This is somewhat of a ‘speculative’ contribution to ESOL research list in that I am hoping to gather opinions about an idea which is still very much in the early stages – and depending on further enquiry, may not go any further. I apologise in advance for the length.
A little back ground is necessary. The idea is based on my work and research as an ESOL practitioner - which I did until a couple of years ago - combined with my current experience as a lecturer in University. Conversations with learners and colleagues and more recent experience during ‘admissions’ period at University lead me to the conclusion that a proportion (n=?) of ESOL learners who want to go to University face barriers in firstly gaining information and secondly applying. These barriers include uncertainty over fees status, uncertainty of the transferability of their exisiting qualifications, the impenetrability of many University websites and uncertainty over suitable English language qualifications (IETLS or ESOL quals?). None of these observations are criticism of some of the support some learners have received from either HE or FE professionals – teachers, admissions tutors, college advisors and so on – who have helped individuals through the process. In fact it is because of conversations with a few people who have helped learners through University application that the idea has been developed.
The idea is that I am considering a pilot project, provisionally entitled ‘ESOL for University’ which would be a very specific, unaccredited (but structured) course delivered at my University for ESOL learners who are interested in going to University. It would include about ten or eleven separate sessions (about an hour/hour and half) on campus on most aspects of University application including fees, how to apply, courses available and so on. It would NOT be an academic English course, its focus would be on information for people PRIOR to any decision to apply. Course would be facilitated by language teaching professionals but would include speeches by experts (student finance, former ESOL students on what Uni is like, admissions tutors). Naturally I am going to talk again to ESOL learners this coming Spring to see what they think of the idea that has developed from our initial conversations and any final design of the course would be driven by ESOL learners.
But I was interested in what colleagues on this forum think. Any observations/comments critiques/ideas are welcome. For example, if you are an FE colleague, do you have experience of ESOL learners who have experienced difficulties accessing Uni post ESOL? Alternativley, for HE colleagues, I’d probably have to sell this to the University as a marketing/recruitment programme. When I realised this - in the face of my original intentions which were (I believe ) entirely opposite to marketization – I was immediately concerned about the ethics of the idea and still haven’t resolved questions around squaring that circle really. . So any comments on that also welcome.
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