someone who is fluent in Arabic and who is willing to help you practice speaking and understanding the language. You can find language partners online or through local language schools and community centres.
  • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes when they are learning a new language. The important thing is to not let this discourage you. Just keep practicing and you will eventually get better.

5. Why would you recommend learning Arabic ?

Business: Arabic is the official language of many countries in the Middle East, which is a region with a growing economy. By learning Arabic, you can open up new business opportunities for yourself and your company.

Diplomacy: Arabic is the language of Islam, and it is spoken by many people in the Middle East. By learning Arabic, you can improve your understanding of the Middle East and its culture, which can be helpful in a diplomatic career.

Travel: Arabic is spoken in many countries in North Africa and the Middle East. By learning Arabic, you can make your travels to these regions more enjoyable and easier. 22 countries speak Arabic.

Education: Arabic is the language of many important works of literature, philosophy, and science. By learning Arabic, you can gain access to this vast body of knowledge.

Personal enrichment: Learning a new language can be a rewarding and enriching experience. Arabic is a beautiful and challenging language to learn, and the process of learning it can help you to grow as a person.

The Quran was revealed in Arabic, so it is important to learn the language in order to understand it fully. However, at the moment City only offers Modern Standard Arabic (MSN)  which is spoken and understood by all.

Thank you so much, Ahmed!

To find out more about learning Arabic at City, visit our course page HERE.

For all City’s language short courses visit our home page HERE.

And for all our short online courses visit HERE.

Five Reasons Why You Should Learn Korean

June 15, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Research has shown that learning a foreign language boosts brain power. But which language should you choose to learn? Read on for five reasons why you should learn Korean.

 

 

1. Korean has one of the most logical alphabets in the world

 

The Korean alphabet has 24 letters each of which is spelled phonetically. Languages with phonetically spelt words are far easier to learn as there are no tricky spellings (unlike there are in English!) The mastermind behind this simplicity was King Sejong ‘the Great’ of the Joseon dynasty, who tasked Korean scholars with creating an easily learned writing system which could be understood by all.

 

2. Conjugating verbs in Korean is much easier than in other languages

 

Many languages conjugate their verbs into first, second and third person. But with Korean you don’t have to worry which form of the verb to use depending on whether you’re referring to ‘I’, ‘you’ or ‘she/he’. All you need to learn are the conjugations for the different levels of formality and tenses. Similarly, the Korean language does not have gendered nouns which means you won’t need to learn if a noun takes the masculine or the feminine form, another common obstacle when learning a foreign language.

 

3. Learning Korean just might help with your career

 

Employers increasingly value language skills amongst their employees, so learning any foreign language is a solid investment in your career. With Samsung rivalling Apple for innovation and market share, South Korea has the twelfth largest global economy and is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. Learn Korean and you might find yourself working for one of the ever-expanding South Korean companies based in the UK, or even in Korea itself. At the very least you’ll have improved your employability prospects.

 

4. Korean arts and culture are taking over the world

 

First there was Gangnam style, then K-pop, now Squid Game (Netflix’s biggest debut success) and the Oscar winning Parasite. Known in Korea as The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, the South Korean pop culture has taken the world by storm and become a major influence on global culture. Learn Korean and you’ll be able to tap into a rich, dynamic culture. With over 70 million Korean speakers worldwide, and Europe’s largest Korean community resident in London, start learning Korean and you’ll be able to fully absorb this fascinating and ever-changing culture.

 

5. Learning a foreign language can help your mental health

 

The pandemic has had a negative effect on many people’s mental health with the World Health Organisation reporting a 25% increase worldwide in anxiety and depression. Conversely, learning a new language can improve your confidence, flexibility and sense of purpose. Plus, it’s fun. You get to meet other learners and practice your language skills in small, interactive groups. So, what are you waiting for?

 

Want to find out more about learning Korean at City, University of London? Visit our Korean language short course page.

 

Interested in our other online language courses? We offer short courses in ten modern languages, from Arabic to Portuguese. Find out more here.

