Languages & Communication   

If you thought you knew everything about your mobile devices you will now find there is so much more – fun and useful text messaging features, a new keyboard, document scanner, new Do Not Disturb functions, password sharing, many new features in Photos and Siri, a more useful Reminders App, and much more. This is for the individual who has a basic working knowledge of their iPhone or iPad and who wants to take advantage of more of what they have to offer. Discounts or waivers do not apply.

Along the way of our life journey, at a certain point, we face the hardship in dealing with a loss. It could be the death of someone close to us, but it can also happen through any other significant loss. No specific words exist to describe the grieving process and the suffering. During mourning time one needs to be strong and develop courage to move forward. How do we do that? Enroll in this class to receive support and learn beneficial ways to reduce anxiety, as well as pain.

This fun and interactive course is for students who want to increase  their skill and  confidence both speaking and understanding American English in an environment where we can all make mistakes and help each other. Reading the textbook and handouts we will learn many aspects of both American and local Boston culture and traditions. Through dialogues, readings  and class pair and small group exercises - including role plays such as making phone calls; ordering  in a restaurant; speaking with landlords, doctors, school teachers, etc.- we will focus on gaining new vocabulary, common American Idioms and expressions to feel increasingly comfortable speaking and being understood both in and outside the classroom. Throughout our discussions and activities, we will emphasize pronunciation for clearer communication. Grammar will be reviewed as necessary. The required text is Celebrate the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to English Language and Culture in the U.S.

This course is for students who are somewhat comfortable speaking, understanding, and reading English. We will focus on conversation fluency - understanding and being understood in everyday interactions. We will review U.S. grammar, increase vocabulary knowledge, review and learn new verb tenses, idiomatic expressions, gerunds, and the passive voice. The required textbook Ventures 3 Student Text, 3rd edition is available online. You may also order Ventures 3 Student workbook. Additional handouts will be provided in class.

Managing your Mail, Contacts, and Calendars is fundamental to using your iPhone and/or iPad to their full potential. This class will review the many features of these three Apps and handy tips and tricks that will allow you to use their full power to keep better organized and efficient. Discounts or waivers do not apply.

Are you feeling unhappy or dissatisfied with life? Family conditions, relationships with colleagues or friends, work stress, health status, a failure in love, a loss, and misunderstandings in general, can all have a negative impact on how we feel. However, no worries, you are not alone. In this course, you will learn different strategies to fight unhappiness and regain your mental and physical well-being.

Have you been curious about what ChatGPT is exactly and how it may affect you? Learn what you need to know about ChatGPT powered by Artificial Intelligence in this fun and engaging class! You will understand how it works exactly and why it's taking the world by storm. You'll also learn practical everyday uses for ChatGPT in the workforce and at home. Don't get left behind in today's tech savvy world, and attend this upcoming training! 

In this five-session class, we will read and study a selection of poems from the new anthology Braving the Body, edited by Nicole Callihan, Pichchenda Bao, and Jennifer Franklin. Our study will include prompts for writing our own poems, in which we explore points of connection between the physical realities of our bodies, the music of words, and the play of thought. (Purchase or library loan of Braving the Body is recommended for class members.)
Taught by Jennifer Barber, Brookline’s current poet laureate.

Are you traveling to a Spanish-speaking country? Join us in this introductory-level Spanish course to meet other travelers and get to know the language. You will learn useful phrases for your trip in order to communicate basic information. Learn how to understand cultural customs, introduce yourself, ask for directions, and thank your host. You will develop a basic understanding of weather expressions, cardinal and ordinal numbers, time, colors, days and months, seasons, transportation, useful verbs, and more. Our lively introduction will generate excitement for your travels, and prepare you for the experiences you will have. A $27 textbook fee is included in the course fee. Textbooks will be mailed to you; an additional $10 shipping fee is included.

