Learning Resources
Our learning resources page.
Below is a list of our general language resources. These are not specific to a particular course, and can be used as self-study materials to supplement your study with us.
General
BBC Learning Zone - Lots of website links and support materials, including short sound and video files, for their television programmes on BBC2.
Click for current programme schedules.
Also on-line beginner "Steps" courses in French, German, Spanish and Italian and new "Ma France" video course for those with fast internet connections.
For intermediate students there is "Accents d'Europe" for French students and "El Mensual" for Spanish students as well as new crossword sites.
Language
Click on the language you are studying to see the resources for that language, or scroll down.
English
French
German
Spanish
Italian
Dutch
Swedish
Russian
Greek
Arabic
Japanese
Mandarin
English
Newspapers
- Guardian Online - Guardian Online
- The Times - The Times
- Financial Times - Financial Times
- The Independent - The Independent
- The Economist - The Economist
- Newsweek International - Newsweek International
Language Learning
- Cambridge EFL On-line - The website of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Division. In this site you can download all the syllabuses and sample papers.
- Flo Joe - News, information and practice material for students and teachers of FCE and CAE Examinations.
- BBC Learning English - comprehensive website including news, videos, exercises, quizzes, cultural topics and business language.
- English at Home - English at Home
- Non Stop English - Free resources and exercises.
French
Newspapers
- Le Monde - Le Monde
- La Tribune Interactive - La Tribune Interactive
- Libération - Libération
- La Tribune - La Tribune
- Le Figaro - Le Figaro
Magazines
- Elle - Elle
- Paris Match - Paris Match
- L'Express - L'Express
- Le Point - Le Point
- L'Entreprise - monthly magazine dedicated to a variety of business area, eg IT, Finance, Legal, HR
- Le MOCI - weekly French magazine covering commercial issues at an international level
Television and Radio
- TV5 - The French satellite channel (available at Priory Court) which promotes learning French with activities based on its diverse range of programme from the Francophone world. Their booklet "Apprendre et enseigner avec TV5", which is a comprehensive guide to using TV5 programmes for language learning, can be downloaded free from their website.
- TF1 - Another satellite channel with lots of video clips and articles: World News, France, Politics, Business, Sports, Arts, health, Music, Cinema, People, Science etc.
- Radio-France - Radio-France
- RTL - RTL
- Euronews - video and news articles
Language Learning
- Access French - Support website for tutor and students of new beginners course.
- Real French - Manchester Metropolitan University's free resources for students and teachers of French, with sections on grammar and vocabulary with reference pages and exercises at beginners', intermediate and advanced level.
German
Newspapers
- Pipeline - A good site for language learners with lots of easily printed articles.
- Die Welt - Die Welt
- Die Zeit - Die Zeit
- Die Süddeutsche Zeitung - Die Süddeutsche Zeitung
- Die Tageszeitung - Die Tageszeitung
- Handelsblatt - Handelsblatt
- Franfurter Allgemeine - Franfurter Allgemeine
- Der Bankenverband online - financial paper
- Netseitung - Online newpaper, continuously updated.
- Wirtschafts Woche - Wirtschafts Woche
Magazines
- Der Spiegel - Der Spiegel
- Stern - Stern
- Focus - Focus
- Natur - a nature magazine
Language Learning
- Goethe Institute - Goethe Institute
- German for Travellers - The updated site for German for Beginners 2.0, which gives a comprehensive package of grammar and exercises starting with simple vocabulary and moving on to self-tests and more difficult texts and written exercises.
- Access German - Support website for tutor and students of new beginners course.
- Hueber - Hueber
- Themen neu - Excellent support websites which give students additional exercises using links to other internet sites to find out further information about the topics in the Themen neu coursebooks.
- Forum Wirtschaftsdeutsch - For learners of Business German including on-line exercises.
- Leo English/German Dictionary - Very popular online dictionary, more than 250,000 entries - searchable in both directions.
