This week we will have different topics for Monday and Thursday. Monday’s topic is the dentist. These videos are about going to the dentist. Please watch them to prepare for Monday’s session.

Thursday’s topic is job interviews, and we will be looking at how to answer tricky questions you might be asked.

All Thursday group learners: next week (w/c21.6.21) , you will use Julie’s link, just for this session. Topic: we shall continue our topic on Jobs and Employment. Please bring any questions that you have been asked during job interviews. We shall be tackling common and difficult questions that are often used in job interviews. We shall look at possible answers and also at WHY the employers might be asking questions like these: what are they looking for?

See you next week on Zoom!

Hello

Next week we will be talking about employment in the UK, including different types of jobs and job hunting. If you need help with CVs, interview practice or job applications, we have a job club at the Open Learning Centre on Thursdays. Please ask Carolyn or Julie for more information or book an appointment with an Advisor through Reception at the OLC.

Here are some videos to help you prepare for the session:

The next two are for middle/advanced level learners and show two different approaches to the interview. What are the differences that you notice?

After the half-term break we will be talking about understanding road signs and other signs that you might see outside. Please watch these videos to help prepare for the sessions:

Basic Level: Talking about travelling by different means. Please note: the pronunciation of “route” in British English is totally different from American English. Also, in British English we don’t normally use the word “metro”, but we often use “underground”. The word “stop-over” or stop-off is usually used instead of “layover”.

We shall be looking at the topic of Driving in the UK/tests and signage. The beginning of this clip is an example of what you CANNOT do on UK roads!

The week beginning 31st May is a half-term holiday, when schools are shut, so there will be no Language cafe sessions that week. We will start again from Monday 7th June.

Hello

Next week we’ll be talking about the Royal Family, so here are some videos to help you prepare. Think about the following questions: What is your opinion about the Royal Family?/Who is your favourite member of the royal family and why?/Do you think we should have a royal family nowadays?/ Does your country have a royal family?/What stories have you heard in the news recently or in the past about members of the royal family?/

Also please note that Monday 31st May is a Bank Holiday, so there will be no session on that day.

We hope you enjoy finding out about this topic, and look forward to discussing it with you!

Hello

Next week’s topic is all about medicine and illness. Here are three videos to watch which will help you prepare:

We hope you find these videos helpful!

Hi everyone

This week we’re talking about the environment, and here are the videos:

See you on Zoom!

Monday 3rd May is a Bank Holiday here in England, so there will be no session that day. The session on Thursday 6th May will run as normal, and we will be looking at the UK government and the recent news story about supermarket cake brands. These videos will help you prepare:

Please look up the following terms and make sure you understand what they mean: Parliament/evolved/Simon de Montfort/House of Commons/MPs/Chamber/constituency/constituent/to head up/the Opposition/the Speaker/to chair a debate/peers/to hold someone to account/Select Committees/a Bill/a Green Paper/a White Paper/Cabinet Ministers/Monarch/Democracy/to campaign/Election/to be up for grabs/Ballot Paper/Manifesto/a hung parliament/to pressure or protest group.

Here are the videos about Colin and Cuthbert the Caterpillar cakes!

Above: Judge Rinder (TV Judge personality) gives his opinion on the Colin the Caterpillar controversy and legal action.

Hope to see you next week!

Hi everyone

Hope you had a good Easter break. As we are continuing the Language Cafe on Zoom, here are the videos you need to watch to prepare for next week. We will be talking about May Day, which this year is a Bank Holiday on Monday 3rd May, so there will be no session that day.

A fun video of a Maypole dance, with no narration – just music

Finally, for advanced learners, here is a pronunciation video about how some sounds disappear in spoken English, to makes things easier to say:

Happy learning and see you soon!

Our next topic is Easter, and here are some videos to watch:

The one below has no commentary and is set to music. Which bonnet (Easter hat) do you like best? What Easter symbols do they use in the hats?

The language in the video below is quite advanced, and there may be some vocabulary that you have to look up:

A basic level video which looks at the origins of Easter:

We will break for the Easter holidays after next week, so the last sessions this term are Monday 29th March and Thursday 1st April.

The cafe will restart on Zoom, using the same link, from Monday 19th April. Have a great Easter!