 

Talking Italian

Talking Italian: ‘Rich and intensive’ language courses at City

May 17, 2022 / / 0 Comments

By Lucie Langevin

Language classes “rich & intense” like the taste of Italian coffee

Learning a new language opens up a whole new world to you, and this is precisely what I love! I will keep learning until I am fluent. I want to achieve a level where it feels natural to speak Italian.

My name is Lucie Langevin and I am a Marketing Executive with an award-winning Italian villa rental company, based in London.

Lucie Langevin

At City I took an Italian Lower Intermediate short evening course.

I’m passionate about languages and have always loved Italian culture: the country, the history, the art, the cinema, the food… To me, learning Italian is about understanding this culture better and gaining insight into what makes the country and its inhabitants tick.

When choosing a class, what matters most to me is what I personally get out of the course and my own learning curve. I care about my knowledge of Italian being recognised as an extra skill that I have gained from a reputable provider. Therefore, when choosing the Italian course, I looked into classes available in my area, read reviews and compared options. City did not disappoint and the course went beyond my expectations.

What I enjoyed most about the course was getting a true feel of Italian culture. Every Thursday I looked forward to my two hours of Italian and always left the class feeling motivated and enlightened.

Veronica de Felice is a great tutor: an authentic Italian with a wonderful sense of humour, always in a good mood and keen on pushing us to learn more and get the best from her teaching.

She regularly went beyond the basics and varied the content of the lessons so that each class would be rich and intense. She always included a bit of everything: culture, grammar, speaking, writing, interactive exercises, homework to practise and prepare for the class… a great balance of activities and a very encouraging attitude towards us, her students.

We were very lucky to be in a small group, which is the best environment to learn a language. This meant we got to know each other very well. The interactive style of our exercises encouraged this even further. All the other students were also very motivated, which created the perfect atmosphere for learning, sharing experiences and interacting together in Italian.

I also enjoyed that we weren’t just taking a theoretical class: we were conversing and exchanging a lot, about life, interests, jobs and got along so well together as a group with the tutor and the other students. I looked forward to my class every week!

I always try to practise what I have learnt in my daily life. At work I feel better integrated and my Italian colleagues love it that I take an interest in their language and culture. I speak Italian with them, can understand them speaking on the phone and don’t need a translator to read emails written in Italian. I also try to pick up new vocabulary by listening to Italian radio and reading the news online.

Learning a new language opens up a whole new world to you, and this is precisely what I love! I will keep learning until I am fluent. I want to achieve a level where it feels natural to speak Italian. I want to travel even more to experience the culture and speak the language in ‘real life situations’. And I want to be able to read books and watch movies in Italian… I’m excited!

Lucie studied City’s short evening course in Lower Intermediate Italian.

For more about our short language courses, visit our web page.

Benefits of learning a language  

November 24, 2021 / / 0 Comments

For many of us, learning a second language is nothing new. Some may have distant memories from school mustering up your first words in French including ‘Oui’ and ‘Comment tu t’appelles’. Others continued their journey, studying languages throughout middle and upper school and even into college or university. However, not everyone had this opportunity, the interest or the motivation to learn a language at that time in their life. 

Choosing to study as an adult feels more rewarding in many ways, primarily because you have a choice and can pick what interests you. There is a much wider variety of languages at your fingertips from Japanese to Portuguese, Arabic to Italian. Learning is more accessible, with content online 24/7 via apps, platforms such as YouTube, or taught as live short courses by professional native speakers at reputable institutions like City, University of London.  

If you are considering trying your hand at a second language, you will find many benefits that could make significant changes and improvements to your life, and not just professionally.  

Improving your memory 

Who would have thought that learning a language can help to improve your short-term and long-term memory? It is well known that we can build muscle memory through crosswords and puzzles, but research has also found that learning a language can help, as it promotes brain growth. It can help to recall words and places, which can benefit your work and everyday life. 

 Building new relationships 

It might be that you are considering picking up a specific language because you have met a partner who speaks in this tongue and you want to be able to communicate better to improve your relationship and connect with their family and friends. Alternatively, having friends or colleagues who speak another language could spur your interest to learn, surprising them with your new skills while feeling a sense of achievement. Plus, you will feel more involved in conversations where English is not spoken, and if your name is mentioned you might finally understand what is being said. 

