Re. Gagging
As Mel says, it would be really useful to pull together different experiences of this campaign, including what has worked and where people have been prevented from participating. I imagine that even where there has been a lot of activity the response has been uneven (it always is). I don't know if it is of any help but when we started campaigning it was under the banner of UCU (as a jobs and provision issue these cuts are a 'union issue' & UCU are not accountable to management) and the local Refugee Forum, which has its own premises, networks and resources, along with the guidance and referral agency 'Begin', which is also independent. This was easy for us because of the individuals involved, but it meant that the campaign was not reliant on 'management agreement', although different managers have been either very supportive or indeed directly involved (as in other places).
I wonder whether teachers who have been prevented campaigning with their students have approached their UCU branch officers or whether there are organisations outside the colleges (e.g. City of Sanctuary, refugee groups, or local community groups) who could be approached to 'sponsor' a campaign, organize a public meeting off college premises etc?
Would there be any mileage in getting the UCU branch officers to formally take up the issue on the grounds of threats to jobs, the fact that the employers' organisation AoC is already lobbying on the issue, & academic freedom (there may be a clause in the contract)? I wonder whether some college managements are simply anxious that if the cuts go through they will lose out to their 'competitors' and are using the 'no politics' line as a way of preventing staff from 'rocking the boat'?
Rob
There are 7 messages totaling 3348 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112) (4)
2. FW: Gagging/censorship
3. pre-entry lang test - applic to those on expiring visas?
4. NATECLA conference 'Language and Learning' Early booking rate until 3 May
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Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:07:20 +0100
From: Elaine Williamson <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
Dear list members
I would like to apologise if my earlier post came across as offensive to some list subscribers who I know have been fighting extremely hard against the planned cuts to ESOL. This was certainly not intended as a generalised dig at the sector and I am very aware that many people who are reading this have been tirelessly campaigning for ESOL and continue to do so.
My concern is rather with colleagues and institutions that are not attempting to support this campaign. By doing so they are not making it possible for their students to have a say on the matter either. The petition is one example. I believe it reached 20,000 signatures in the end, only about a tenth of the sector.
Please accept my apologies if my comments appeared provocative. They were certainly not meant to be directed at the dedicated organisations and individuals who have done so much to fight the cuts to ESOL to date.
Kind regards
Elaine
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:34:15 +0000
From: alexandra halliday <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
Unfortunately, some of us have been "gagged" by our employers and have only been able to campaign on a personal basis. Many of my colleagues have wanted our department to take an active part in the campaign, but were told that it would be seen as political - apparently there is a policy at the institution where I work that forbids staff from involving their students in 'politics' and , because of this, we were not allowed to promote the signing of the petition. I think we all feel very upset that we have not been able to add our numbers to the strength of the campaign or to be even able to make our students aware of what is happening...
Alexandra Wilcox
ESOL Lecturer
> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:07:20 +0100
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Dear list members
>
> I would like to apologise if my earlier post came across as offensive to some list subscribers who I know have been fighting extremely hard against the planned cuts to ESOL. This was certainly not intended as a generalised dig at the sector and I am very aware that many people who are reading this have been tirelessly campaigning for ESOL and continue to do so.
>
> My concern is rather with colleagues and institutions that are not attempting to support this campaign. By doing so they are not making it possible for their students to have a say on the matter either. The petition is one example. I believe it reached 20,000 signatures in the end, only about a tenth of the sector.
>
> Please accept my apologies if my comments appeared provocative. They were certainly not meant to be directed at the dedicated organisations and individuals who have done so much to fight the cuts to ESOL to date.
>
> Kind regards
> Elaine
>
> ***********************************
> ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
> To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
> A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
> http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm
> To contact the list owner, send an email to
> [log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:46:27 +0100
From: Julia Podziewska <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: FW: Gagging/censorship
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:45:02 +0100
Hi,
If you're being gagged, why not do as was done in Poland after martial law, by those newpapers that had been censored, namely cite the directive/memo, with publication date , that states that under the terms of your contract you are not permitted to make comments/take part in/involve students in Action for ESOL/ actions against the cuts. Then sign which group/area this refers to. This will then allow the rest of the country to see which area are being censored. Surely in present day UK employers can't have stricter censorship laws than were in effect in 1980s Poland after martial law?
Julia Podziewska
ESOL tutor Sheffield
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:34:15 +0000
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
To: [log in to unmask]
Unfortunately, some of us have been "gagged" by our employers and have only been able to campaign on a personal basis. Many of my colleagues have wanted our department to take an active part in the campaign, but were told that it would be seen as political - apparently there is a policy at the institution where I work that forbids staff from involving their students in 'politics' and , because of this, we were not allowed to promote the signing of the petition. I think we all feel very upset that we have not been able to add our numbers to the strength of the campaign or to be even able to make our students aware of what is happening...
Alexandra Wilcox
ESOL Lecturer
> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:07:20 +0100
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Dear list members
>
> I would like to apologise if my earlier post came across as offensive to some list subscribers who I know have been fighting extremely hard against the planned cuts to ESOL. This was certainly not intended as a generalised dig at the sector and I am very aware that many people who are reading this have been tirelessly campaigning for ESOL and continue to do so.
