Monthly Update November 2025
Dear members ,
Welcome to our November 2025 Update.
We hope you all had a fantastic half term and a smooth start to your lessons!
We still have three webinars left this term, starting with Viorica Lucuta’s Unlock Learning: AI Escape Activities for Engaged Learners, don’t miss this interactive session! Save your space here.
We’re also delighted to announce the plans for a new CELTA to ESOL Bridging course - helping newly qualified English language teachers or those with a background in teaching English overseas (EFL) and strong stepping stone into ESOL teaching. Read our exciting course proposal and complete the questionnaire on your thoughts below.
We’re also working on more Annual Conference news and will be releasing the booking page very soon. Remember to save the date — 26 and 27 June at Conference Aston.
You’ll also find the latest sector news and upcoming events below.
If you have any queries, please get in touch with us by emailing info@natecla.org.uk or calling 07443 601 298.
Thank you, and we wish everyone a good weekend! ✨
All the best,
Laura, Doeon and Irene
NATECLA National Centre
Remembering John Sutter
NATECLA Management Council is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of our friend and colleague, John Sutter, on 3 October. John shaped the ESOL sector in countless ways through his work at LLU+ London South Bank University, Learning Unlimited, and national projects including the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum, Professional Standards and the TELLs course.
Admired for his insight, warmth and generosity, John inspired practitioners across the UK and Europe with his creativity and commitment to social justice in education. He will be remembered with great affection and gratitude.
Save the date- NATECLA Annual Conference 2026
Planning has started for NATECLA Annual Conference 2026!
After a sold-out event last year, we’re thrilled to announce the dates: 26–27 June 2026 at Conference Aston, Birmingham.
We’re also delighted to confirm that our main sponsor for the conference this year is NOCN.
Save the Date! We can’t wait to share more details soon and look forward to welcoming you back for another inspiring conference.
NATECLA Webinars
Our webinars take place approximately every two weeks on weekdays, with sessions offered at different times to try to accommodate everyone’s schedule.
Can’t make the live session? No problem! All webinars are recorded, and a recording will be shared with you, accessible for up to a month after the event.
A big thank you to Ascentis for sponsoring this term’s webinar programme.
Webinars cost £30 per person, with NATECLA members paying a reduced rate of £5.
Unlock learning: AI Escape Activities for Engaged Learners
Title: Unlock learning: AI Escape Activities for Engaged Learners
Date: Friday 21 November 2025
Time: 16:00 - 17:30
Presenter: Viorica Lucuta
This interactive webinar explores how AI-enhanced escape activities can bring immersion and excitement into the online classroom. Participants will experience how digital clues and collaborative challenges can spark curiosity, build language skills, and promote teamwork; all within a virtual setting. You’ll come away with practical strategies and adaptable tools to design engaging, game-based experiences that integrate technology and pedagogy to transform your ESOL teaching toolkit.
Quick and Easy Pre-entry Prep!
Title: Quick and Easy Pre-entry Prep!
Date: Friday 5 December 2025
Time: 16:00 - 17:30
Presenter: Dave Butler
Do you find yourself spending ages looking for material and planning your lessons for the week? This session will focus on approaches, strategies and material for teachers to draw upon in order to make planning lessons for pre-entry as fast and effortless as possible! I will use material from my pre-entry series, 'Read and Write every day'
but will also look at how to create your own resources (esolbooks.com for more details).
AI Prompt Craft
Title: AI Prompt Craft
Date: Thursday 18 December 2025
Time: 19:00 - 20:30
Presenter: Eve Sheppard / Rachel Oner
This session explores how ESOL teachers can harness generative AI to create tailored resources that reflect their own professional expertise. Rather than replacing teachers, AI can act as a flexible tool to support planning, adapt materials for different levels, and generate bespoke activities that respond to learners’ needs. Together we’ll look at practical strategies for prompt writing, ways to maintain control over the output, and examples of how AI can complement — not compete with — the creativity and knowledge teachers already bring to their classrooms.
Other events from NATECLA
NATECLA Cymru: Is there a gap in ESOL provision for 16 to 18 year old migrant students in Wales?
Title: Is there a gap in ESOL provision for 16 to 18 year old migrant students in Wales?
Date: Friday 14 November 2025
Time: 13:00 - 14:30
Cost: Free
Join NATECLA Cymru for a discussion and Q&A with learners, parents, teachers and managers on the challenges young people face moving from school to college.
Natecla EoE Online Forum - Building Better Habits (Study Skills & Emotional Intelligence)
Title: Natecla EoE Online Forum - Building Better Habits (Study Skills & Emotional Intelligence)
Date: Friday 14 November 2025
Time: 16:00 - 17:30
Price: free.
