Supporting language and learning

Many refugee students have a home language other than English. Schools and colleges should value this linguistic diversity and provide opportunities for young people to develop and use their home language in their learning.

Refugee students may be at different stages of learning English as speakers of other languages (ESOL). Some will be developing their first language; others may be bilingual when they enter school or college. As with their first language, English needs to be learned in context, through practical, meaningful experiences and interaction with others.

Some refugee students may have experienced schooling and some exposure to English since their arrival. Others may be newly arrived in England and may have significant gaps in their prior learning.

Learning at a pace consistent with their abilities and developing essential practical skills for life and work helps ensure students find pathways to higher education and employment.

14 to 19 phase of learning describes practical changes that have been made to the curriculum to combine breadth of study with more flexibility for schools and colleges to tailor programmes to individual needs and aptitudes. Vocational programmes available to young people are being strengthened. Smoother transition between secondary and further education (FE) and wider choices are being facilitated through education providers working in partnership with each other.

The 14 to 19 phase of learning includes information on:

• The 14-19 strategy and its implications
• The 14-19 curriculum
• A stronger vocational offer for all
• Pace and progression
• Collaboration
• 14-19 Area inspection
• Careers education and guidance for pupils

The 14-19 curriculum area of this website provides information about this.

Skills for Life is the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills. The Government has identified the importance of improving the language skills of people who do not have English as their first language. Based on National Standards for Adult Literacy, the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum is a parallel curriculum to the core curricula for literacy and numeracy. It gives teachers a comprehensive framework to help identify and meet each individual’s language learning needs. ESOL teachers can use the core curriculum to decide on learners’ levels of ability, design learning programmes for individuals and groups and as the basis for summative assessment of learners’ progress, deciding which standards they have achieved. Subject specifications for ESOL, along with guidance for their use, are provided on the Lifelong Learning UK (doc) website.

Other useful websites that provide information and discussion forums about ESOL and further education practice include:

National Association for Teaching English and Other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA), the national forum and professional organisation for ESOL practitioners

National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), a non-governmental organisation working for adult participation in learning.

Good practice

Schools and colleges have developed a range of strategies to help refugee pupils learn and achieve by supporting them to participate fully in the curriculum and make the best possible academic and social progress.

Build on what new arrivals already know and can do

Ensure students know about the educational system so they can identify the learning pathways they want to follow. The supporting access and enrolment area of this website gives more information about this.

Value refugee students’ language, skills and educational experiences. The meeting the needs of all students area of this website suggests ways to gather information about students’ prior learning and of supporting their initial engagement with the curriculum.

Develop individualised learning programmes that acknowledge refugee students’ prior learning, aspirations and desired learning goals, building additional learning opportunities to support their needs. Mentoring refugee students can help this development. Mentors and students can build an individual learning plan so the students can work out a planned educational route that will achieve the desired aim.

Progress File Achievement Planner is a set of interactive materials designed to help young people and adults manage their own learning and career development. Some of the file materials are available to download.

Develop partnerships with other agencies and services, including community schools run by Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs). This can benefit refugee students who need to catch up.

The study support area of this website gives information on how refugee students can be supported.

Encourage students to use their first language

Using first language skills can help students tackle the cognitive demands of the curriculum if their level of English competence impedes understanding. Schools and colleges can develop partnerships with RCOs to help increase schools’ and colleges’ understanding of their students’ background experiences and culture, and to develop curriculum work.

Enable students who wish to do so, to study and, if possible, to take a community language examination. There are currently community language GCSEs in several languages spoken by refugee students. These include, Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, French, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. Schools and colleges with few students from a particular language group can liaise with other education institutions, including local community schools, to ensure their students gain access to the community language courses of their choice.

The National Centre for Languages (CILT ) is a centre of expertise on languages. The website gives comprehensive information, guidance and access to support. The specialist schools area of teachernet includes case studies, one of which is of Lymm High School in Cheshire; Flexible software allows pupils to choose from 88 languages. This gives a detailed account of how a software package to allow students in year 12 to study different community languages was used.

