Theme: Other Advising Events

Independent language learners unite!

If you prefer learning in company or would benefit from having a slot in your calendar set aside for language study, please join us!

This would particularly suit those learning languages outside of taught programmes and graduate students focussing on developing their academic language skills for reading and/or fieldwork.

N.B. this is a peer support group and is not facilitated by Language Centre staff. It is not necessary to attend every week, but we do ask that you register to join the group.

Those registered for the Study Group will be invited to join a closed Facebook group which you can also use to exchange ideas, to raise questions with Language Centre staff about resources and to provide ongoing peer support outside of weekly meetings.

Thursdays at 17:00-18:30 during term-time Thursdays at 16:30-18:00 in the vacations

Venue: the John Trim Centre (in the Language Centre’s building on Downing Place)

Tea and coffee making facilities and biscuits are made available.

These are informal conversation practice sessions where learners take it in turns to choose a topic for the session and prepare some relevant questions. Whether you are learning from a resource or a class, you could use it as a chance to repeat your practice of a topic you have learned, such as an everyday conversation about where you are all from. Alternatively, you could take it as an opportunity to branch out and experiment with discussing a new idea or issue that interests you. A native speaker facilitator is there to provide support in sustaining conversation and to give you feedback on your language.

These sessions will allow you to practise Egyptian Arabic while finding topics written in Modern Standard Arabic.

Please note that the Conversation Hours will be delivered online

This conversation hour offers learners with a lower-intermediate conversational ability (A2/B1 level upwards) a chance to improve their speaking skills with others in a relaxed and informal setting led by a native-speaker facilitator. Come along and take it in turns to choose a conversation topic of personal interest each week. This could be one that's familiar to you but you want to practise more. Devise 4-5 questions to get the conversation started. Example topics could be holidays, food, traditions or hobbies. Receive feedback on your pronunciation and accuracy, and try stretching yourself further.

Suitable for those who completed Arabic Elementary 1 and 2 Culp courses or those who have a B1 level in the CEFR.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

This conversation hour offers learners with an independent conversational ability (B2/C1 level upwards) a chance to practice speaking Chinese with others in a relaxed and informal group led by a native-speaker facilitator. The content of the sessions is decided by the participants, with members taking turns to propose a topic and source materials (newspaper articles, web links, videos etc.) to use as a basis for discussion. The groups are ideal for those who wish to retain or improve upon the language skills they already have or for those studying for a language degree who would like another forum for interaction at upper-intermediate to advanced level.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

If you are an intermediate level learner and would like the chance to improve your speaking skills in a relaxed and informal setting, then this opportunity might interest you.

Come along and take it in turns to choose a conversation topic of personal interest each week. This could be one that's familiar to you but you want to practise more. Devise 4-5 questions to get the conversation started. Example topics could be holidays, food, traditions or hobbies. **If you are at the stage where you would like to discuss newspaper articles/current affairs, please attend the Advanced Conversation Hour.**

Receive feedback on your pronunciation and accuracy, and try stretching yourself further.

Suitable for those who have completed an intermediate 1 French CULP course or those who have a B1 level in the CEFR.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

If you are an intermediate level learner and would like the chance to improve your speaking skills in a relaxed and informal setting, then this opportunity might interest you.

Come along and take it in turns to choose a conversation topic of personal interest each week. This could be one that's familiar to you but you want to practise more. Devise 4-5 questions to get the conversation started. Example topics could be holidays, food, traditions or hobbies. **If you are at the stage where you would like to discuss newspaper articles/current affairs, please attend the Advanced Conversation Hour.**

Receive feedback on your pronunciation and accuracy, and try stretching yourself further.

Suitable for those who have completed an intermediate 1 Portuguese CULP course or those who have a B1 level in the CEFR.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

If you are an intermediate level learner and would like the chance to improve your speaking skills in a relaxed and informal setting, then this opportunity might interest you.

Come along and take it in turns to choose a conversation topic of personal interest each week. This could be one that's familiar to you but you want to practise more. Devise 4-5 questions to get the conversation started. Example topics could be holidays, food, traditions or hobbies. **If you are at the stage where you would like to discuss newspaper articles/current affairs, please attend the Advanced Conversation Hour.**

Receive feedback on your pronunciation and accuracy, and try stretching yourself further.

