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NATIONAL ESOL  PANEL

Meeting on Monday 4 February 2008 at 11 am
Scottish Funding Council
Donaldson House, 97 Haymarket Terrace
Edinburgh EH12 5HD

MINUTES

Attendees

.
Euan Reid	Chair
Robin Ashton	ASC (Langside College)
Anne Simpson	CLDMS (Aberdeenshire Council)
Robert Nicol	COSLA
Douglas Guest	EHRC
Luta Mawusa	ESOL Learner
Andy Willox	FSB
Anne Pia	HMIE
Jayne Stuart	Learning Link Scotland
Morag Campbell	SFC
Peter Beaumont	SG/LLD FAED
Clare El Azebbi	SG/LLD Learning Connections
Aileen McKechnie	SG/LLD FAED
Isabel Russell (secretariat)	SG/LLD FAED
Katherine Tierney (secretariat)	SG/LLD FAED
Robert Quinn (deputising for Gill Stewart)	SQA

Apologies

Iain Ferguson from CBI and Nina Ivashinenko, an ESOL Learner, sent apologies. Robert Quinn attended on behalf of Gill Stewart, SQA

Visit by Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Aileen McKechnie introduced the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop and asked panel members to introduce themselves. The Cabinet Secretary welcomed the group and thanked panel members for giving their time. She announced future Scottish Government funding for ESOL, of £3m per year for the duration of the spending review period, 2008-2011.

The Cabinet Secretary highlighted the importance of being responsive to the needs of ESOL learners and also suggested that the panel may wish to consider how to encourage family and work related learning

1. Welcome, introductions and apologies 

The Cabinet Secretary and Aileen McKechnie left the meeting at this point, to attend a further engagement with ESOL learners. 

Peter Beaumont thanked SFC for agreeing to host the meeting.

2. Background to Adult ESOL Strategy

Peter gave some background on the National ESOL Strategy and the formation of the panel. He welcomed the announcement on funding and the formation of the panel for taking forward the strategy.

3. Panel Remit: Why we are here/What we hope to achieve/How we will get there

Peter formally introduced Euan Reid, the panel Chair, at this point. Euan outlined what he saw as the role of the panel – to support ongoing work and to balance interest across the college/CLD/voluntary sector as well as ensuring a voice in UK decisions. He highlighted the importance of focussing on and sequencing work that could be achieved in the panel’s 2 year lifespan.

Peter highlighted 3 things that he saw as important to the work of the panel. Firstly, the announced funding, which indicated that Ministers recognised the importance of ESOL. Secondly, the importance of coordination of ESOL in Scotland, which the panel would have the opportunity to progress. Thirdly, the website, which would be a useful resource, particularly for practitioners.

4. How can panel members help?

Panel members outlined how their background, experience and contacts could contribute to the work of the panel. Some of the points that came out of this discussion included:

• Anne Pia was commencing a project on EAL and ESOL, which aimed to identify good practice and review the quality and impact of provision;
• Robin Ashton issued an open invitation to panel members to observe ESOL classes at Langside College, and noted the central role of colleges in delivering ESOL in Scotland;
• Douglas Guest suggested that the police may be a useful source of knowledge due to their experience working with migrants;
• Robert Nicol highlighted the importance of new relationship with local government and the Scottish Government;
• Jayne Stuart offered to provide links to voluntary sector provision and coordinate or facilitate study circles;
• Clare El Azebbi reported that Learning Connections had been working closely with FAED colleagues in the national developments for ESOL. She also noted the importance of transitions for many learners;
• Anne Simpson suggested that the CLD partnerships provide a ready built structure to assist with the strategy;
• Robert Quinn advised that the SQA had been creating and updating an ESOL qualification and assessment framework;
• Luta Mawusa as a learner reinforced the importance of ESOL to everyday life;
• Andy Willox highlighted the importance of small business employers and employees helping New Scots learn English and settle into their jobs, and the willingness of FSB to assist in the strategy’s successful implementation; and
• Morag Campbell suggested SFC could have a role to play in passing on good practice and in helping colleges to look at local need.

5. Research

Peter spoke briefly about two recent pieces of research into ESOL provision - by the University of Abertay and GHK. He felt that the research was mainly consistent with the ESOL Strategy and that it contained a number of useful examples of good and innovative practice. The GHK report highlighted EU enlargement and migrant workers as key factors in the significant growth in demand for ESOL provision and resultant waiting lists. It also found that the UK Citizenship Test did not play a big role.

Robin Ashton highlighted a misunderstanding in the research regarding the UK government’s citizenship requirements. He also suggested that there may be merit in allowing providers access to enable them to update the ESOL Scotland website, as a means of keeping its content both comprehensive and current.  Euan gave an undertaking that the Panel secretariat would look into this.

Action: Secretariat to consider allowing providers access to update website.

Clare El Azebbi spoke about the Learning Link Scotland research, which had been commissioned by Learning Connections.  It highlighted the importance of the voluntary sector, especially in delivering informal and non-formal learning and providing ‘first steps’. The research found that some local (e.g. faith) providers had no knowledge of the wider ESOL scene so were unable to refer people to other providers.