Have high expectations

Having high expectations of the abilities of refugee students, including those who are learning English for the first time, will support their motivation and engagement. Refugee students’ talents and skills should be identified early. Ensure that systems of assessment support clear routes of progression. Good quality assessment allows tutors to set clear and appropriate learning goals.

Use a range of strategies

A variety of strategies can make lessons accessible to refugee students and ensure that activities and learning materials reflect their languages and cultures. Ensure refugee students who are beginners of English engage with their English-speaking peers. There is broad agreement amongst practitioners that students can acquire English rapidly through work with English-speaking peers in the curriculum. Collaborative learning activities provide effective support to ESOL learners to access and engage with the curriculum.

Support those learning English as an additional language

Develop ESOL courses to help students meet the language skills required by employers. Target ESOL support effectively across all subject areas, including vocational routes and work-based programmes and modify the curriculum to support the access and achievement of all refugee students. Ensuring students access a range of courses whilst also accessing ESOL support, can help refugee students acquire English, and develop curriculum skills in English, more rapidly. Specialist staff can plan strategies and develop resources for refugee students to access vocational courses successfully, taking account of each student’s prior learning.

Make use of ICT

ICT is an effective tool for teaching key skills, including ESOL. The use of ICT can free tutors, support staff and students from the usual constraints of the classroom. Resources that connect with students’ experiences, including their linguistic and cultural heritage, can be harnessed through developing collaborative activity around a topic. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) manages the Further Education Resources for Learning (Ferl) website that provides ICT advice for further education providers.

Relevance work experience programmes

School and college work experience and business links coordinators can work closely with other staff, including ESOL teachers, and outside organisations such as RCOs. This can help the school or college identify work experience placements that are relevant to each student’s aspirations and prior learning. Connexions can also, for example, help extend business contacts and develop consultation with refugee students and provide further individual support. By inviting local employers to school and college events, especially performances and prizegiving, they can become more familiar with the diversity and potential of the student community.

Monitor progress and achievement

Monitoring the progress and achievement of all groups of students across each subject area can ensure that they receive the support they need to achieve their full potential. The meeting the needs of all students area of this website provides guidance on monitoring the progress of refugee students.

Support the emotional needs of refugee students

Refugee students’ difficult experiences, including separation from close friends and family, can impact on their learning. The promoting emotional well-being area of this website provides information and guidance.

Partnerships with other services and agencies

Ensure that refugee students receive the advice and support they need. See the multi-agency working area of this website for information about this. Connexions Personal Advisers and other agencies can provide vital assistance.

Connexions offers a range of services and guidance for supporting young refugees. These can be downloaded from their publications area.

Develop the citizenship curriculum

The citizenship curriculum can be developed to respond to the particular needs of refugee students. Refugee students will need to develop the skills and gain the knowledge required to become familiar with, and active in, their new environment. Knowledge of British society can support integration. Information about this is given in the celebrating diversity area of this website.

Play  your part: post-16 citizenship guidance

Life in the United Kingdom Handbook This Citizenship Foundation handbook is designed for use by ESOL teachers, mentors and adult and informal educators in their work with those new to the UK or seeking naturalisation.

Case studies

Developing ESOL provision in Further Education (.PDF)

The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Department at Newcastle College previously taught mostly English as a Foreign Language to a few migrant ‘home’ students. The arrival of refugee students to the Newcastle area has resulted in increased demand for language tuition. This case study describes how the department responded to the challenge and developed a range of ESOL provision that has recently earned them a Beacon Award for its high quality.

Day-Mer Open-Learning Centre (.PDF)

Day-Mer Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre is situated in a housing estate, in Hackney, East London where many of the residents are Turkish speaking and Kurdish. There are adults in the community with poor English, and many of the young people are deemed to be underachieving in school and college. This case study describes how Day-Mer engaged the local community in literacy and learning activities through establishing an IT suite. This has successfully provided users across the community with a means of accessing further education, training and employment.