For several years, learning English has become a prerequisite for accessing various job opportunities and undertaking or pursuing studies abroad.
There is a wide range of institutions that offer paid face-to-face courses to learn these and other languages. However, for those without the resources, there are also opportunities to learn English virtually and for free
We tell you what are some of the main platforms through which you can study and improve your level of English.
Free courses in the pocket
In September last year, the National Learning Service (Sena) announced the opening of registration for one of its most anticipated academic programs: free virtual English courses.
According to the entity, this training program, known as “ English Dot Work ”, has classes for about two million people and will allow trainees to complete the course with a B1 proficiency level in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
The course consists of ten levels of studies that gradually increase in difficulty, ranging from beginners to developing intermediate knowledge and use of the language.
How to register?
1. Enter the website www.senavirtual.edu.co.
2. Select the “English” option from the top menu.
3. Determine the level at which you will be enrolled according to your current language proficiency abilities.
4. Go to the registration box and fill in the form.
5. At the end of the process you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for starting the course.
British Council: IELTS and more resources
The British Council is a British international organization working to promote educational opportunities and cultural relations around the world.
In Colombia, the British Council has participated in collaborative projects with the Ministry of National Education and in alliances and projects with nearly 100 universities to support the development of bilingualism.
In addition to the above, this institute is also responsible for conducting and certifying the IELTS English Language Test, which is a test required by most educational institutions around the world to prove the level of English for those who take the test.
How to access free IELTS preparation courses?
The institute has three free exam courses. To access the training courses, simply go to www.britishcouncil.co, register and choose the course you want to join. They all have their own table of contents, enrollment dates and duration.
In addition to the above, the British Council offers several multimedia resources that are freely available for anyone wishing to learn independently.
To access these resources, simply enter www.britishcouncil.co/disfruta-en-casa
BBC Learning Portal
The British Broadcasting Corporation, better known as the BBC, has a service division that focuses on learning the English language. Leraning English is the portal through which you can access all available resources and lessons.
The portal contains many interactive resources and offers completely free lessons and activities as well as mock tests so that users can diagnose their level.
You don’t even need to register to access the courses and lessons. All you have to do is enter the portal directly: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Duolingo
Duolingo is one of the most popular web platforms in the world to learn languages for free. According to the BBC, as of last year it already had over 300 million users. In addition to English, it also offers classes for German, Portuguese, Italian, and more.
The platform has its own web portal and app available for download on both iOS and Android.
The platform is very dynamic and intuitive. The user learns through images, audio recordings and simple texts according to their language level. To access Duolingo’s content, you just need to go to their website or download the app from your mobile device.
Coursera
Coursera is also a widely known platform in the field of online learning. This platform is associated with various educational institutions around the world and offers courses and trainings in both languages and other professional fields.
What is new about the aforementioned platforms is that Coursera also offers specialized English language courses in specific areas of knowledge.
If you know English, but want to learn technical terms and vocabulary for your field of work, Coursera is a good choice.
Here are some of the free courses offered by Coursera to learn English:
English for common workplace interactions: basic level
English for career development
Specialized program: Business English
English for Journalism
To see the full course catalog, click here.
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