Suitable for those who have completed an intermediate 1 Spanish CULP course or those who have a B1 level in the CEFR.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

Friendly and informal conversation practice sessions for basic level learners who would like to extend their speaking skills in Japanese. Learners will have a chance to practice talking about a variety of topics so whether you are learning from a resource or a class, you could use it as a chance to practice talking about a topic you have learned or alternatively, you could take it as an opportunity to branch out and experiment with discussing a new idea or issue that interests you.

A native speaker facilitator is there to encourage learners and give you feedback.

This conversation hour offers learners with an independent conversational ability (A2-B1 level) a chance to practice speaking Japanese with others in a relaxed and informal group led by a native-speaker facilitator. The content of the sessions is decided by the participants, with members taking turns to propose a topic and source materials (newspaper articles, web-links, videos etc.) to use as a basis for discussion. The groups are ideal for those who wish to retain or improve upon the language skills they already have or for those studying for a language degree who would like another forum for interaction at advanced level.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

Friendly and informal conversation practice sessions for those working towards a B2 level or for those who have completed an Elementary level Japanese CULP course. Learners will take turns to choose a topic for the session and prepare some discussion questions. Whether you are learning from a resource or a class, you could use it as a chance to practice talking about a topic you have learned or alternatively, you could take it as an opportunity to branch out and experiment with discussing a new idea or issue that interests you.

A native speaker facilitator is there to provide support in sustaining conversation and to give you feedback on your language.

Please note that the Conversation Hours will be delivered online

This conversation hour offers learners with an independent conversational ability (B2 level upwards) a chance to practise speaking French with others in a relaxed and informal group led by a native-speaker facilitator. The content of the sessions is decided by the participants, with members taking turns to propose a topic and source materials (newspaper articles, web-links, videos etc.) to use as a basis for discussion. The groups are ideal for those who wish to retain or improve upon the language skills they already have or for those studying for a language degree who would like another forum for interaction at advanced level.

Participants from French Advanced CULP are warmly invited to attend the French Conversation Hour.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

This conversation hour offers learners with an independent conversational ability (B2/C1 level upwards) a chance to practice speaking German with others in a relaxed and informal group led by a native-speaker facilitator. The content of the sessions is decided by the participants, with members taking turns to propose a topic and source materials (newspaper articles, web links, video etc.) to use as a basis for discussion. The groups are ideal for those who wish to retain or improve upon the language skills they already have or for those studying for a language degree who would like another forum for low-pressure, informal practice. This is also a great follow-up activity for CULP German learners and can be repeated year after year.

Previous participants from German Advanced CULP are warmly invited to attend the German Conversation Hour.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

Please note that the Conversation Hours will be delivered online

This conversation hour offers learners with an independent conversational ability (B2/C1 level upwards) a chance to practice speaking Portuguese with others in a relaxed and informal group led by a native-speaker facilitator. The content of the sessions is decided by the participants, with members taking turns to propose a topic and source materials (newspaper articles, web links, videos etc.) to use as a basis for discussion. The groups are ideal for those who wish to retain or improve upon the language skills they already have or for those studying for a language degree who would like another forum for interaction at advanced level.

Participants from Portuguese Advanced CULP are warmly invited to attend the Portuguese Conversation Hour.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

Please note that the Conversation Hours will be delivered online

This conversation hour offers learners with an independent conversational ability (B2/C1 level upwards) a chance to practice speaking Spanish with others in a relaxed and informal group led by a native-speaker facilitator. The content of the sessions is decided by the participants, with members taking turns to propose a topic and source materials (newspaper articles, web links, videos etc.) to use as a basis for discussion. The groups are ideal for those who wish to retain or improve upon the language skills they already have or for those studying for a language degree who would like another forum for interaction at advanced level.

Participants from Spanish Advanced CULP and Advanced plus through film and literature are warmly invited to attend the Spanish Conversation Hour.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

The Conversation Hours are a great way to practice the spoken English of academic discussion and debate. They are suitable for learners comfortable in spoken interaction at level C1 and above. The weekly sessions encourage a relaxed and fun approach to communication designed to both aid interaction and build confidence.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

Cost for 6 sessions

£31 Students, £41 Staff, £51 Partners and Visiting Scholars

The Intermediate Conversation Hours are a great way to practice the spoken English of everyday life. They are suitable for learners comfortable in spoken interaction at level B1 and above. The weekly sessions encourage a relaxed and fun approach to communication designed to both aid interaction and build confidence.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.