This interactive event is a chance to connect with like-minded ESOL practitioners and explore practical ways to help learners build stronger study skills and emotional intelligence to be ready to learn. The forum will also feature interactive activities designed to share good practice, spark new ideas and have some fun.
NATECLA Scotland Annual Conference: A sell out! 🎉
Title: NATECLA Scotland Annual Conference
Date: Saturday 15 November 2025
Time: 10:30 – 15:30
Location: Paisley Campus, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), High St, Paisley PA1 2BE.
NATECLA Scotland’s Conference has now sold out! The branch is delighted to be hosting its first face-to-face conference in two years and is looking forward to welcoming everyone who has booked.
If you booked a ticket, see you there! ✨
East of England ESOL Conference
If you’re quick, there’s still time to book for this hybrid event:
Title: East of England ESOL Conference- Roots and routes: Building resilient communities through language and belonging
Date: Friday 21 November 2025
Time: 9:00 - 15:00
Location: Peterbourough College, Park Crescent, Peterborough PE1 4DZ, United Kingdom
Cost: Free.
NATECLA East of England and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority are hosting a hybrid half-day conference.
Topics include:
Resilient classroom and empowerment for staff and learners
Trauma-informed ESOL and best practices in ESOL provision
Supporting and signposting to external agencies
Learner voice and video case studies
National Changes: Skills England and Funding update
Engaging discussion and Q&A session covering update from EEGLA, DWP,
CRC - College of Sanctuary, inspiring learners stories and Q&A session.
Natecla London ESOL managers’ meeting
Title: Natecla Londond ESOL managers’ meeting
Date: Friday 5 December 2025
Time: 2-4pm
Place: Mary Ward Centre, 275-285 High Street, Stratford London, E15 2TF
Join the next London NATECLA ESOL Managers’ Meeting on Friday 5 December 2025, an opportunity for ESOL managers to share updates, discuss current priorities, and connect with colleagues across the region.
NOCN and NATECLA Core Skills Teachmeet
Date: Tuesday 2 December 2025
Time: 12:30 - 13:30
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Theme: General Core Skills- Communication, presentation, teamwork and study skills.
Join this Teachmeet on General Core Skills- Communication, presentation, teamwork and study skills.
A teachmeet is a series of snappy, 4-minute presentations where educators like you share their most effective teaching ideas for embedding general core skils in your ESOL classroom.
✅ Take part
If you would like to share your most tried and tested activity or resource on how you've embedded general core skills into your ESOL classroom, we'd love to hear from you! You can register here.
✅ Be part of the audience
Simply sit back, watch the presenters in action and make a note of all those wonderful ideas to embed core skills in your ESOL classrooms!
Ideas Swap for Voluntary ESOL
Title: Ideas Swap for Voluntary ESOL
Date: Friday 23 January 2026
Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Cost: Free for people working in the voluntary sector.
Come along to an ideas exchange for supporting people learning English. Share your tips, activities or resources that worked well, in an informal 3-minute presentation.
If you’d like to know more, please contact Sharon at: linguatrust@outlook.com
News and resources
Nerissa Roberts wins national Excellence in Teaching Award
Photo credit: Learning and Work Institute / Get the Nation Learning
Congratulations to Nerissa Roberts, Curriculum Lead for Adult ESOL at Oldham College (one of NATECLA’s institutional members), who has won the Excellence in Teaching Award, sponsored by the Education and Training Foundation, at this year’s Get the Nation Learning Awards.
The award recognises Nerissa’s outstanding dedication to supporting learners— many of whom are refugees, asylum seekers, or adults- through inclusive, trauma-informed teaching that goes far beyond the classroom.
NATECLA CELTA to ESOL Bridging Course: Survey to assess demand
NATECLA is excited to announce a proposal to design and deliver a brand new CELTA to ESOL Bridging Course in the UK and Ireland ESOL sector.
This proposed eight-unit blended course will be delivered by NATECLA’s expert trainers and will cover key differences between EFL and ESOL, including assessment, trauma-informed practice, low-literacy teaching, neurodiversity, adaptive planning and more. With 24 guided learning hours, participants will gain practical, inclusive strategies and a toolkit of ESOL-specific resources. The proposed cost is £150–£200, with certificates awarded on completion.
We are currently gauging interest before developing full materials and pilots, and we’d value your input.
📚 Read the proposed course outline here
👉 Please complete the survey by Wednesday 27 November 2025.
