Learning to Speak English (ESOL)

We understand how important learning to speak English is to help with finding a job, attending school and fitting in to your community.

There are lots of opportunities in Lincolnshire to learn and improve your English. English language courses are sometimes referred to as ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages.

We have included a lot of information below about the different opportunities to learn to speak English in Lincolnshire. Some of these are formal educational settings like colleges, some are informal places like community groups.

If you can’t attend a particular location for English lessons there are also lots of online resources for learning to speak English – we have made a list of some useful websites, podcasts and apps below, including a few links that might be useful for children.

We hope that you will find something useful on this page, but if you have any questions about where to learn English you can contact the Lincolnshire County Council Migration Team at homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk or the Lincolnshire County Council Adult Learning Team at info@2aspire.org.uk.

The map below shows all of the learning providers in Lincolnshire who offer ESOL classes. You can click on each learning provider on the map to find out more about them, including their contact details.

If you are struggling to read the map on this page you might find it easier to open it in a new window.

There are many different levels of ESOL classes on offer across Lincolnshire  – courses for beginners, for intermediate English speakers and for advanced English speakers.

Different learning providers teach ESOL in different ways. Some learning providers offer formal ESOL lessons, some offer informal ESOL lessons.

These are learning providers who teach ESOL in a formal environment. The courses they offer are likely to be to a set timetable, will follow a set syllabus and will result in a recognised qualification.

Formal providers will usually require you to enrol onto a course that starts at a particular time of year – you are unlikely to be able to enrol in the middle of a course, you will have to wait for the next one to start.

If you are taking a formal ESOL course it is likely that the learning provider will need to assess you to understand your current ability in English, so that they can work out what level of course would be best for you. Please do not worry about this assessment - it is not a test, it is just to help ensure you are placed on the course that is right for you.

Formal ESOL learning providers are likely to teach to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which classifies different levels of proficiency in English.

The table in the dropdown below may help you understand the different levels of ESOL courses that learning providers offer, and what your current proficiency is.

It is likely that Formal ESOL courses will be free for Ukrainian guests but you should check this with the learning provider.

The above map has not listed the dates of individual courses being run at each learning provider – to find out what courses are being run, and what the start dates are, please contact the learning provider directly using their contact details from the map.

In some situations funding can be provided to help you attend these courses, including helping with transport and childcare costs. Again, please contact the learning provider directly for further information.

These are learning providers who teach ESOL in an informal environment. These are likely to be drop-in sessions that do not require an enrolment and do not require you to start on a particular date.

These sessions will generally be run by volunteers (many of whom might be experienced teachers giving up their free time to help learners).

These sessions are unlikely to result in a recognised qualification, however they are a good way of building your English skills and giving you opportunities to practise. You may find yourself in a group of people with mixed abilities in English.

It is likely that you can simply turn up and join in the sessions but we would advise you to contact the learning provider first just to check.

Many people attend both Formal and Informal ESOL classes. Informal ESOL classes can give a good opportunity simply to practice the things you have learned in a Formal ESOL class.

The IELTS qualification is a widely-recognised way of demonstrating your proficiency in English.

You cannot “pass” or “fail” IELTS exams. IELTS exams test your proficiency of English in reading, writing, speaking and listening and scores you for each area. These scores are then combined to give you an overall score demonstrating your level of English. IELTS scores link to the CEFR scale.

There are different IELTS exams – one is a general English exam, one is focused on academic English (the academic exam is often required for people applying to attend university in the UK). You can read more about the different types of exams on the IELTS website.

IELTS exams can only be taken in official IELTS testing centres. You can find the list of testing centres on the IELTS website.

There are currently no testing centres in Lincolnshire – the nearest testing centres are in Nottingham and Peterborough.

How do I know if I am ready for the IELTS exam?

The IELTS website contains various practice questions and other preparation resources. These will help you understand if you are at a sufficient level to take the IETLS exam.

Some learning providers in Lincolnshire run courses to prepare you for the IELTS exam – please contact you learning provider directly to ask them about this.

Funding for IELTS exams

The IELTS exam costs around £220.

Any Ukrainian guests who hold a Homes For Ukraine visa (or who hold Ukraine Permission Extension visas but who previously held a Homes For Ukraine visa) may be eligible to have their IELTS exam cost paid by the Lincolnshire County Council Migration Team. Please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk to ask for further details.

There is a huge range of online resources available to support you with learning English. Please see below for more details.