Collaborating on research design with our ESOL learners

Jul 15, 2024 | News, Research & Development

We recently organised an exciting research co-design workshop, working together with nine learners who are learning English as a second language at High Trees. 

The workshop is part of a broader piece of research that High Trees are doing in partnership with The Bell Foundation. Our goal is to better understand the barriers that prevent people in work from improving their English language skills through ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses. 

Working together with learners, we determined the vital areas to explore in this upcoming piece of research. This included identifying the potential challenges to accessing ESOL faced by people in work, testing an online survey platform and its translation functionality and pinpointing the sectors and jobs that migrant and refugee communities in Lambeth tend to work in. 

Findings from this workshop are instrumental in helping us to design an online survey for individuals in work who want to improve their English. We will also be speaking to employers and ESOL providers in Lambeth and using the research findings to co-design and pilot innovative ESOL delivery models for people in work over the next few years. 

The workshop received positive feedback, with 100% of participants feeling their ideas were heard and respected, and 89% feeling empowered to contribute and share their ideas. Participants particularly enjoyed exchanging their experiences and learning from others about their journeys with working and learning English. The feedback also underscored the importance of involving community members meaningfully throughout the research process. Remarkably, all participants noted that this was the first time they had been consulted on this topic. 

We are excited to continue involving more ESOL learners, providers, and employers as we advance with this research, and look forward to the innovative solutions and opportunities that will arise from this collaborative effort!