Window to other cultures 

Taking a short course in a language means that you won’t just be learning new words and numbers, you will also gain an insight into the culture. You can discover popular traditions, celebrated holidays, what the locals eat and do for fun. We are lucky to live in a world full of diversity, and even if it might not be possible to get to the other side of the globe at this moment in time, you will get a glimpse of various cultures through native speakers who teach language short courses. 

 Creating exciting opportunities  

As well as benefitting both your health and relationships, this skill can open the doors to new opportunities. Depending on where you are in life you might want to study in a foreign land, purchase a retirement property near the beach or progress in work and land a promotion overseas – there’s really no downside to where it can take you. The world is your oyster! 

Keeping the brain in shape  

Numerous studies have shown that learning a language can help stimulate the brain and in turn aid the brain’s growth and development. It can also improve your concentration as supported by a study led by Dr Thomas Bak. Similarly, Swedish scientists performed scans to monitor the brain proving that learning foreign lingo can in fact increase the size of our brains. Evidence suggests that it may even lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. 

So, what’s stopping you? Join a short course by either starting at the very beginning with a language that interests you or build on your existing skills with an advanced level course. Find yours today at www.cityshortcourses.com.  

City Short Courses Open Evening , December 2019

Getting to know you: Our winter short courses open evening

December 17, 2019 / / 0 Comments

City, University of London were proud to host our winter Open Evening on Tuesday 10th December 2019.

Our Open Evenings are a great opportunity to visit our campus and meet out tutors – and this December we had a great turnout of guests, looking to find out more about all the evening and weekend courses that we offer at City. We offer light refreshments and some free gifts to take away with you.

City Short Courses also offers a range of taster sessions – 40-minute classes to give you a flavour of what it is like to study at City. We are hosting our next Languages Taster Event on Wednesday 15th January 2020. We will be running taster sessions in seven languages – Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Find out more and book your place on the webpage.

We have over 120 courses across subject areas – business, computing, creative industries, languages, law and writing. Next term starts Monday 20th January 2020, enrol online!

Penny Legg, Writing for Business tutor talking to an attendee at the open evening

Penny Legg, Writing for Business tutor talking to an attendee at the open evening

A taste of learning with City

July 15, 2019 / / 0 Comments

City, University of London proudly hosted our first ever open evening and taster sessions event on Thursday 11th July 2019. Thank you to everyone who made the evening such a success and to all of our attendees – we hope that you found it interesting.

Throughout the evening we offered a series of 30-minute taster sessions in a select number of our short course programmes to give students a feel for what it is like to study a short course with us.

We started the evening on a high with a taster session in one of our most popular courses, Introduction to Programming with Python. Lead by programming expert, Philip De Grouchy, this session was packed out with young professionals looking to try their hand at coding.

Our digital guru, Elliott King, ran a parallel session in Strategic Digital Marketing, combining theoretical knowledge with step-by-step guidance on delivering online marketing campaigns.

Katy Darby lead an interactive session in Short Story Writing, for those looking to nurture their creative flare while Marian Wancio delivered a more practical course in Project Management.

Ping Chai, leading a Chinese Mandarin taster session

We also ran sessions in Immigration Law, Adobe InDesign, JavaScript Programming, Writing for Business, Writing for the Web, Curating & Exhibition Management, Japanese; and Chinese Mandarin.

Feedback from our attendees was overwhelming positive, with the vast majority stating that their questions were answered adequately by our staff. Our taster classes were also well received, rating the quality of the sessions highly.

However, there is always room for learning and improvements! As a result of our feedback, we intend to replace the current format with two separate events. In December 2019, we will be hosting a ‘meet our tutors’ open evening, an excellent opportunity to speak to our experts one-to-one about the wide variety of courses we offer at City. In the summer of 2020, we will be continue to run a full evening of taster sessions, offering a glimpse of what is it like to learn at City.

We will also be extending out taster sessions from 30 to 45 minutes to allow more time for learning. See the Visit Us section of our blog to find out more about our visitor events or book your place on our December open evening.

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