Languages - Rough Guide

A rough guide to our language levels

Which level is right for you?

If you are a new learner to Brasshouse Languages and not sure which course you are likely to join, the table below illustrates the level of language that we would expect some-one to have on a particular level.

It is not possible to join a Brasshouse Languages course (except for Beginners) without having attended an initial assessment with a specialist language tutor. Please call the centre or our information line on 0121 303 4318 to make an appointment. Enrolment for each term closes on specific dates and no enrolment can be accepted after this date.

If you need any further information please call our information line on 0121 303 4318 or Brasshouse Languages on 0121 303 0114. 

Course Title	Can you answer these questions in your chosen language?	Your possible course level.
Beginners	No knowledge of the language	You should join the Beginners course
Beginners Plus	What is your name? Where do you live? Where do you come from? What is your job? Where do you work? What is your telephone number? What do you like to drink? What do you like to eat? Are you married or single? Do you have children? Do you have any pets?	If you cannot answer any of these questions you should join a Beginners course. If you can answer some questions but struggle to answer others Beginners Plus is probably the right level. If you answer most things correctly try the questions on Improvers level
Improvers	What do you do in your free time? What are your hobbies? What do you do at the weekends? Do you work? Where do you work? Describe your family Do you have siblings/children/parents? What are their names? How old are they? What do they do for living? Date and time What time is it now? What day is it today? Can you book a single/double room for 2 nights/weeks?	If you cannot answer any of these questions you should join a Beginners Plus course. If you can answer some questions but struggle to answer others Improvers level is probably the right level. If you answer most things correctly try the questions on Improvers Plus
Improvers Plus	Give directions How do I get from Brasshouse Languages to the Symphony Hall? Describe your house: house type, number of bedrooms, garden, garage, etc. What did you do last weekend? What piece of clothing did you buy recently?	If you cannot answer any of these questions you should join an Improvers course. If you can answer some questions but struggle to answer others Improvers Plus level is probably the right level. If you answer most things correctly try the questions on Lower Intermediate 1 level.
Lower Intermediate 1	Where do you like to travel to and why? Where did you go on holiday last summer? What did you do there? What was the weather like? What did you eat? Did you buy any souvenirs? What are your plans for next weekend?	If have some knowledge but are struggling to answer these questions fully you should join a Lower Intermediate 1 course. If you answer these questions with ease try the questions on Lower Intermediate 2 level.
Lower Intermediate 2	Why do you want to learn this language? For how long have you been studying this language? Have you ever been to country? What was it like? What would you like to learn in this course?	If have some knowledge but are struggling to answer these questions fully you should join a Lower Intermediate 2 course. If you answer these questions with ease try the questions on Intermediate level.
Intermediate	Holidays What did you do this/last summer? What did you enjoy most and least? Did you speak to local people? Did you make any new friends? What was the weather like? Work What is your profession? What do you like/don’t like about your job and why? What was your first job? Name three occupations that you could / couldn’t do and why? Mixed opinions Would you prefer to live in the city or the countryside and why? Why is it important to keep healthy and fit? Do you think you have a healthy life style and why? What's your favourite city? Why?	If have some knowledge but are struggling to answer these questions fully you should join an Intermediate course. If you answer these questions with ease try the questions on Post Intermediate level.
Post Intermediate	Goals What is your biggest goal in life? Why are goals important? Tell me about a goal that you achieved for yourself. Graffiti What is graffiti? Where do you see it? i.e. walls, trains Should the government reserve places for those who want to write graffiti? Is graffiti a type of "art"? If you were allowed to write something, what would you say? Languages Do you think that a language other than English should be used as an "international language"? Do you think language affects thought? Do you think foreign language study should start as early as possible, or is it okay to start later?	If have some knowledge but are struggling to answer these questions fully you should join a Post Intermediate course. If you answer these questions with ease try the questions on Advanced level.
Advanced	What would you do if you won the lottery? If you had one wish, what would it be? Do you think that there is truth behind superstitions? Do you believe that UFOs exist? / Do you believe in UFOs? What is the role of newspapers in society? Are you against or in favour of cloning? Why?	If you are able to answer these questions with no major difficulties Advanced level is probably the right level for you.

Languages - Progression

Progression Pathway for Languages

To get the most out of your modern foreign language learning, you need to make sure you start off at the right level.

Our courses start at Beginners level, which is suitable for someone who has no previous experience of the language. We then have courses available at all levels through to Advanced which is the equivalent to Postgraduate level.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure at what level to start. Our tutors will assess your level at the beginning of the course to check that you are in the right group.