Cost for 6 sessions

£31 Students, £41 Staff, £51 Partners and Visiting Scholars

An information session for University students and staff who are considering some intensive language study abroad for 3-8 weeks this summer. Come along to find out more about other language learner experiences and get ready to explore course providers and programmes for your language.

Administered by the Language Centre, the AJ Pressland Fund offers bursaries of up to £1,000 to support language study abroad for students within the Schools of Biological Science, Clinical Medicine, Physical Science and Technology.

The aim of this optional advising appointment is to support with choosing a short language course abroad. Come along to find out more about other language learner experiences and get ready to explore course providers and programmes for your language.

Students should be planning to study a language overseas for up to 4 weeks during the Long Vacation and funds awarded may be used to support course fees, accommodation and travel as required.

Please note that we have a maximum of two students per appointment so you may share your appointment with another student.

Administered by the Language Centre, the AJ Pressland Fund offers bursaries of up to £1,000 to support language study abroad for students within the Schools of Biological Science, Clinical Medicine, Physical Science and Technology.

Those applying for a Trinity College Language Bursary are also welcome to attend.

The aim of this optional workshop is to support with choosing a short language course abroad. We can offer pointers for evaluating the options available and share information gleaned from students' feedback on courses that they have attended.

Students should be planning to study a language overseas for up to 4 weeks during the Long Vacation and funds awarded may be used to support course fees, accommodation and travel as required.

Are you about to conduct fieldwork abroad that involves observational studies, archaeological digs, talking with native speakers etc? (Accessing archives is not included here as it is covered in the workshop: Reading for academic purposes in your target language.)

• As a language learning advisor focused on learning strategies I have learned about the experiences and preparation students need before being able to carry out fieldwork. Even if this work needs to be conducted through an untaught lesser-known language, it is possible, and there are stories of students who have achieved this.

• I am proposing to gather interested undergraduates, postgraduates and staff in order to be able to learn more and for us to share experiences and ideas about this kind of study. Then, I hope to offer a workshop in future, informed by your reflections.

• Individual support thereafter is available if it would be useful, and our weekly study group can be used as a way of structuring your studies and studying with company. You can book your place on this study group at any time.

• If you would like to come along to one of these two workshops, I'd be delighted to meet you. If you can't make either of the times and would like to discuss your work, please book a one-to-one with me here. I advise on Tues and Thurs afternoons. I can see you for follow-ups to previous appointments if this would be useful.

In this workshop we will practise reading techniques that will support you in understanding and interpreting your key texts. The beginning of Der Kleine Herr Friedemann will be the text we practise with, but it is not necessary to have read this in advance.

The strategies will help build your reading towards extracting key points/moments from a text for commentary, and reading for translation.

We'll break reading down into manageable steps and look at how you can develop your technique for both the personal stage that you feel you have reached with your reading and for the text that you have in hand. The session is entirely flexible, depending on what you would like to discuss and to work on.

Come to this session if you would like to explore developing your personal method for practising listening to French, particularly for progressing with challenging audio-visual clips from documentaries and films. Different listening strategies work for different people, and improvement is all about diversifying your own practice. We will try out practical strategies and evaluate their helpfulness against the questions that you are asked in the FRAV exam.

Please note this workshop will take place in LB 11 on the Sidgwick site.

If you are learning a language to be able to read academic text, this workshop can help you to work on your method. No single way is right for everyone: come prepared to make your own. With support, explore some helpful reading strategies and the choices you can make in how you approach your text.

Bring: a typical text in your target language that you need to read.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your current approach? How could you develop it further? How could your language learning, and by extension your reading, be more efficient?

This workshop aims to help you to:

1.) Use a tool to evaluate your current reading technique.

2.) Bridge the gap between your current level of proficiency and your text.

3.) Tackle frequent challenges such as: increasing your reading speed, dealing with volume/quantity, measuring your progress.

This informal workshop is open to learners of any language, at any level.

