Action Language was established in April 2008 to tackle social exclusion and isolation by providing free English classes to those who cannot reasonably access this service elsewhere in Tyneside.

We have free lessons on every day of the week catering for three different ability groups; pre-entry (beginners) , entry level (intermediate) and level 1 (advanced) based on the ‘Skills for Life’ syllabus.

Our lessons are divided into small groups of up-to no more than 16 learners. Qualified ESOL teachers, supported by volunteers, teach speaking and listening, reading and writing skills at a level appropriate to learners. We always have a good number of English speaking volunteers so that every learner can practice on a one-to-one basis for as much of the lesson as possible. We are always looking for more volunteer ESOL teachers and unqualified classroom assistants. For further details see Volunteer page (link to this page) or contact language@actionfoundation.org.uk

We receive learner referrals from many organisations including local colleges, the city ESOL service, social services, Jobcentre plus, local care trusts and refugee charities. Learners must register to find out if they are eligible, what ability group is appropriate for them and if we have space to take them. Registration takes place between 2pm and 4pm every Tuesday at The CastleGate during term time. No appointment is necessary, however, if you would like to speak to someone beforehand please call 0191 231 3113 to discuss eligibility and/or availability of teaching sessions.

There is always a vibrant cultural and linguistic mix at our sessions and we aim to create an atmosphere where friendship goes alongside learning. In our first 18 months we helped over 250 learners from over 50 nations with over 65 different first languages.

We have recently begun teaching IELTS (International English Language Testing System) to refugee health care professionals to enable them to bring their language skills up to the level where they will be qualified to follow their profession in the UK. This is the first step in our strategy to make the language school financially self-sustaining by providing English language classes to organisations or individuals that want to pay for a service tailored to their clients needs.

For further information about Action Language please contact us language@actionfoundation.org.uk or 0191 231 3113

Malcolm Warin - Action Language