Join us to take your conversational skills to the next level. Participants will practice communication skills in simple personal, recreational, and public settings. To benefit from the course, participants should have done one of the following:
1. Studied Spanish for approximately two years or achieved a GCSE (Grade A/A*).
2. Completed Parts 1 and 2 of our Spanish: Lower Intermediate level.
3. Achieved or are near A2 Level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages."
Course starts: 21 Apr 2026
This course focuses on enhancing listening comprehension and speaking skills, accuracy and fluency to improve your conversational proficiency across various everyday contexts. Through multimedia resources, activities, engaging discussions, and feedback, you'll refine your grammar, expand your vocabulary and gain more confidence in initiating and maintaining conversations.
Our open-access courses cater for mixed-ability groups, fostering a collaborative environment where students work together to achieve their learning goals. The weekly course schedule below provides an overview of the main topics likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change at the tutor’s discretion to reflect the interests of course participants.
Week 1: Social media and online habits
Week 2: People and places - descriptions and experiences
Week 3: Memorable moments - talking about the past
Week 4: Life back then - Recalling childhood and past habits
Week 5: The world in 2050
Week 6: Services and problem-solving in daily life
Week 7: Housing and daily life around the world
Week 8: Music, film and pop culture
Week 9: City life vs countryside
Week 10: Celebrations and cultural traditions
Key grammar points
- The present tense and frequency adverbs
- Agreement, ser/estar, and pronoun use
- Pretérito indefinido (simple past); time markers
- Comparing the past and present using pretérito imperfecto
- Futuro simple, expressions of prediction, and conditional phrases
- Modal verbs: poder, tener que, necesitar; impersonal expressions: se puede, se necesita
- Hay vs estar for describing spaces; prepositions of location and movement
- Gustar-type verbs; opinions with que + indicative, agree and disagree expressions
- Comparatives and superlatives; prepositions of place; past tenses review
- Reflexive verbs; soler + infinitive
Key functions
- Expressing opinions about the platforms and applications you use and stating how often
- Describing people, cities, and personal situations
- Narrating personal stories and significant experiences
- Talking about customs and routines in the past
- Speculating about the future — technology, environment, cities, lifestyles
- Discussing problems; requesting help; explaining needs and solutions
- Describing your home and neighbourhood; comparing lifestyles in different countries
- Talking about favourite music and films; giving opinions on artists or shows
- Comparing lifestyles; sharing experiences
- Describing traditions; talking about changes over time; sharing festive experiences
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
No Course book required. All course materials will be provided by the course tutor.
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £300.00 |
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Esteban Cichello-Hubner studied International Relations, Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at Hertford College, University of Oxford and completed a teaching degree at the OU Education Department. He then pursued his Spanish Philology studies at the University of Salamanca. Esteban is an author and an experienced Foreign Modern Languages tutor who has taught several courses at the Oxford University Language Centre and OUDCE.
Leonardo Sagor is a qualified Modern Foreign Languages tutor from South America with extensive teaching experience at the University of Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education and Oxford Language Centre. He studied at the University of Salamanca and earned his PGCE from the University of Bedfordshire. A musician and vocalist, Leonardo has recorded for the Michel Thomas language courses. His dynamic, culturally rich lessons aim to create a fun and immersive classroom experience that brings the language to life. A passionate traveller, he has explored over 50 countries, adding a global perspective to his teaching.
Leonardo Sagor is a native qualified Modern Foreign Languages tutor. He is originally from South America and has taught several courses at the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education throughout his career. He is also a composer, a guitar player and a talented singer. Leonardo graduated from the University of Salamanca and obtained his PGCE at the University of Bedfordshire. He is a tireless traveller who has explored more than 50 countries. He recorded his voice for the legendary Michel Thomas language courses and is currently working on teaching Spanish through cinema.
Enhance learners’ conversational skills in everyday situations to communicate ideas and engage in conversations with confidence.
Course objectives:
1. Enhance learners' ability to understand spoken language in varied everyday contexts.
2. Encourage learners to use varied and practical vocabulary and grammar structures to express themselves in simple everyday conversations.
3. Improve pronunciation and intonation for clear and accurate communication.
4. Explore the use of appropriate language in everyday social settings (e.g. formal/informal) and etiquette.
Our language courses promote collaborative learning, encouraging peer interaction and real-life activities. You will learn through participating in engaging activities and tasks in the target language. These are likely to include listening tasks, role-plays, pair- and small-group work conducted in a supportive, friendly and informal learning environment. The course has been structured to help you primarily to develop your speaking and listening skills.
By the end of the course, students will be better prepared to:
1. understand short, clear speech on everyday topics and respond appropriately.
2. engage in simple conversations on familiar topics, such as personal information, daily routines, work and leisure activities.
3. gain confidence in initiating and sustaining brief interactions with other speakers, including asking for clarification or repetition when needed.
4. recognise and appreciate basic cultural differences that may affect communication.
Formative assessment will be implemented through a series of class activities ranging from guided role-plays and structured pair-work to less structured discussions and tasks. Learners will be encouraged to participate in class activities to benefit from tutor feedback.
Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education