Speaking practice with an Arabic native-speaker volunteer

A relaxed and informal speaking practice session with a volunteer native Basque speaker.

Are you looking for a quiet study space or somewhere to carry out independent language learning?

The Language Centre is currently offering bookable hourly time slots in the John Trim Centre and these will be available for a maximum of 2 students per hourly session.

Fresh air will be circulated continuously during the study sessions and windows and doors will remain open.

If you would like to borrow a resource from the John Trim Centre, please consult the guidelines on the Language Centre website.

A one-to-one practice speaking session with a volunteer native Arabic speaker. The session will take place over Zoom Communication Software

A 30-minute session providing a chance to practice Chinese pronunciation, tones and general conversation via Zoom.

A relaxed one-to-one English speaking session with an English speaking volunteer.

A chance to practice French conversation/pronunciation with a volunteer native speaker.

A chance to practice German conversation/pronunciation with a volunteer native speaker.

A chance to practise Greek conversation/pronunciation with a volunteer native speaker. Suitable for any level of learner.

speaking practice with a Persian native-speaker volunteer

Speaking practice with a Hebrew native-speaker volunteer

Speaking practice with an Italian native-speaker volunteer via Zoom communication software.

A one-to-one practice speaking session with a volunteer native Japanese speaker.

Speaking practice with a Lithuanian native-speaker volunteer.

speaking practice with a Persian native-speaker volunteer

Speaking practice with a Polish native-speaker volunteer

Speaking practice with a Brazilian Portuguese native-speaker volunteer.

Speaking practice with a Russian native-speaker volunteer via Zoom communication software.

A one-to-one speaking practice session with a volunteer native Spanish speaker via Zoom

A relaxed one-to-one speaking session with an Turkish speaking volunteer via Zoom.

Speaking practice with an Urdu native-speaker volunteer.

A lunch meet for all of our 'Friends without Frontiers' volunteers

Bring: a typical text in your target language that you need to read.

This one-off session is for learner readers of any languages.

Do you need to diversify your strategies for academic reading in your target language? Maybe for areas such as reading with speed or identifying which are significant moments in a text and which aren't? Come and evaluate your method, then experiment with practical steps for all kinds of texts.

This is a change of concept: of course we will consider your target language, but giving greater emphasis to how you read and learning strategies to make it manageable and satisfying. Learners at all levels welcome.

Do you need a date in your diary to keep your language study ticking over?

Many language learners are in the same boat. We need to fill a hungry gap between courses, begin tackling an academic article in another language, prepare to speak to friends or family abroad, or maybe study a lesser-known language for fieldwork... Whatever your goal for your language learning, you will need to execute your plan.

A weekly commitment can help focus the mind! If this applies to you, join this informal, supportive and adventurous study group. Make yourself at home in our learning centre and press on with what you need to do, alongside other learners and with support from Emma, a language learning adviser, interested in talking to you about your learning strategies. Receive weekly reminders to keep you on track.

This is a little melting pot: open to learners of any language, in a learning centre with resources for 170.

Tea and quality biscuits are on hand for whenever you want to take a break!

If the course is in progress, registering your interest equals booking a place.

If you don't wish to join at this stage but would like to be added to the mailing list to be kept up to date with the study group, please follow this link and search for 'Langcen-studygroup.

Speaking practice with a Ukrainian native-speaker volunteer

speaking practice with a Norwegian native-speaker volunteer

speaking practice with a Hindi native-speaker volunteer

Speaking practice with a Bengali native-speaker volunteer

A chance to practice some informal spoken English in a small relaxed group with a native speaker.

A nice way to improve speaking and socialising in English whilst sharing a virtual coffee.

Please note that the Conversation Hours will be delivered online

If you are an intermediate level learner and would like the chance to improve your speaking skills in a relaxed and informal setting, then this opportunity might interest you.

Come along and take it in turns to choose a conversation topic of personal interest each week. This could be one that's familiar to you but you want to practise more. Devise 4-5 questions to get the conversation started. Example topics could be holidays, food, traditions or hobbies.

Receive feedback on your pronunciation and accuracy, and try stretching yourself further.

Suitable for those who have completed an intermediate 1 Russian CULP course or those who have a B1 level in the CEFR.

If the course is already 'in progress' please click on 'register your interest' in order to book a place.