This course is for students who know some English and who have completed an introductory English course. In each class, you will work on grammar and vocabulary, writing, conversational skills, and reading and comprehension. We will review the use of the present tense to talk and write about our habits and daily routines, and we will work on prepositions of place (at, in, on), determiners (this, that, these), simple past tense (I ran), the verb to be, and present continuous. The required textbook: Side by Side 2 Book and Workbook, Third Edition, is available at the Brookline Booksmith or online.  

 

The Beginner class will explore basic grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation through situational dialogues on topics such as shopping, making acquaintances, dining out, and more. Vocabulary lists with the corresponding basic Hiragana characters will help you learn to read and pronounce Japanese. The required textbook, Japanese for Busy People Book 1, Kana Version with free audio download (revised 4th edition), is available at the Brookline Booksmith and online.  
Please note: this class does not meet 10/14, 10/21 and 11/11

Boston is a small city with big ideas! In this course you will learn the stories behind the creative people and unique places in our community. We will also explore local mysteries including the “codnapping caper” at the Statehouse and the Gardner Museum art theft. Designers, scientists,
and entertainers will also be topics of conversation.
This is a class for high intermediate and advanced students, and will improve your vocabulary and speaking skills. It will also enhance your local knowledge and enjoyment of Boston. There will be two field trips coinciding with the classroom discussions. Handouts will be provided.

Pour ceux qui parlent déjà français et qui veulent maintenir ou améliorer leur niveau de langue. Nous travaillerons dans des séances de conversation sur des sujets divers afin d'enrichir votre vocabulaire et de développer votre sens de l'expression idiomatique français. En plus de la production orale, objectif essentiel du cours, nous reverrons des points de grammaire, lirons des extraits de textes francophones, écouterons de la musique et regarderons des documents audiovisuels. Pas de cours le 9/26/2024 Soirée de rentrée scolaire

This course is for those who have completed French II or its equivalent and would like to improve their vocabulary, accent, and fluency. Students should be comfortable conjugating regular and irregular verbs in the present and passé composé, and be able to count and tell time. You will be introduced to the conditional, subjunctive, and future tense, and will continue to expand your knowledge of grammar and commonly used expressions through the practice of reading, writing, and speaking. The required textbook Communication Progressive du Français, Niveau Débutant (blue book) is available online.

This course is taught in a spiral rather than a straight line. Instead of learning rules in a linear way with a textbook, we focus on becoming confident speakers through the combination of orally applied grammar and spaced repetitions. We will study authentic situations and circle key structures of French for proficiency. For students who have completed French IV or its equivalent, and have some mastery of the three main verb groups, and être, avoir, aller, faire, and savoir, and the passé composé, imparfait, and future tenses. You will consolidate those in practical, fun speaking-intensive exercises while also familiarizing yourself more with other key structures of the language the subjonctif, les pronoms relatifs, and elusive connecting words like en and y. A particular emphasis will be placed on learning what is necessary to travel to a French-speaking country. Course materials will be made available online for students to either access electronically or print.

This course is for students who are somewhat comfortable speaking, understanding, and reading English. We will focus on conversation fluency - understanding and being understood in everyday interactions. We will review U.S. grammar, increase vocabulary knowledge, review and learn new verb tenses, idiomatic expressions, gerunds, and the passive voice. The required textbook Ventures 3 Student Text, 3rd edition is available online. You may also order Ventures 3 Student workbook. Additional handouts will be provided in class.

The Intermediate class will help improve your ability to use Japanese accurately and appropriately with fluency, building on the basic skills you have learned. We will focus on reading comprehension, spoken fluency and composition, with materials organized around social and cultural topics. In addition, each lesson introduces basic Kanji. The required textbook, Japanese for Busy People Book 2 with free audio download (revised 4th edition), is available at the Brookline Booksmith and online.  
Please note: this class will not meet 10/3 or 10/24.

This course is for students who are just learning English. We will focus on all four skill areas including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. We will practice speaking English, study the alphabet, learn new vocabulary, review introductions, and currency, and work on the simple present (I study), past (I studied), and present continuous (I am studying) tenses. The required textbook: Side by Side Book 1 Student Book and Activity Book, is available at the Brookline Booksmith or online.