National campaign calling for changes to ESOL teaching highlights success of New City College students

Three New City College students have featured in a national campaign which highlights success and calls for changes to the way ESOL is taught and assessed in the UK.

The campaign, headed by The Bell Foundation, wants the ESOL curriculum reviewed and brought up to date so that all learners, wherever they live in Britain, have access to effective teaching which provides them with the language skills they need to thrive in education, employment and daily life.

ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) was first introduced more than 20 years ago so a review is now essential, says the Foundation.

In a video blog on the Foundation’s Manifesto for ESOL, New City College Director of ESOL, Jennie Turner and New City College Governor Dr Philida Schellekens, talk about their key asks for an incoming government.

The Bell Foundation’s main campaign – Learning English: The Difference it Made for Me – shines a spotlight on the success of some learners, such as the three NCC Hackney students, saying that their ESOL classes have been the key to a new life, unlocking their skills and opportunities.

Student Parwin, pictured below, is a psychologist and social worker from Kurdistan. She says: “I’m studying ESOL at New City College and I’m crazy about it. It has given me a lot of confidence. If you want to be able to communicate with people, you need to learn their language. It makes it easier to have friends, to find a job, so many things.”

She added that she wants her English to be good enough once she finishes her ESOL classes so that she can equal her degree from Kurdistan and work again as a psychologist or social worker.

Learner Nasira, pictured below, has been living in London for 20 years. She is a nursery assistant and a mother who was encouraged by her family and friends to join New City College Hackney to study because she was feeling very low after suffering an accident.

She said: “In the beginning I felt very sad and lonely, but the teachers were so helpful, and they understood. When I was at college, I felt great. I left my daily problems behind and I found my classes were the best place I could express myself. The teachers never make you feel awkward when you are asking questions.

“Slowly I am learning. Now, when I talk to people, I talk confidently. These classes will help me to get a job because I know how to communicate now. If you want to do anything, you have to be adaptable. To learn anything, you have to step out of your comfort zone.”

Juliana, pictured below, is an aspiring teacher from Columbia who grew up in Spain. She is studying at Hackney campus so that she can get enough qualifications to go to university and then secure a job in a school.

She said: “My ESOL classes are good because the teachers are very friendly and very professional. They teach in different ways to make us enjoy the lessons which makes it easier to understand and learn English. I like it.

“ESOL classes are the best way to feel included in this country. To write a letter to the GP, to rent a house, you will always need English. And this is the best place to learn. Once we are able to get a better job, we can contribute back and I think this is the best way.”

The Bell Foundation says that demand for ESOL is rising. Since 2021-22, learners of ESOL have jumped by 17 per cent, yet they face a ‘postcode lottery’. In some areas ESOL classes remain out of reach, while in others, classes are prioritised.

The campaign calls for changes to remove the barriers that currently exist, to provide a curriculum that is fit for purpose and suggests incentivising employers to provide ESOL in the workplace.

Find out more about ESOL classes at New City College.

Photos courtesy of The Bell Foundation