Looking to improve your language skills? Whether you have dreams of becoming fluent in Italian or just want to practice some basic Spanish to use on holiday, Jesmond Library has you covered.

Every week our library hosts a range of language conversation groups for people of all ages and abilities. Whatever your motivation for learning a language, our volunteer-led groups will provide a welcoming and supportive environment for you to learn new words and phrases. We appreciate how difficult it can be to learn any language, but our excellent volunteers are here to help. The languages that you can learn in our library include:

French:

French Intermediate Conversation- If you are looking to expand on a basic knowledge of French and learn more phrases, this is the place for you. There are two different groups, both take place between 1pm and 2pm on Tuesday – make sure to email events@jesmondlibrary.org to confirm that there is space if you are attending for the first time. The classes are only £2 a session and provide a relaxed environment for you to improve your French.

Spanish:

Beginners Spanish Conversation- If you have a basic grasp of Spanish but never had the opportunity to practice speaking the language, this could be your chance. Check out our conversation classes that run between 11am and 12pm on Tuesdays, entry is £2.

Spanish Conversation- From 6pm to 7:30pm on Thursday evenings, we host another Spanish conversation group. These are £5 per session with no charge on the first session. If you are looking to improve your Spanish for an upcoming trip abroad, you will not want to miss this one.

German:

Intermediate German Conversation- There are two conversation groups at this level. The first takes place between 12:15pm and 1:15pm on Thursday lunchtime and costs £2 to take part. We also have another Intermediate German class on Tuesday mornings, but newcomers will have to attend the Thursday classes due to there currently being no spaces available in the Tuesday group.
These are both popular for good reason, as it gives people the chance to speak German together with a friendly and supportive group.

Advanced German- A meeting for more fluent German speakers also takes place on Thursdays (between 10:45am and 11:45am). If you are interested in joining this advanced group please contact the library first and we will put you in touch with the group leader.

Italian:

Italian Conversation with Antonella-  From 12pm until 1pm on Tuesdays we have a conversation class, which will give learners of Italian a chance to practice speaking the language and learn new phrases. Entry is £2. This is run by one of our excellent volunteers, Antonella Rea.

Formal Language Classes for Adults- as well as volunteering at the Library, Antonella is a skilled teacher from Real Language Experience, a company that offers expert language teaching across Newcastle for people of all abilities. Some courses are delivered at the Library. To discover more about availability and course fees for language classes with Antonella’s company, check out her website here: Real Language Experience

Italian Language Class for Children- The Library also plays host to classes for children on Saturdays, led by Marta Azarri, an experienced Italian teacher. The two classes are split by age group. The classes provide a great introduction to learning languages for your children, potentially laying the foundations for them to become fluent in Italian one day. To find out more contact events@jesmondlibrary.org and we will put you in touch with Marta who will provide details of availability and course fees.

English:

We also have specialist trained volunteers who offer beginner and improver English classes that provide students with the chance to develop their writing, speaking and listening skills. The classes both take place between 9:30am and 12:30pm. There is no charge for these but we ask that you pay what you can, with a suggested contribution of £3.

All of these conversation classes would not be possible without the help of our fantastic volunteers. Learning languages is a fun and rewarding experience and we would recommend it to anyone! For more information on all of these classes, please visit the What’s On section on our website.