Resources and tools
We provide a series of resources, guides and activities that will help you to enrich your language learning independently: online programmes and mobile apps, resources for writing in English and other languages, university conversation guides, etc. All of this will enable you to expand and deepen your knowledge, practise languages and gain skills in a foreign language.
You’ll find resources and tools that are useful in all learning experiences and other more specific resources for groups such as teaching and research staff, including material on teaching in English. Furthermore, you'll find tools for managing cultural diversity that can help you interact effectively with people from other cultures and countries.
In addition to the general resources, you can consult each university’s pages of resources, which will enable you, for example, to access their self-learning centres, spaces where users can take advantage of various media and materials and complete activities that are prepared specially to help you teach yourself a language.
Learning tools
Nomenclatura de la gestió universitària (University Management Nomenclature)
App University Conversation Guides (GCU)
Nivell:beginners.
Objectius:to help with first contact and to facilitate personal relations.
Destinataris:particularly aimed at foreign students.
Competències:comprehension of the language.
Modalitat:for mobile devices, available for iOS and Android.
Online conversation guides
Nivell:inicial
Objectius:to help with first contact and to facilitate personal relations.
Destinataris:particularly aimed at foreign students.
Competències:comprehension of the language.
Modalitat:online.
En ruta cap al B2
Nivell:basic – elementary – intermediate – advanced (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2).
Objectius:provide guidance and rules for independently learning German, English, French or Italian and discover the best open-access resources, tools and materials for doing so.
Competències:oral communication, reading comprehension, written expression, use of multilingual strategies for communication, learning to learn.
Modalitat:online.
Com comunicar. Avalua la competència comunicativa.
Nivell:proficiency – advanced.
Objectius:improve the quality of oral expression.
Destinataris:teaching staff who assess students’ oral presentations.
Competències:production of formal oral texts in the university environment.
Modalitat:online.
Romanica Intercom
Nivell:acquisition of level A1 oral comprehension and between B1 and B2 written comprehension.
Objectius:to develop independence in the reading of general texts in Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, Italian and French in a very short time, between 30 and 40 hours, developing reading strategies that enable the rapid use of linguistic bridges between the different Romance languages.
Destinataris:aimed at anyone who wants to teach according to this focus and who is prepared to learn independently.
Competències:reading comprehension of four Romance languages.
Modalitat:online.
Writing resources
Nivell:intermediate – high.
Objectius:provide resources that help in the writing of texts in English in the academic environment. It has links to internal and external resources on the following subjects: Writing for university management, Writing for science, Teaching in English, Language queries, POST-TIPS to resolve concerns.
Competències:read and write in English in academic contexts.
Modalitat:virtual.
Interuniversity Style Guide for Writing Institutional Texts in English
Nivell:level of English equivalent to B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Objectius:strengthen and improve English skills for writing letters and emails, certificates, reports, requests, decisions, notifications and agreements.
Destinataris:teaching and research staff, administrative and service staff and language professionals who need to write institutional documents in English.
Competències:the writing of clear, accurate institutional texts in linguistic, formal terms.
Modalitat:online.
Falsos amics
Nivell:basic knowledge of at least one Romance language.
Objectius:practise, through games, the methodology of intercomprehension between Romance languages (Catalan, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) to identify different meanings of similar words in two languages: the popular 'false friends'.
Competències:facilitate intercomprehension of Romance language and interculturality.
Modalitat:for mobile devices.
Quantum LEAP. Learning English for Academic Purposes.
Nivell:from B1 to C1 of the CEFR.
Objectius:learning English at university level, with specific-subject modules and an interdisciplinary perspective.
Destinataris:learners of English for Academic Purposes (EAP).
Competències:read, write, listen and speak in English in real academic contexts.
Modalitat:virtual and multimedia.
Guides for Writing in Specific Disciplines
Nivell:from B2 onwards in the CEFR.
Objectius:help students to communicate, particularly in writing, in their academic discipline.
Competències:work on specialised language in areas of knowledge in Catalan and in Catalan and English.
Modalitat:en línia.