Jayne Stuart highlighted the importance of voluntary organisations to community integration and suggested that this could possibly be captured in the curriculum framework.

Robert Quinn brought up one of the report’s findings that certificated courses are ‘too formal’. He felt it was important to emphasis the flexibility of accredited programmes, especially in respect of assessment, a point not always well understood by providers.

6. Sub Groups

Euan invited comments on the remits and terms of reference for the two working parties (which he felt was a more suitable term than sub group).

Curriculum Framework

Euan discussed the ambitious task of this working party to develop a curriculum framework.  He discussed the ALN (Adult Literacy and Numeracy) framework, which he felt was a good example upon which to base the framework, although the same scope would be unachievable in the given timescale.   

A discussion on the working party and curriculum framework raised the following points:

• It would be a framework for practitioners so would not require too much detail;
• The framework should capture the way in which the study of language can contribute to an understanding of culture;
• A broader and shorter document would be more user friendly – practitioners would be unlikely to read a 130 page document;
• A useful 'shortcut' may be to draw on the existing ALN document where relevant; and
• It would be important to consider the practicalities of what would follow the framework (e.g. workshops or training events, or an online tool).

It was agreed that 'workplace' should be included as a 'sector' on the working party remit. This would also fit in with the Scottish Government’s Skills Strategy.

Action: Secretariat to amend Curriculum Framework Working Party Remit to include ‘workplace’ as a sector.

Professional Development

Euan outlined the role of the Professional Development Working Party. He invited comments on the role and possible membership of the working party.  The following points were raised:

• It would be useful if members of the working party came from across sectors. ;
• SQA are currently looking at creating additional units, especially for CELTA – it would be useful to have SQA on the working party; and
• The working party should also consider the different needs of the voluntary sector.

Euan asked members to email the secretariat by 8th February with suggestions of individuals with suitable expertise to be invited to join one of the working parties. He emphasised the importance of getting started quickly, given the limited timescale. He suggested that it may be worth considering whether the individuals may face a conflict of interest in the future if the panel decides to commission work.

It was agreed that panel members should be available in an advisory role to the working parties but not normally serve as members.

Action: Panel members to email secretariat with nominations for working parties, or further comments on remit, by 8th February.

7. Current Activity

Peter gave a brief outline of the work that had been carried out to date with the £5m ESOL funding that accompanied the strategy.

Summary of reports from colleges/ CLD partnerships     
             
Tables had been circulated to panel members prior to the meeting to show how colleges and CLD partnerships had used funding. Colleges had used their funding in a wide variety of ways including family learning and working with employers. Clare commented on the CLD partnerships, which are often the main source of ESOL provision outside the central belt, and which had surpassed their targets of attracting new learners. 

National professional development activity

Clare updated the group on national developments such as resource grants, two CELTA courses being run in Inverness and Edinburgh – potential of 25 newly qualified teachers.

SQA are also developing a PDA:Introduction to tutoring ESOL (for first level practioners such as volunteers or support workers). They are also investigating the development of two additional units to the CELTA to incorporate the Scottish context.

Website development          

Peter announced the launch of the national ESOL website, www.esolscotland.com. The website includes information on ESOL provision across Scotland and resources for ESOL practitioners, as well as information on the panel. Euan asked panel members to confirm that they were happy with a policy of 'maximum openness' and for papers etc. to be placed on the website. All present confirmed that they were happy with this approach.

8. Upcoming work: Statement of funding principles/ Best Practice in ESOL Framework/Working with Others to develop vocational/further study provision

Peter gave a brief outline of the tasks that had been allocated to the panel in the National ESOL Strategy. The following points were then raised in discussion:

• HMIE may be useful in looking at best practice guidelines;
• Some best practice examples from the various sectors could be published on the website;
• The different funding mechanisms across FE/CLD/Voluntary make the task of developing funding principles a complex one;
• Funding could be distributed in different ways – more people accessing small amounts of ESOL or the same/less people accessing more intense or in depth ESOL.  It is important to be more outcome focussed, given Ministers' strong desire for such an approach;
• Short life working groups can be set up in addition to the panel and working parties;
• The set up of the panel and working parties can be changed in the future if necessary; and
• As timescales are short it is important to be clear by the next meeting what the immediate priorities are.

9. AOB

Peter informed the group that expenses forms were available for out of pocket travel expenses. Expenses forms and guidance should be obtained from the ESOL Secretariat.

10. Proposed Dates of Future Meetings

It was agreed that the meeting on 8th September should be changed to accommodate International Literacy Day, which a number of panel members may be attending. This date was changed to Tuesday 9th September.

The following dates have been agreed:

Monday 12th May 2008 - Glasgow
Tuesday 9th September 2008 - Edinburgh
Monday 10th November 2008 - Glasgow
Monday 9th February 2009 - Edinburgh
Monday 11th May 2009 - Glasgow

It was agreed that future meeting dates would be a standing item on the agenda.

Return to the National Panel minutes page.