NATECLA Day Conference:
ESOL with Young Learners (14-19)
Friday 12 March 2010
Southwark College, Waterloo Centre, The Cut, London, SE1 8LE
NATECLA often receive requests from ESOL teachers for events with a focus on working with younger learners. The increasing government drive on training for young people, and shifts in funding for adult provision, mean that many people are beginning to teach younger learners for the first time. We have experienced teachers of ESOL to adults who often find themselves challenged by working with this age group. This event is for ESOL teachers and managers and anyone with an interest in working with 14 – 19 year old ESOL learners. We aim to have a range of practice-focused workshops, as well as lots of opportunity for discussion of issues and sharing ideas.
Our speakers are Andy Fairhurst - Curriculum manager of the 16-18 ESOL department at City & Islington College and Prof Ken Spours, Head of the Department of Continuing and Professional Education, IOE
Andy will present an overview of the main challenges and current issues facing a 16-18 ESOL department in London. He will look at such aspects as: the nature of the students compared to ESOL students of other ages, the role of the tutor, their support needs and the progression routes available to them.
Ken Spours will address ‘How do we develop an educated 19 year old?’ This talk will include.
- a brief survey of the 14-19 policy landscape and an assessment of where we have reached since the 14-19 White Paper in 2005
- the identification of key system strengths and weaknesses
- the long-term changes required to develop a system capable of supporting the development of an educated 19 year old
- how this can be part of a broader vision of education for the Good Society.
Workshops
A. Julia Paillier: Working with unaccompanied minors.
This workshop will look at possible barriers and supports to persistence for unaccompanied minors, and consider inclusive, practical strategies to help them access, enjoy and make progress in their learning.
B. Joanna Williams: Developing literacy with young adults.
The workshop aims to:
– give tutors ideas for contexts and activities for developing reading and writing skills with younger learners working at a range of Entry levels, including Entry 1.
– look at ways of working, which respect and build on students’ ‘funds of knowledge’.
- share examples of teaching and learning materials.
C. Tessa Curnin: Whose classroom is it anyway? - Establishing ground rules with traumatised teenagers to create a learning environment.
This workshop will look at the importance of understanding your students’ profile - who are they and what have they been through? Gaining their trust and motivating them to wanting to be in class.