Other resources offered by universities
Self-learning of languages
Support for scientific communication in English
Resources and grants
Self-learning Centre for Languages
Services and resources for students
Time to talk
Resources
Language resources
Babel, a web portal for language resources
Services and resources
Language Self-learning Section (EAL)
Support tools
Blanquerna self-learning classrooms
Language Services
Language resources
Intercultural materials
Test d'Obertura Intercultural
Nivell:no specific level is required.
Objectius:enables users to determine their level of intercultural skill in an enjoyable way.
Competències:experience the intercultural skills of the university community and raise awareness and increase language diversity.
Modalitat:online.
Test d'Obertura Lingüística
Nivell:no specific level is required.
Objectius:enable participants to better understand linguistic diversity, give them clues on how to best enjoy it and offer them a fun way to open their minds to the world of languages and language learning.
Competències:multicultural and multilingual knowledge.
Modalitat:joc en línia
Un món divers. Guia intercultural.
Nivell:cultural content. Version in Catalan. Intermediate-high level.
Objectius:a short guide with a practical focus to reflect on the similarities and differences between cultures and countries in ways of living and organising life.
Competències:reading comprehension, intercultural skills.
Modalitat:virtual.
Catalonia and the world
Nivell:cultural content. Version in Catalan. Intermediate-high level.
Objectius:discover and compare cultural aspects of Catalonia with those of other European countries. Promotes intercultural awareness and raises awareness of similarities and differences.
Competències:reading comprehension, intercultural skills.
Modalitat:virtual.
Videos on national stereotypes
Nivell:no specific level is required.
Objectius:the aim of the videos is to reconsider stereotypes associated with European countries, specifically Germany, France, Italy and Portugal.
Competències:experience the intercultural skills of the university community and raise awareness and increase language diversity.
Modalitat:online.
Itineraris de consciència intercultural
Nivell:no specific level is required.
Objectius:illustrate the wide range of pathways in intercultural skills and peoples’ experiences in the university context of mobility or in internationalization activities in a home university.
Competències:experience the intercultural skills of the university community and raise awareness and increase language diversity.
Modalitat:online.
Desmuntant tòpics sobre l’aprenentatge d’una llengua
Nivell:basic – elementary – intermediate – advanced (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2).
Objectius:facilitate and promote language learning at any level and promote plurilingualism.
Competències:plurilingual and intercultural skills, learning to learn.
Modalitat:online.
Decalogue. Be linguistically sustainable
Nivell:no specific level is required.
Objectius:promote the sustainability of the university community's linguistic diversity. It is available in a variety of languages.
Competències:learn to appreciate the richness of linguistic diversity, promote linguistic sustainability.
Modalitat:online.
Resources for teachers
Lecturelab: resources for teaching in English
Nivell:B2 and above. Perfecting oral communication and writing skills for university lecturers who teach classes in English and are not native speakers.
Objectius:Lecturelab is a web portal for university lecturers who teach or wish to teach classes in English and are not native speakers. The aim is to offer a set of online resources and information that can help to prepare classes in English. Users must already have a sound knowledge of English.
Competències:spoken and written English.
Modalitat:online.
MOOC English for Teaching Purposes
Nivell:level B2 of English in the CEFR or higher.
Objectius:helps university lecturers who teach or wish to teach non-language subjects in English.
Competències:improve or consolidate the level of English and learn and reflect on the skills and strategies required to teach classes in English at university.
Modalitat:online.
Actiu Plurilingüe
Nivell:no specific level is required.
Objectius:resource to raise language awareness, aimed at university academic and research staff. It can be accessed in Catalan, Aranese, Basque, Galician, English and Spanish.
Destinataris:aimed at university academic and research staff
Competències:promotes multilingualism, language diversity and language sustainability in a university context.
Modalitat:online.
Class-Talk
Nivell:intermediate – high.
Objectius:guide of phrases for the classroom with sound files to teach in English, Catalan and Spanish.
Competències:reading, writing, listening and speaking in real academic contexts.
Modalitat:virtual.
