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ESOL Enews, Issue 4 - July 2009
Welcome to Scotland's ESOL Enews. If you would like to share information about local ESOL activities or events, or resources you have used or developed, please contact us. Contributions should be brief (approximately 100 words, including contact details for further information). If this Enews has been forwarded to you, please register here to receive your own copy.
Latest National News
Discussion Day on National ESOL Development Proposals
The National ESOL Panel set up 3 Working Parties to consider a Curriculum Framework, Professional Development and Funding Principles. Almost 100 delegates attended the discussion day on 29 May in Stirling to consider the Working Parties' initial proposals. You have until 31 August to make any further comments on the proposals via the ESOL Scotland website.
Financial Learning Online now live!
Financial Learning Online (FLO), a micro-site of the Scottish Government's Adult Literacies Online site, is now live! It has been funded by the Financial Inclusion Team, Directorate of Health and Wellbeing, and managed by Learning Connections, Lifelong Learning Directorate.
FLO is a resource for workers and volunteers involved in developing and delivering financial learning projects for adults in Scotland. These projects, which are guided by learners' needs and circumstances, focus on a range of financial issues: from the literacy and numeracy skills we need to be able to handle money effectively, to understanding where to get help when things go wrong.
Its core is a set of 14 case studies produced by Learning Connections, "Sharing A Wealth of Experience", at the end of 2008. On FLO you can search these case studies using a map of Scotland, or by searching target groups (such as migrant workers), or by learning topic (eg. bills and budgeting). You can watch videos of 6 of the projects. One of the videos features the WEA's English at Work ESOL programme. You can also upload information about a project you've worked on yourself! Finally, it has links to related organisations and to online resources.
Further information is available from Daniel Sellers.
CLD Standards Council
The refreshed competences for CLD were signed off by the Executive Committee of the CLD Standards Council on 27 May 2009. These are intended to be used in the development of training at all levels, and by employers and practitioners to develop practice. They were developed through extensive discussion with the field and a parallel literature review, and guidance materials will be written to support their use.
Details of the new competences and a report of the process undertaken to refresh them are available on the Standards Council website.
Adult Education 'Vital' for All Migrants
NIACE's report Migration, Communities and Lifelong Learning argues that adult education can speed up the process of integration into a new community, helping people to quickly become a significant part of their neighbourhood. Click here to read the full report.
BBC's 'My Story'
The BBC is launching 'My Story' - a campaign to gather the Nation's untold real-life stories and publish them online. The site will go live in September 2009. 'My Story' will ask people to write a true personal story in their own words and share it with the public. The best stories will be selected by a panel, put into themed categories (such as heroes, survivors, families, winners) and turned into a series of five programmes x 30 to air as part of a series for The One Show in Summer/Autumn 2010.
The BBC are particularly keen to reach adults, 16+ with lower literacy levels and those who need more support, in order to make it an inclusive project. They would like to work with members of staff in colleges to reach learners aged 16+ who may have passionate or interesting stories to tell but may lack the confidence to enter the competition. If you would like further information and an initial discussion about 'My Story' please contact Catherine Garvie, BBC Scotland Learning Project Manager on 0141 422 6499.
Low Educated Second Language and Literacy Acquisition (LESLLA) for Adults Forum
LESLLA is an international forum of researchers who share an interest in research on the development of second language skills by adult immigrants with little or no schooling prior to entering the country of entry. LESLLA was established at the first workshop held at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands in August 2005 and Alberta, Canada is the setting for the 2009 forum in September. Click here for papers and presentations from workshops.
The Herald Society Awards in association with the Big Lottery Fund
The Herald Society Awards celebrates the most inspiring and innovative work carried out by the public and voluntary sectors in Scotland. Entries are invited in range of categories and the closing date is 4 September 2009. Click here to download an entry form and a list of categories with definitions, or call Alison Martin on 0141 302 7410.
Latest Local News
ESOL Tutor wanted
East Renfrewshire CLD Partnership are looking to recruit an ESOL Tutor who will report to the Adult Learning Manager in the Education Division. The role will involve planning and delivering classes to ESOL learners using the social practice model, encouraging self-direction and independence. If you are interested in applying for this post please contact Jennifer Nicol on 0141 577 3536 or Cheryl Taylor on 0141 577 3445
Workplace ESOL Courses in South Lanarkshire
The Workers' Educational Association (WEA) through the Community Learning and Development Partnership, delivers Workplace ESOL courses to employers in the South Lanarkshire area. Employers have requested Workplace ESOL courses for workers coming from countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine and the Philippines. The courses give workers a chance to improve their English language skills for their job and for communicating with colleagues, supervisors and managers. As a result of the courses, employees have increased confidence in using English for many aspects of their lives in Scotland. Some have gone on to take the citizenship test to support their application for residency in the UK which will help employers to retain valuable and skilled workers.
Courses are delivered in the workplace with the support of the employer and can involve input from supervisors, managers and a union learning representative. For more information, contact Mandy Cheung on 0141 221 0003.
