Voice of the conference - FEEDBACK

NATECLA - Voice of the conference The key questions were: 1. ESOL classes at lower levels: - What’s the way forward? - What should NATECLA be lobbying for? 2. ESOL and citizenship: - What are the issues? - What is the link between ESOL and 'social cohesion'? - What position should NATECLA take on these issues in future debates? 3. How does ESOL see itself? - As a branch of ELT? - As an adult basic skill? - What position should NATECLA adopt in future debates? 4. Funding ESOL: - What solutions and strategies do you want NATECLA to push for?' NATECLA has an increasingly important role on a national level in informing, advising and challenging policy and developments which impact on its members, their learners and the wider ESOL field. We wanted to use this year's conference as an important opportunity to inform and engage delegates in identifying our collective professional values and vision. Throughout the conference weekend on graffiti walls and over breakfast and lunch on Saturday*, delegates engaged with some of the key questions facing the ESOL field and contributed to the Voice of the conference - to help shape NATECLA’s vision and mandate for the year ahead. Heather Qualtrough, Mel Cooke, James Simpson and Judith Kirsh - facilitated discussions over breakfast and lunch on Saturday - gathered these ideas along with ideas from the graffiti walls and pull out the key messages - gave feedback and present the main messages as part of the conference plenary on Sunday. All delegates at the plenary then had the opportunity to discuss the implications of the main messages and agreed how to take these forward. View the feedback on the slides attached. Delegate comments 'Very valuable' 'Excellent representation of members concerns' 'Great idea it worked very well as a process' 'Very good – and there was enough time to contribute groups and graffiti boards'. * based on Annette Zera's Knowledge Cafe