Courses to improve communication skills  

Communication is essential to everyday life. It helps you builds relationships, and understand the world around you. We can communicate in many ways, from writing to speaking to using sign language. Improving your communication skills helps you connect with other people.  

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Find your voice

Find your voice with one of our adult education courses. From British Sign Languages courses to adult literacy classes - build your skills. Find fun and helpful courses to help reach your goals.  Learning with the WEA is not like school. It’s learning made for adults and you’ll be taught by supportive tutors. 

Boost your literacy

Boost your English skills, and get a better understanding of grammar. Learn the basics to move onto to a Functional English Skills course. Improve your spelling and gain confidence in reading, with an adult literacy course. Improving your reading and writing as an adult is not as hard as you might think.  

Hearing loss and signing

If you are losing your hearing or you know someone who is hearing impaired, you might need to find new ways to communicate. Develop lip-reading skills and find a supportive class to manage hearing loss. Find BSL signing courses for beginners. Learn to sign basic words then build your sign language skills to have conversations.  Whether you want to learn British Sign Language for yourself or so you can talk to others, take a course with us.  

Makaton signing is different to BSL. It is a way to communicate with people with speech difficulties or SEN. Over 100,000 children and adults use Makaton to communicate. It is very useful if you want to work with people with learning difficulties or you are a carer for a child with special needs. Our Makaton courses help reach people who need you most. If you want to learn Makaton signing, sign up for one of our courses today. 

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Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 04/12/2023 -
Mon 11/12/2023
Location:
Sherburn Hill Community Hub (Durham)
Front Street
Sherburn Hill
Durham
DH6 1PA
Course code:
Q00012042
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 04/12/2023 -
Mon 11/12/2023
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Sherburn Hill Community Hub (Durham)
Front Street
Sherburn Hill
Durham
DH6 1PA
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00012072
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 09/01/2024 -
Tue 12/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
The Cornforth Partnership (Ferryhill)
68-70 High Street
West Cornforth
Ferryhill
DL17 9HS
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00012660
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £75.60

Makaton Level 2

"This is a 10-week course that is aimed at those who already have a level 1 in Makaton. This is mainly a practical course with tutor demonstrations and guidance to help you learn the skills of Makaton. There will be handouts to take away with you so you can keep practicing and all paperwork will be uploaded into our learning platform canvas, so you can always refer back to it. During the course you will learn how to communicate with others using Makaton signs and symbols. These techniques can be used in schools with children who are learning to speak, with people who have suffered strokes and unable to verbally communicate. "
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 11/01/2024 -
Thu 18/04/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Thornley Village Centre (Thornley)
High Street, Thornley, County
Thornley
DH6 3EL
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00012023
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £75.00

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
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Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

Healthy Living: Lipreading and Managing Hearing Loss

Come along and join our friendly lipreading group at The Centre in Newlyn. This class is suitable for all lipreader levels and ideal for those recently experiencing hearing loss. Our experienced tutor will guide you through the basics of lipreading and show you how to practice your lipreading skills in everyday life. Research has shown that attending a lipreading class can give you greater: · Confidence to communicate with others. · Control over your hearing loss as you develop new communication skills. · Independence, as you’re less reliant on others to help you follow a conversation. (Source RNID.org.uk) You will learn in a supportive environment alongside other learners who will be able to share their experiences of hearing loss and learn how to overcome them together.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 11/01/2024 -
Thu 14/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
The Centre, Newlyn (Penzance)
Chywoone Hill
Newlyn
Penzance
TR18 5AR
Tutor:
Janet Corbett Marston
Course code:
Q00012647
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40

Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 12/01/2024 -
Fri 22/03/2024
Times:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Bluebell Hub (Newton Aycliffe)
48 Bluebell Close
Newton Aycliffe
DL5 7LN
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00011271
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £67.20

Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours. Course only open to St Margaret's Centre clients.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 15/01/2024 -
Mon 25/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
St. Margaret's Centre (Durham)
The Old School
Margery Lane
Durham
DH1 4QJ
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00012596
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £67.20

Makaton

Ever heard of Makaton? It's a unique language programme, and over 100,000 people are using it to communicate in the UK today. It combines symbols, signs, and speech to make conversation easier for people who have communication difficulties. This Makaton course is ideal for you if you want to learn an inclusive communication tool. It can help you interact with people who have speech, hearing, or learning difficulties. This Makaton sign language course covers the essentials of hand signals, fingerspelling, and signing. Learn to introduce yourself. Develop knowledge to be able to sign about basic topics such as numbers and colours.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 15/01/2024 -
Mon 25/03/2024
Times:
12:30pm - 2:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Riverside Community Health Project (Newc
Carnegie Building
Atkinson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 8XS
Tutor:
Maria Hambley
Course code:
Q00011619
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Intermediate British Sign Language (BSL)

Knowing how to sign can make your communication more inclusive for everyone you interact with. Build on your skills in British Sign Language to be able to have deeper interactions with deaf people. This BSL course is suitable for you if you need to communicate with deaf people or people with hearing impairments. It can help you in a variety of contexts, for example in a voluntary or community role, or simply through social interactions. This course is aimed at intermediate learners. You will build on your existing BSL skills. If you would like to start from scratch, you can take the beginner’s BSL course.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 15/01/2024 -
Mon 25/03/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Tutor:
Helen Watson
Course code:
Q00012273
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Intermediate Lip Reading

Do you or a friend or relative have hearing loss? If so, improving your lip reading skills can help you get the most out of social interactions. Intermediate-level lip reading courses focus on helping you develop your ability to detect speech. This course builds on your existing knowledge. This course is useful for anyone who has hearing loss or friends and family who’d like to overcome communication barriers.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 22/01/2024 -
Mon 11/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
St Johns Church (Macclesfield)
Wilwick Lane
Macclesfield
SK11 8RS
Tutor:
Debra Blinston
Course code:
Q00013009
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £67.20