Speaking and Listening Skills
Students frequently tell us how developing a sense of community and belonging are crucial to their ability to fully participate in their programme and maximise their time at Exeter. The courses and workshops in this suite will help you improve skills for lectures and seminar participation as well as building building your confidence and fluency in social and professional settings.
Here you will also find details of our Family Class, which is a course for the spouses and partners of international students and staff.
Current Issues
Current Issues our discussion skills class is available during term 3 and over the summer.
These sessions give participants the opportunity to express themselves on complex and controversial topics; very useful for practicing and improving seminar discussion skills as well as building confidence and fluency that you can carry into interviews and future employment.. A different topic of current importance in the world is chosen each week.
Use the links below to sign up for the course at the most convenient time for you. You can join a course at any point in the term, and signing up for one session will automatically sign you up for all the subsequent sessions at that time.
Current Issues (1)
09:35 - 10:55, Mon Apr 27th 2026
15:35 - 16:55, Tue May 5th 2026
09:35 - 10:55, Mon May 11th 2026
09:35 - 10:55, Mon May 18th 2026
15:35 - 16:55, Tue May 26th 2026
09:35 - 10:55, Mon Jun 1st 2026
Current Issues (2)
11:35 - 12:55, Wed Jun 24th 2026
11:35 - 12:55, Wed Jul 1st 2026
11:35 - 12:55, Wed Jul 8th 2026
11:35 - 12:55, Wed Jul 15th 2026
11:35 - 12:55, Wed Jul 22nd 2026
11:35 - 12:55, Wed Jul 29th 2026
The Conversation Café
Join us for these informal events: Practice your speaking skills, learn more about the local area, enjoy discussions on topics that interest you. These cafes are facilitated by Jo Hughes and attended by local people from the Exeter community ()
Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided at each café.
13:35 - 14:55, Thu May 21st 2026
13:35 - 14:55, Thu May 28th 2026
13:35 - 14:55, Thu Jun 4th 2026
13:35 - 14:55, Thu Jun 11th 2026
Presentation Skills (PRES)
This is a series of 4 workshops for students from across the university. The course focuses on how to give an effective academic presentation, with lots of useful advice, examples and opportunities for students to present.
Click on the links to sign up.
13:35 - 15:25, Fri May 15th 2026
13:35 - 15:25, Fri May 22nd 2026
13:35 - 15:25, Fri May 29th 2026
13:35 - 15:25, Fri Jun 5th 2026
In term 3 we run just one pronunciation course that is open to all students across the university. This course can be particularly valuable if taken in conjunction with our presentation skills course.
Pronunciation Workshops
Workshops designed to extend strategies for clarity of expression ,and thus success in communicating ideas, by focusing on sound, stress and intonation in English. This also has an impact on listening comprehension and interpretation of meaning beyond that given by choice of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
11:35 - 13:25, Mon May 18th 2026
13:35 - 15:25, Tue May 19th 2026
13:35 - 15:25, Tue May 26th 2026
15:35 - 17:25, Thu May 28th 2026
11:35 - 13:25, Mon Jun 1st 2026
13:35 - 15:25, Tue Jun 2nd 2026
We will be running 3 workshops on intercultural communication in term 3. Please watch out for dates and times here and on Handshake.
The term 3 timetable is to be confirmed.
Family Class
This is a course on cultural and communicative English offered to the partners of international students and staff members who have come to Exeter but are not studying at the University. The focus is very much on communication, culture and how to get the most from your stay in Exeter. There are 7 weeks of classes in term 3, with sessions being held twice each week.
| Course information | |
| Class Time | 10.35-12.25 |
| Dates | Tuesdays: 28th April - 9th June; Thursdays: 30th April - 11th June |
| Locations |
ISC Lecture Theatre NB: ISC is the International Study Centre |
| Tutor | Jo Hughes |
If you would like to join the Family Class, please email insessional@exeter.ac.uk