One year on: What can ESOL learn from the COVID-19 pandemic?

A reflection by Aileen Bowe

It has undeniably been a difficult year for everyone. The concept of inequity – that individuals face unequal levels of challenges – has never been clearer in the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

This is especially the case for many ESOL learners. People taking English language classes under the ESOL umbrella often face additional challenges, including holding lower-paid employment, social exclusion, poorer quality housing, as well as increased risk of exploitation or discrimination. 

In fact, apart from underlying health conditions, some of the risk factors that increase the risk of dying from COVID-19 included ethnic background, types of job, and where a person lives. Indeed, the Office for National Statistics has stated that the higher COVID deaths among people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds was largely due to life circumstances and not due to health issues. Despite the myriad challenges and systemic problems facing ESOL, the resilience and adaptability of teachers, providers, and learners has never been in any doubt. 

Current state of ESOL 

ESOL has always been at the forefront of debate within the immigration sphere. For ESOL providers, teachers, and learners, it may be confusing why this should be the case. When divorced from its political connotations, ESOL at its heart is about growth and self-empowerment through education. 

It is difficult to imagine what the ESOL landscape could look like if the sector was properly funded and providers and learners were given the required support. Funding for ESOL has been cut in real terms by between 40% - 60% since 2010 and at every turn, providers have been required to do more with less.

Despite these cuts (which could well be devastating to other educational programmes), the determination of providers and teachers, both collectively and on an individual level has shone through. This can be seen in examples provided later in this article and is a testament to the resilience of key stakeholders in the sector. 

Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 significantly disrupted normal operating procedures and forced teachers and providers to do what they have always done: adapt to the circumstances, no matter how difficult. But is it possible that the sector will soon run out of steam – not due to lack of will from its participants, but due to a changing immigration landscape?

Britain’s changing immigration atmosphere 

As one of the first countries to pass anti-discrimination legislation, the UK has at times led the way in terms of ensuring that people are treated equally. An international study by the Migration Policy Index in 2015 found that the UK had one of the strongest anti-discrimination policies in Europe.

Despite this, certain parts of the UK media have been condemned both domestically and internationally for the portrayal of migrants. In recent years, there have been trends towards an increased preoccupation with migration in the UK media. As well as this, the ‘hostile environment’ policy has had a “profound and wide-ranging” impact on individuals throughout the UK. In a 2020 study published by the Institute for Public Policy Research, a research participant stated, “[The Home Office] can’t take you out so they push you so hard that you leave yourself. They put you under such pressure that they make you think that you prefer to be dead in your own country than alive here.”

People living in the UK who have moved from another country are at a higher risk of discrimination and are more at risk of exploitation, especially when they have a lower level of English language skills. In 2020, NATECLA issued a strongly worded statement on the government’s proposed immigration policy (implemented in early 2021). It stated that the new system was “extremely damaging to the principles and values of ESOL.”

The new system has the potential to dramatically change the ESOL landscape in the coming years. If there are fewer people coming to the UK without the need to study English, it is difficult to know what will happen to the sector. As well as this, having English language abilities tied to immigration status or British citizenship has often been a contentious issue. The argument exists that language testing can be seen as a form of cultural hegemony related to social integration and border security discourse.

How providers have coped with COVID

Despite the ongoing challenges in ESOL, there have been a number of stories of schools and ESOL providers overcoming significant challenges following the onset of the pandemic. 

The Walsall for All’s ESOL Intelligence Unit held a digital learning project between April and July 2020. Learners on the course had childcare and job commitments and some had no experience of online learning. By the end of the project, learners reported that that “studying at home removed significant barriers and helped to facilitate lifelong learning, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In London, the Katherine Low Settlement charity’s ESOL provision similarly moved in a new direction to adapt to the changing circumstances. In-person classes have resumed at the centre and training sessions on digital skills have taken place. The charity has set up access to online learning for learners to ensure they have access to class materials and WhatsApp group support. Plans for IT and laptop training sessions are also scheduled for later in the year to further support learners. 

Another inspiring example was St Augustine’s Centre in Halifax. They managed to move their teaching provision online, expanded their volunteering tutor cohort, and ensured they were constantly providing support to learners through any digital means available.

The risks of the digital divide

The risks of excluding learners from educational opportunities because of lack of access or ability to use digital technology is a real concern for many ESOL practitioners. 

The Head of Policy at the European Association for the Education of Adults, Raffaela Kihrer, notes that “many adult education providers were inadequately equipped both in terms of technological infrastructure and the online teaching skills of educators, when the crisis started.” Worryingly, she notes that adult learning organisations across Europe have reported decreases in the numbers of learners attending online classes due to lack of digital skills or access to technology. 

Alex Stevenson, Head of English, Maths and ESOL at the Learning and Work Institute outlined how UK providers have had adapt to keep content engaging and motivate learners who have childcare commitments: “Communication via telephone, WhatsApp and other similar services have proven central to reaching out to learners from vulnerable backgrounds.”

The issue of the digital divide had been well studied even before the pandemic. Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that in households with annual earnings of between £6,000 - £10,000, only 51% had access to the internet, compared with 99% of households where the income was over £40,000.

It is crucial that lessons are learned from the pandemic and that equitable policies are implement to meet the needs of diverse learners from different socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Future developments in ESOL 

It is impossible to be certain about the future course of ESOL in the UK. Unfortunately, it seems likely that providers and stakeholders will have to continue advocating for future funding and investment in the sector. It remains to be seen how the post-Brexit immigration policy will affect the sector. It is possible that if fewer new learners are coming to the UK, smaller class sizes might become a reality. Of course, it is possible that fewer learners will lead to a policy decision to further cut funding for ESOL provision.

It is very likely that digital learning and blended learning will become more pressing topics under discussion for course providers. Learning lessons about ‘what worked’ in terms of online or blended learning since the pandemic will be fundamental to developing an even more robust ESOL sector that meets the needs of its learners.

The English for Action group’s #LoveESOL campaign is one that has consistently been advocating for more funding and improved systems to enable ESOL providers and teachers to deliver the provision that is badly needed in communities around the UK.

Another area that is of some concern to the ESOL sector is the treatment of asylum seekers. The New Plan for Immigration has been widely condemned and many organisations have stated that if enacted, may breach international law. The Home Office changed its bail policy in 2018 to state that asylum seekers should be allowed to study (including English), yet conflicting information remains and some eligible learners are unaware of their entitlements.

The next chapter in UK ESOL history is already being written and it remains to be seen how events will unfold and shape the ESOL sector for years to come. One fact remains constant – the hard work and dedication of ESOL providers, teachers, and learners despite adversity will continue to inspire. 

Aileen Bowe holds an MA in TESOL from the University of Limerick and has taught in Ireland, Japan, and the UK. She is a writer for the Immigration Advice Service, an organisation of immigration solicitors that provides legal aid to forcibly displaced persons.