Course level	This course is suitable for learners...	Ability / Destination
Beginners	who have never studied the language.	Basic User Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) A1 - Beginner Simple and routine tasks. Simple and direct exchange of familiar and routine matters.
Beginners Plus	who have previously studied the language for up to 30 hours; or for those with very basic knowledge of the language.
Improvers	who have previously studied the language for up to 60 hours (pre-GCSE level).
Improvers Plus	who have previously studied the language for up to 100 hours; or for those who completed GCSE some time ago or completed a CEFR A1 qualification in the language.	Basic User CEFR A2 - Elementary Dealing with practical everyday demands. Managing simple routine exchanges.
Lower Intermediate 1	who previously studied the language for up to 150 hours; or for those who completed GCSE recently (grade A-C).
Lower Intermediate 2	who previously studied the language for up to 200 hours; or for those who recently achieved a GCSE (grade A*) or completed an CEFR A2 qualification in the language.	Independent User CEFR B1 Minimum level to work abroad. Deal with most situations likely to occur while travelling or at work.
Intermediate	who previously studied the language for up to 280 hours.
Post Intermediate	who previously studied the language for up to 400 hours; or for those recently achieved AS/A2 or completed a CEFR B1 qualification in the language.	Independent User CEFR B2 Access to Universities abroad.
Advanced - Conversation & Culture	who previously studied the language for up to 500 hours minimum; or for those who have completed a CEFR B2 (or C1) qualification in the language.	Proficient User CEFR C1 Access to Universities abroad.

More information

If you would like to get an idea of the level of conversation you should be able to hold while studying at a particular level our rough guide to language levels will give you a better idea.

A rough guide to language levels

Online Language Learning

Online language classes

{slider title="What is online learning?" class="orange solid color_content"}Online learning means that you can join your class live from home on your own computer device. The classes will take place through an online platform (ZOOM).

{slider title="Can we still do pair or group work?" class="orange solid color_content"}Yes, you can. On Zoom there is a facility to send groups of learners into breakout rooms. In break out rooms you can work in pairs or small groups. Your tutor is able to join the rooms to support you and answer questions, just as in a normal classroom.{/slider}

{slider title="Why have you decided to run online sessions?" class="orange solid color_content"}We are running because our recent survey showed that 80% of our learners enjoy online learning.{/slider}

{slider title="What about the 20% who are not in favour of online learning?" class="orange solid color_content"}Looking forward we would like to offer you a variety of modes of lesson deliveries, including face to face teaching. We will keep online lessons but we will also offer Hybrid classes where some learners are taught in the classroom and others are following the session interactively from home on their computer devices.{/slider}

{slider title="What equipment do I need to join an online class?" class="orange solid color_content"}You need a computer / laptop or a tablet with a stable internet connection. You also need a microphone and loudspeakers.{/sliders}

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Hybrid language classes

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Hybrid learning is a combination of face-to-face and online learning. While a number of learners attend face-to-face sessions at Brasshouse Languages or one of our centres every week, other learners simultaneously attend the session online from home.{/slider}

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Hybrid sessions give our learners the choice of attending our language classes either online or face-to-face. This method of delivery will allow people with underlying health conditions or those in more vulnerable groups to join classes virtually, while allowing us to create a safe classroom-based learning environment for those who prefer a face-to-face learning experience.{/slider}

{slider title="How are hybrid sessions safe?" class="blue solid color_content"}

By having part of the class learning in the classroom and another part following the session live from home, we can make sure learners in the classroom have enough space to sit 2 metres away from each other.{/slider}

{slider title="How will it be decided whether a class becomes a hybrid class?" class="blue solid color_content"}

All classes in September are online by default. However, some classes might switch to hybrid during the term. Decisions on the type of learning will be made in accordance with the tutor and learners for each individual class. However, a switch to hybrid sessions can only happen if at least half of the group opt for face-to-face learning.{/sliders}

Languages

See life through a different lens!

Learning a new language can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

You’ll learn new things about yourself, improve your job prospects, meet new people, and gain the confidence to travel to exciting places all over the world.

Great reasons to learn a new language

Embrace differences!
Unlock the door to a new language, open up not just to new words but to new cultures. Understand others and see the world with different eyes. 

Increase your health by keeping your mind agile!
Learning a second language boosts brain-power, problem-solving, critical-thinking, memory and listening skills.

Broaden your horizons and seek out new adventures
Imagine working, living and studying in a new city in a different country! Explore opportunities that only speaking another language can give.

Travelling is more fun!
Learning even a few simple phrases will really improve your travel experiences. Confidently engaging with locals will increase your awareness and appreciation of different places and help you to immerse yourself in different cultures. 

Boost your career!
Speaking a second language can increase your salary expectations and open up new business opportunities.

Why learn with us?

We aim to make learning enjoyable, stimulating and successful.

At Brasshouse Languages we understand that not everyone learns in the same way or is looking for the same classroom experience. That is why we are always looking at new ways to engage with our learners and provide a choice of course delivery.

New ways of learning – same Brasshouse Languages quality

If you are a beginner, we offer a choice of an immersive learning experience* where the tutor will speak mostly in the target language from the beginning, or a more traditional beginners course where English is more frequently used in teacher talk. An immersive course may at first feel like you’ve jumped in the deep end, but our experience is that learners quickly adapt to using only the target language and make more progress. This method of learning the language is closer to how you would learn it if you lived in the country where the language is spoken.

Lockdown also taught us that language learning could be interactive and successful when using online platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. However, we do know that some people have relished returning to on-site learning as it helps them to focus better and they enjoy the feeling of being part of a supportive group. Whatever the language you wish to learn we will help you find the right way to be successful.

_{*Please note that beginners immersion courses will only be available for selected languages.}