Picking up and starting somewhere new is tough.

Finding a new home. A new job. A new GP. A new school. Even just a new grocery store.

Now throw in a language barrier. Surrounded by people, but you can’t ask for help. Oof.

The new “British English for Newcomers” course in Transparent Language Online is designed to help immigrants and refugees in the UK quickly gain the English language and cultural knowledge they need to navigate their new daily lives.

⚠️Join us on May 19th for a live tour of the course from its creators, including ideas for how to incorporate the course into conversation clubs, English classes, or other events at your library.

What the course covers

This 28-unit course tackles the everyday basics, immediate needs, and newcomer-specific situations that matter most when you’re just getting started, including:

• Shopping for food and groceries
• Looking for work
• Renting a flat
• Getting medical and dental care
• Using public transport
• Managing banking, post, and digital services
• Understanding benefits and social services
• Navigating immigration and legal status

Vocabulary is accompanied by native speaker audio, images, and comments that further explore British culture, grammar, and more.

Taught in 12 languages

To help newcomers acquire vocabulary as quickly as possible, the course is taught in 12 languages:

• Amharic
• Arabic (Modern Standard)
• Bengali
• Dari
• Farsi
• French
• Kurdish (Sorani)
• Pashto
• Somali
• Spanish (Castilian)
• Tigrinya
• Ukrainian

Emphasis on vocabulary

Speaking of vocabulary, it’s the heart of this course.

Unlike a beginner English textbook or course, “British English for Newcomers” prioritizes rapidly building the vocab learners need most. As our Director of Content Orsi Gall explains:

“This course is about function over form. Learning English as a newcomer in the thick of it isn’t about perfecting grammar or speaking eloquently. It’s about understanding and being understood. Especially for immediate needs like navigating public transit or registering with a doctor. Sometimes just a handful of key words is all you need.”

There is no fixed order, so no one has to work through it from start to finish. Learners can hop around, learning what they need most in the moment. NHS appointment tomorrow? Jump straight to the unit on medical care, no need to complete anything beforehand.

Each unit also incorporates native speaker audio, images, and cultural comments with tips about language usage and information about life in the United Kingdom.

Explore the full ESOL collection

British English for Newcomers is one component of the 300+ hour ESOL collection in Transparent Language Online. (Including American English and Canadian English for Newcomers as well!)

Explore the entire ESOL collection in the free trial to see if it’s right for the newcomers in your community.