Thank you for helping shape this exciting new NATECLA CPD programme!
Connect, Share and Collaborate on NATECLA’s Member Discussion Forums
Did you know that as a NATECLA member, you have access to a growing suite of online discussion forums designed to help you connect, share ideas and collaborate with colleagues across the ESOL and community languages sector?
Whether you’re an ESOL teacher, manager, researcher, trainee, or teacher trainer, there’s a dedicated space for you to exchange resources, ask questions, and contribute to the professional conversation.
Our forums cover a wide range of topics including:
ESOL teaching and training – for teachers, trainees and teacher trainers to share experiences and best practice.
Digital specialists in ESOL – to explore tools and technology in language learning.
Equality & Diversity Working Group – for members committed to inclusive practice.
Events and Management Council forums – to support planning and leadership discussions.
Volunteers in ESOL, Community language teachers, and Teaching young learners (14–19) – for sharing practical ideas and advice.
Whether you want to ask for teaching tips, discuss research, or stay connected with NATECLA initiatives, the forums offer a supportive and professional space for conversation.
👉 Access the forums now via the Members’ Platform — open to all personal members and staff from institutional member organisations.
Join the conversation and be part of the collective voice shaping the future of ESOL and community languages teaching.
Voluntary ESOL Forum
We are writing to invite you to join this much-needed and long-awaited discussion forum for the voluntary ESOL sector, hosted by jiscmail, moderated by NATECLA.
To subscribe please email the owners at: VOLUNTEERSINESOLFORUM-REQUEST@JISCMAIL.AC.UK and request to be added to the mailing list.
We very much welcome volunteers as well as coordinators to join the group.
NATECLA In-House Training: Book now for your CPD day
After the summer break, it’s a great time to focus on professional development.
At NATECLA, we understand that high-quality, affordable, and practical in-house training for ESOL departments is hard to find. That is why we offer a training service, connecting highly rated teacher trainers with further education colleges, adult and community education services, and private training providers, including those in EFL.
Our goal is to help teachers and managers to develop practical teaching skills. Our expert trainers offer a variety of 90-minute, half-day, or full-day sessions, all tailored to your department’s needs. Some of our sessions include:
Trauma-informed ESOL
Online ESOL Teaching
Creating Active ESOL Learning Programmes
Best practice in developing, sharing and using ESOL resources
ESOL and Neurodiversity
Embedding ESOL in mainstream courses
Basic literacy for ESOL learners
Teaching pronunciation
Differentiation: stretching and supporting learners without over-stretching teachers
Giving effective feedback
Happiness and wellbeing in the ESOL classroom.
IATEFL discount for NATECLA members
NATECLA is an associate member of IATEFL, so all our individual members can benefit from discounted IATEFL membership
IATEFL Individual membership: £74 per year.
IATEFL Associate Individual Membership: £27 per year.
Resource of the Month
Eleven Labs is an advanced text-to-speech platform that converts written text into spoken audio (in a variety of accents and tones).
It can be used to:
Create short listening clips or role-plays without needing a recording partner.
Offer extra listening support for learners who benefit from hearing the text.
Model pronunciation or intonation when native-speaker recordings aren’t available.
There’s a free version that enables you to generate short audio clips, so you can experiment with it and see how it fits your teaching context.
Share your story with NATECLA
We love hearing from our members! Whether it’s a success story, a useful teaching tip, an inspiring resource, or a special moment from your ESOL lessons or journey—we want to showcase it!
Your contribution could be featured in our social media posts to inspire and connect our community.
Here are some ideas of what you can share:
What you love about teaching ESOL
Why you joined NATECLA
A recent classroom success
Any challenges you’re facing
Classroom tips or activities that have worked well for you
Jobs and volunteer opportunities
Join NATECLA’s EDI Working Group
The NATECLA Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group is looking for new members. We meet - briefly, online about once a term. After publishing the member survey last year, we plan to curate resources to support and embed inclusion and could do with some help.
If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you! You can reply directly to this post, send a message on LinkedIn, or email naema.hann@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you.
ESOL Skills for Life Assessment Scrutineer (Gateway Qualifications)
Gateway Qualifications is seeking experienced ESOL Skills for Life Assessment Scrutineers to support the development of high-quality assessment materials.
Requirements:
Level 6 qualification (or equivalent experience) in a relevant subject
Experience developing or reviewing assessments
Understanding of assessment regulations
Experience with an Awarding Organisation
This flexible, self-employed role is ideal for professionals with specialist ESOL knowledge who value remote working and continuous professional development.
Closing Date: 22 Dec 2025