We’re pleased to share the success of our first ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programme tailored specifically for people in work. In this initial pilot we welcomed 12 Grounds Maintenance Operatives from Lambeth Council, to take part in an ESOL course at High Trees.
The learners, hailing from many different countries including Portugal, Albania and Poland, all joined the course with a shared goal of learning English to help them progress in their careers. Over 10 weeks, they covered various topics, going into depth around vocabulary directly related to their employment with the Lambeth Parks team. The course was designed not only to enhance their speaking, listening, reading, and writing abilities but also to boost their confidence in using English both at work and in their daily lives.
The pilot is part of a wider piece of research being done by High Trees in partnership with The Bell Foundation. Together we’re exploring the barriers to learning and improving English faced by people in work and looking for possible solutions.
The feedback from learners has been incredibly positive. At the end of the course, 100% reported feeling more confident in speaking and listening in English, with many noting that they’re now using English more frequently at work and in their personal lives. All participants said they enjoyed the course, with 75% also feeling more independent as a result. One learner shared, “I learned to speak. I liked being in the group. I’m happy.” Another commented, “I liked working with the tutor. They are an excellent teacher—patient and they speak slowly.”
Due to the success of this pilot, we’re delighted to announce that the same group of learners will return to High Trees in September to continue their English learning journey. Their employer has been equally impressed with their progress, noting, “I think they’re actually enjoying their training sessions. They are practicing [at work]. There’s a lot of joviality. You can hear them talking to each other, and of course laughing if someone gets something wrong.”
For the next stage of this research, we have published a survey to better understand the challenges around speaking English and accessing ESOL courses for individuals in work. If you, or someone you know, are interested in completing this survey, please get in touch with our Research and Development team: research@high-trees.org