How self-access centres work

Self-access language learning centres are study spaces where learners can practise and improve their language skills using different media, including audio, video/DVD and computer resources, and different materials, including worksheets accompanied by answer keys and other self-study activities, reference books and graded readers, L2 newspapers and magazines, and board games of different kinds. All this material is organised by level and skill, so that users can go straight to those areas that most interest them.

Media resources and materials are available for students of the following languages: Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, and Spanish.

Each Catalan self-access language learning centre is staffed by an assessor who can provide users with advice on self-study learning strategies and the activities that can help individual users to attain their language objectives; the centres also offer questionnaires to help identify weak areas in your language level, and self-assessment progress tests.

Who the centres are for

The self-access language learning centres are designed for all UB members: UB and EIM students, faculty and research staff, administrative and service personnel—anybody studying or working at the UB. The centres are particularly useful if you want to:

• do some extra work on an area of language you’ve studied in class, or just get some back-up language practice;
• study at your own particular speed, which might not always be the same as your class speed;
• refresh your language level or keep it up to scratch;
• study without the time, level and location restraints that can sometimes make class study impossible;
• receive help with particular language difficulties;
• receive and complete specific training in administrative language (appropriate for UB administrative and service staff);
• receive and complete specific training in an area of technical and scientific language (appropriate for UB faculty and research staff).