Fashion Show
Access 2 ESOL students at Glasgow Metropolitan College recently staged their own Fashion Show as part of a cultural diversity project which culminated in an ESOL Vogue e-magazine, video images and still photos displayed at the college's 2009 End of Year Exhibitions.
Students modelled national costumes and their favourite clothes to showcase their cultures. Family, friends and fellow students were invited to attend and a hairstylist and photographer also helped in staging the show. The event encouraged students to work together to understand the importance of team planning, whilst tying in with language development based around descriptions and decision making. A combination of nerves and excitement were experienced on the day, as for many this was their first public event.
A professional photographer, currently an asylum seeker studying in one of our ESOL evening courses, set up and took studio fashion portraits of each model to showcase his talent. Each student had an individual shot taken and the full range of costumes and outfits were on display at the End of Year student Exhibition in June 2009. The event raised funds for the students' chosen charity: Save the Children. Contact Fiona Balloch for further information.
ESOL for Work in Edinburgh
Adult Learning Link is part of Community Learning & Development's East Edinburgh team. They work in a vibrant and imulticultural area and currently run 4 ESOL classes a week at 3 different levels. Their work has increasingly become focused on enhancing employability and has included 1-1 help and advice as well as group work. Typical requests have been centred on rewriting CVs for the British market, local labour market information, completing application forms (both paper based and electronic versions), writing effective covering letters and preparation for selection interviews. A real success story is Mohamed who enrolled as an ESOL learner and to improve his job seeking skills. Mohammed had been a successful Sports Masseur in the international resort of Sharm El Sheik. With his impressive qualifications, he and his tutor were ready to target potential sources of employment for him. They contacted Cr8te (their local business set up agency) who helped him develop a business plan, gave him further advice and support on insurance, equipment and how to research locally based locations to offer his range of services. During all the set-up period Mohamed worked hard to improve his comprehension of English, gained further confidence and has now developed an ever expanding client list and supplemented his income from massage by gaining work in the care sector. He regularly drops in for practical advice and is still an active member of the ESOL classes there. Contact Mark to hear more about Adult Learning Link's work,
Learning and Teaching
Hodder Gibson ESOL Books
Hodder Gibbon recently published new books with a Scottish context that support the diversity of ESOL learners and the delivery of national SQA Qualifications in ESOL. The books were written by David Maule and edited by Ann Morgan-Thomas (Stevenson College). O rders of £100 or more will receive 15% off the RRP price.
Visit Hodder Education to find out more.
ESOL Practitioner Network
The ESOL Practitioner Network met in Edinburgh on 17th February to discuss workplace ESOL and the presentations from the meeting are available here. The next meeting will be in early October. Further details will be issued shortly. If you would like to join, or find out more about the network, please contact Jackie Borge.
Professional Development
Professional Development Award (PDA) in ESOL Literacies: Teaching Adults Reading, Writing and Numeracy
The University of Highlands and Islands is delivering the PDA in ESOL Literacies: Teaching Adults Reading, Writing and Numeracy by distance learning and three residentials (to take place in Inverness). The course will cover:
- Overview of adult literacies learning and teaching in Scotland
- Strategies for teaching reading, writing, numeracy to ESOL literacies learners
- Developing a learner profile
- Evaluating and creating ESOL literacies materials
- Using assessment, learning plans, and progression methods
The course entry requirements include:
- Having a CELTA , Trinity Certificate ESOL (or equivalent)
- Being able to work with at least one ESOL literacies learner who is at a very basic level (to work with for the duration course)
- Being able to attend all three residential sessions
- Familiarity with using the Internet
Residential dates in Inverness:
* 2/3 October 2009
* 13/14 November 2009
* 29/30 January 2010
Cost: £300.00 including costs of residentials (your employer may sponsor you or you may be eligible for an ILA).
Further information is available from Fiona Whiteford.
3-Year PHD Bursaries at Aston University
The School of Languages and Social Sciences at Aston University is offering six three-year fees-only bursaries to students who already have, or who will have completed at the latest by October 2009, a Masters degree in a relevant subject area. The bursaries will enable students to undertake research in any of the School's areas of academic endeavour: English Language, French, German, Politics & International Relations, Public Policy, Sociology, Spanish and Translation Studies. The School's vibrant research culture and the rapidly expanding cohort of full-time research students provide a stimulating intellectual environment.
If you wish to apply for one of these bursaries, please complete and submit by 24th August 2009 an electronic PhD application form, which can be downloaded from the School's Research Degree website.
ESOL Website
The national ESOL website provides information on ESOL courses currently available across Scotland and on professional development opportunities for ESOL practitioners. It also features resources for practitioners and learners and links to a range of guidance and support for ESOL learners. You can also find further information on how Scotland's Community Learning and Development Partnerships and Scotland's Colleges are supporting the national ESOL strategy.
If you would like to put details of your course on the website, please contact Isabel Russell.
Return to ESOL Practitioners' Network main page