- Deutsche Welle Radio - Learn German on the go with free podcasts from Deutsche Welle. From everyday German to slowly spoken news reports to complete language courses, just download and start learning!
- One Minute German - Free weekly podcasts from Radio Lingua network.
- Mission Berlin - First steps in German via 26 x 5 minute episodes, exercises, games and cultural information.
Spanish
Newspapers
Magazines
Language Learning
- Spanish Steps - BBC on-line beginners course
- Business Spanish - Business Spanish
- Access Spanish - Support website for tutor and students of new beginners course.
- Spanish Learning Resources - Spanish Learning Resources
- TECLA - A site produced by the Birbeck College, University of London and the Spanish Embassy in London for Spanish teachers and students.
Italian
Newspapers
- La Padania - La Padania
- Mir - Mir
- La Stampa - La Stampa
- L'Espresso - L'Espresso
- Corriere della Sera - Corriere della Sera
- La Nuova Sardegna - La Nuova Sardegna
- Nuova Venezia - Nuova Venezia
- Internationale - Internationale
Television and Radio
- Rai educational - Rai educational
Language Learning
- BBC Italian Steps - On-line beginners course.
- Access Italian - Support website for tutor and students of new beginners course.
Dutch
Newspapers
- De Standaard - Belgium newspaper
- De Volkskrant - Dutch national newspaper
- KrantenOnline - Lists of Dutch regional newspapers
- Brabants Dagblad - Brabants Dagblad
- Haagsche Courant - Haagsche Courant
- NRC Handelsblad - NRC Handelsblad
- The Readers Digest - in Dutch
Television and Radio
- Omroep - Dutch Television and Radio broadcasting service.
- VTM - Belgian TV broadcast. News and weather programmes.
- Radio 1 - A general news and sports station.
- Radio 1 Belgium - Live or archived radio programmes.
Language Learning
- Teach Dutch - UK
Swedish
Newspapers
- Aftonbladet - Aftonbladet
Language Learning
- Introduction to Swedish - A brief presentation and 40-page coursebook which can be downloaded in Word 6.0 format. Includes a pronunciation guide.
- Beginners Swedish - An on-line beginners course with audio clips.
Russian
- Russian on the Web - Lots of information and news sites on business, economy, culture, history and politics.
Newspapers
- VladNews - Articles in English and Russian
- WPS - Russian media site mainted by WPS (What the Papers Say), Russia's first independent media monitoring and newspaper digest service. Russian Newsroom present a broad range of daily updated Russian news.
Language Learning
- Russian Textbook Online - Textbook and exercises for learner of Russian
- Master Russian - Free features, lessons, reveiws and web links.
Greek
Newspapers
- TO BHMA - Newspaper mainly in Greek provides national coverage. Requires Greek fonts which can be downloaded.
- BHMA News - Greek Canadian website with news items and links to Greek newspapers and other Greek sites.
Language Learning
- Hellenk Electronic Centre - History of the Greek language and promotion of all things Greek, including Greek lessons
Arabic
Newspapers
- Al Jazirah - Al Jazirah
Japanese
- Yahoo - Japanese version.
- Hiraganatimes - Information about Japan, including travel, accommodation and work opportunities.
Newspapers
- Asahi - Daily newspaper in Japanese. English version also available.
- Japan Echo - Quarterly journal presenting translations of significant articles from Japanese media about politics, business and the economy, society, culture.
Language Learning
- BBC Japanese Challenge - BBC Japanese Challenge
- Japanese Writing Tutor - Japanese Writing Tutor
Mandarin
Newspapers
- World Newspapers - Site giving list of Chinese newspapers and news sites.
- China Daily - Leading English-language Chinese newspaper.
- China Now - Independent monthly magazine reporting on economic, social and cultural developments in China.
Language Learning
- BBC Real Chinese - an on-line course for beginnes in ten parts.
- Pinyin Guide - Series of lessons teaches how to read and pronounce pinyin which is the official system for representing Mandarin with Roman alphabet.
