Our excellent team of volunteers and paid staff provide free drop-in English language classes and online IELTS preparation classes for refugees and asylum seekers. See our activities timetable for more details.

ESOL Classes

Our classes are designed to be open and welcoming to all learners no matter their ability - most of our classes are mixed ability with no need for prior registration. We understand that mixed gender classes aren't for everyone, so we offer a women-only session on a Wednesday with free creche provision.

We design the lessons using a participatory ESOL approach and aim to cover everyday topics to aid the transition to a new country. This might include topics such as shopping for food, finding housing, and making hospital and doctor appointments. FAN (Friends and Neighbours) are informal English classes to help build confidence and integration.  

Our classes aim to build our clients' confidence in a familiar environment before accessing an accredited course. Our staff are happy to assist clients with booking a REACH assessment to join an accredited ESOL course. We currently have a partnership with Cardiff and Vale College for pre-entry and entry-level. 

Providing a high-quality service is incredibly important to us, so all of our volunteer teachers come from a teaching background and/or have studied for a CELTA / TEFL certificate. Each day classes are taught by a different teacher, who is supported by a teaching assistant. All teachers have a different style, with some classes even focusing on storytelling! Our teachers can signpost you to staff who can provide practical guidance. 

If you have what it takes to be a volunteer ESOL teacher or teaching assistant, please visit our Volunteering page to find out how to apply. 

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about English classes.

Participatory ESOL

Lots of settings offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision for people seeking sanctuary (refugees and asylum seekers), from informal 1:1 and small group sessions, to structured and accredited courses. This guide is aimed at organisations running ESOL in less formal and/or drop in sessions, rather than accredited provision.

Participatory ESOL is learner-centred. The teacher is a facilitator, drawing language and themes from the learners and enabling language to emerge through the session. As a result, the language learned is directly relevant to the learners’ needs. The guide is based on our experience of implementing a participatory ESOL pilot at Oasis. 

Read the guide here. 

   

Welsh language Classes

Oasis offers beginner's Welsh for clients