Language Issues Blog
Exploring ideas, sharing perspectives, and giving ESOL professionals a platform to develop their voice and inspire debate.
About our blog
Language Issues Blog is NATECLA's space for ideas, reflection, and debate across the ESOL sector. It provides a platform for contributors to the Language Issues journal, as well as a welcoming place for new writers to develop their voice, share their experiences, and explore emerging ideas before committing to a more formal publication.
We encourage thought-provoking contributions that reflect the diversity of perspectives within our profession. The views expressed in blog posts are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NATECLA or the Language Issues Editorial Team. Our aim is to stimulate discussion, encourage critical thinking, and foster constructive dialogue across the sector.
Interested in contributing? We'd love to hear from you. To submit a blog post, please complete our submission form.
We also welcome discussion in the comments section. If you feel that a discussion has crossed a personal line or have concerns about any content, please contact NATECLA and we'll be happy to help.
Blog articles
A new era for the Language Issues blog
Read Diana Tremayne’s welcome message to the new Language Issues Blog.
“Teachers are a bridge between learners and the community”: A cross-country comparison of teaching in refugee camp and asylum accommodation contexts
In this conversation, Ally Shepherd (NATECLA Yorkshire & Humber; IATEFL ESOL Matters Assistant Editor) reunites with her former colleagues, Jean and Julia, to discuss their experiences teaching learners from refugee backgrounds in the UK, Greece, Cyprus, and Jordan.
Nerves, Notes, & New ideas: My first TeachMeet
Emma Fitzpatrick, Teaching & Learning Champion, Course Leader and ESOL Lecturer at Hopwood Hall College, Rochdale, shares her experience of presenting for the first time at the NATECLA TeachMeet during the Annual Conference in Birmingham.
Making ESOL learning provision accessible for people experiencing homelessness
How can adult learning providers make ESOL more accessible to people experiencing homelessness? Through Magda’s story, this article explores the barriers learners face and highlights practical ways to provide inclusive, trauma-informed support that helps everyone access and succeed in learning.
Reflections from the NATECLA Midlands Winter Conference 2025 by Anne Reardon-James
Attending the NATECLA Midlands Winter conference was the start of conference season for me this year. I have been aware of NATECLA as an organisation for many years and recently joined as a member, attending online training workshops which have all been excellent. I was excited to see the Midlands “It’s ALL about the learner” conference advertised as an in-person event, instead of online, and thought it an ideal opportunity to meet new people and refresh my skills.
NATECLA Midlands: It's ALL about the learner - Face-to-Face Winter Conference 2025
The NATECLA Midlands Winter Conference 2025 was a fantastic opportunity for ESOL practitioners to reconnect, learn, and share expertise. The return to a Midlands in-person event was warmly welcomed, and the day was filled with engaging discussions, practical learning, and a strong sense of community.
Northern Ireland, ESOL provision and ‘(In)Visible Minorities’
The recent unprecedented riots in Dublin and the increase in racist attacks targetting migrant/refugee businesses throughout Northern Ireland (NI) show the rise of the far right and their opportunist stoking of anti-refugee/asylum sentiment and intimidation throughout the Island of Ireland due to ongoing geo-political events (Telford and Grandjean, 2023).