School of Education

James SimpsonMónica Barrionuevo-FloresThe Migrant English Support Hub (MESH)

The Learning English in Leeds Website: Motives and Methodology

Outline• What is ESOL?

• Some history

• The HENNA Project

• Ethical issues (I) Survey research with ESOL students

• MESH and the development of the LEL

• LEL evaluation project (2015): Investigating and evaulating LEL

• Ethical issues (II) Dancing to the tune of policy?

What is ESOL?

ESOL =

The teaching and learning of English for Speakers of Other Languages who are migrants to English-dominant countries.

ESOL students’ immigration status

• Refugees & refugees seeking asylum

• People from settled communities, especially from ex-colonies

• Newly-arrived spouses or family members

• ‘Economic migrants’

• People with work permits

• EU nationals (including secondary migrants and some ex-refugees)

• People born in the UK but childhood abroad

Other dimensions of diversityA survey of c.200 learners in Harehills, Leeds

• 50+ ‘first languages’ claimed

• 66% women 34% men

• 38 countries of birth

• Average age: 32

• 16% had never been to school & 33% left school after primary education

• 17% currently in employment (though unemployment among migrants generally is similar to the national level)

• Average time in the UK: 6 years

ESOL and New Labour

2001-2009 ESOL under the Skills for Life policy umbrella

• National curriculum

• Assessment framework

• Inspection regime

• Professionalisation of the ESOL workforce

• Discourse of social (‘community’) cohesion

‘local authority areas … ensure that ESOL is delivered in an accessible way and that it meets the practical needs of the learner and that ESOL provision should be boosted in all local authority areas’ (Commission on Integration and Cohesion 2007)

New Approach to ESOL (DIUS 2009)

2009: The ‘New approach to ESOL’

Full fee remission for ESOL limited to people in receipt of ‘active benefits’, i.e. Jobseekers Allowance or Employment Support Allowance (BIS 2010) i.e. ESOL for ‘employability’

And for job-seekers not on active benefits:

The funding policy makes it quite clear that it’s the individual’s responsibility to address their English language needs. If that's a barrier to their employment then it’s something they need to address on their own … they would be expected to pay some if not all the cost of that. (Skills Funding Agency spokesperson)

2010: Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth

Massive cuts in the public sector, including in Local Authorities charged with leading on the provision and coordination of ESOL.

Responsibility for ESOL increasingly shouldered by private training providers and the voluntary sector.

National policy on ESOL led to a return to the fragmented picture of pre-Skills for Life times, at both national and local level.

ESOL under the coalition and beyond

The Harehills ESOL Needs Neighbourhood Audit (HENNA)

The HENNA Project (2010-2011)

The Harehills ESOL Needs Neighbourhood Audit (HENNA) Project

• To carry out a study at a local level of both ESOL need and of the meeting of that need through ESOL provision;

• To develop a replicable methodology through which parallel work might be carried out in other neighbourhoods across the city and beyond.

The findings are intended to inform and improve the planning and delivery of ESOL provision across Leeds.

The findings are relatable to other similar contexts across Britain’s urban centres.

The associated toolkit enables ESOL providers and local authorities to carry out this work elsewhere.

The HENNA Project (2010-2011)

… English language skills needs of migrant communities in Harehills in Leeds

… ESOL provision, delivery models, engagement routes and take-up rates of provision

… the barriers to accessing ESOL provision

… the views of key ESOL stakeholders in terms of both current and future provision

Outcomes: to provide a detailed understanding of …

Researchers from School of Education, University of Leeds, and RETAS, The Refugee Education Training Advice Service, Roundhay Road, Leeds

Fieldwork December 2010 - March 2011

A case study approach to the work, drawing on quantitative and qualitative research strategies:

• statistical analysis of survey data

• content analysis of interview data

• qualitative analysis of field notes & documentary data

Research design and methods

a demographic study of Harehills

a neighbourhood survey of ESOL provision

questionnaire surveys of ESOL students and teachers

interviews with ESOL teachers, managers, and a range of stakeholders

Data and research strategies

Ethical issues (I) ESOL students

“it is not advisable to present [ESOL] students with a paper copy of the project description; nor is it a good idea to ask students to sign consent forms” (Simpson et al 2011: 9)

• Why not?

• What issues does this raise for the gaining of informed consent?

ESOL provision is fragmented locally and city-wide, and is in urgent need of coordination.

The complexity of provision and funding raises questions of continuity, coherence and quality of tuition for the benefit of students.

For successful sustained learning, progression and progression routes need to be meaningful, clear and coordinated. However, lack of continued and stable funding streams disrupts progression routes both between ESOL courses of different levels, and from ESOL into training and work.

HENNA – Some findings

The need for a dynamic city-wide directory of ESOL provision.

Information about ESOL across the city needs to be connected.

Electronic networks might enable and enhance access to learning opportunities and coordination at local level.

HENNA – Some recommendations

MESH and the LEL

Establishing the MESH consortium

HENNA neighbourhood survey extended to the whole of Leeds

A database of ESOL provision across the city

Development of a dynamic online searchable resource

LEL: the Learning English in Leeds website

www.lel.help

Investigating and evaluating LEL

• Data collection

• Think aloud protocols (TAPs)

• Scenario-based design

Mónica

LEL evaluation project (onoing, 2015)

Aims:

• to address early issues relating to design and usability of the Learning English in Leeds (LEL) site, from user perspectives;

• to clarify the purpose of the LEL site, from user perspectives

• to contribute to the development of the content and scope of the second phase of the LEL site, which is planned for later in 2015;

• to garner views on the future sustainability of the LEL site.

Ethical issues (II) Dancing to the tune of policy?

MESH supports the development of local provider partnerships. These enable collaborative funding bids, e.g. for DCLG-sponsored projects. But ...

“I've already had a reply saying we shouldn’t be colluding with the DCLG scheme because it’s getting teachers on the cheap. I understand the argument but the alternative seems to be to do nothing.....”

Thank you!

James and Mónica

j.e.b.simpson@education.leeds.ac.uk

www.lel.help