>
> My concern is rather with colleagues and institutions that are not attempting to support this campaign. By doing so they are not making it possible for their students to have a say on the matter either. The petition is one example. I believe it reached 20,000 signatures in the end, only about a tenth of the sector.
>
> Please accept my apologies if my comments appeared provocative. They were certainly not meant to be directed at the dedicated organisations and individuals who have done so much to fight the cuts to ESOL to date.
>
> Kind regards
> Elaine
>
> ***********************************
> ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
> To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
> A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
> http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm
> To contact the list owner, send an email to
> [log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm
To contact the list owner, send an email to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:48:13 +0100
From: "Cooke, Melanie" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
Thanks for this Alexandra - this is interesting, if alarming. I wonder if other subscribers to the list would be willing to share their experiences of similar 'gagging' by their managers? What threats are being made exactly? And what are the rationales being given to teachers about not even talking to students about what is going to happen to their classes next year?
__________________________________________________________________________
Melanie Cooke
Researcher
Department of Education and Professional Studies
King's College, London
Franklin Wilkins Building
Waterloo Road
London SE1 9NH
Tel: 020 7848 3122
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/education/staff/mcooke.html
From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of alexandra halliday
Sent: 27 April 2011 23:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
Unfortunately, some of us have been "gagged" by our employers and have only been able to campaign on a personal basis. Many of my colleagues have wanted our department to take an active part in the campaign, but were told that it would be seen as political - apparently there is a policy at the institution where I work that forbids staff from involving their students in 'politics' and , because of this, we were not allowed to promote the signing of the petition. I think we all feel very upset that we have not been able to add our numbers to the strength of the campaign or to be even able to make our students aware of what is happening...
Alexandra Wilcox
ESOL Lecturer
> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:07:20 +0100
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Dear list members
>
> I would like to apologise if my earlier post came across as offensive to some list subscribers who I know have been fighting extremely hard against the planned cuts to ESOL. This was certainly not intended as a generalised dig at the sector and I am very aware that many people who are reading this have been tirelessly campaigning for ESOL and continue to do so.
>
> My concern is rather with colleagues and institutions that are not attempting to support this campaign. By doing so they are not making it possible for their students to have a say on the matter either. The petition is one example. I believe it reached 20,000 signatures in the end, only about a tenth of the sector.
>
> Please accept my apologies if my comments appeared provocative. They were certainly not meant to be directed at the dedicated organisations and individuals who have done so much to fight the cuts to ESOL to date.
>
> Kind regards
> Elaine
>
> ***********************************
> ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
> To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
> A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
> http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm
> To contact the list owner, send an email to
> [log in to unmask]
*********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at: http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:42:16 +0000
From: celine castelino <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
It's even more shocking given that citizenship is supposed to be a key element of the ESOL curriculum. And what about relevance to learners' needs and interests? Are ESOL teachers forbidden to mention the upcoming referendum on our voting system? What if the learners raise any of these issues? Community language newspapers/radio will surely mention them to say nothing about the grapevine.
Celine
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:48:13 +0100
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
To: [log in to unmask]
Thanks for this Alexandra - this is interesting, if alarming. I wonder if other subscribers to the list would be willing to share their experiences of similar 'gagging' by their managers? What threats are being made exactly? And what are the rationales being given to teachers about not even talking to students about what is going to happen to their classes next year? __________________________________________________________________________Melanie CookeResearcherDepartment of Education and Professional StudiesKing's College, LondonFranklin Wilkins BuildingWaterloo RoadLondon SE1 9NHTel: 020 7848 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/education/staff/mcooke.html From: ESOL-Research discussion forum and message board [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of alexandra halliday
Sent: 27 April 2011 23:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112) Unfortunately, some of us have been "gagged" by our employers and have only been able to campaign on a personal basis. Many of my colleagues have wanted our department to take an active part in the campaign, but were told that it would be seen as political - apparently there is a policy at the institution where I work that forbids staff from involving their students in 'politics' and , because of this, we were not allowed to promote the signing of the petition. I think we all feel very upset that we have not been able to add our numbers to the strength of the campaign or to be even able to make our students aware of what is happening...
Alexandra Wilcox
ESOL Lecturer
> Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:07:20 +0100
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 20 Apr 2011 to 21 Apr 2011 (#2011-112)
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Dear list members
>
> I would like to apologise if my earlier post came across as offensive to some list subscribers who I know have been fighting extremely hard against the planned cuts to ESOL. This was certainly not intended as a generalised dig at the sector and I am very aware that many people who are reading this have been tirelessly campaigning for ESOL and continue to do so.
>
> My concern is rather with colleagues and institutions that are not attempting to support this campaign. By doing so they are not making it possible for their students to have a say on the matter either. The petition is one example. I believe it reached 20,000 signatures in the end, only about a tenth of the sector.
>
> Please accept my apologies if my comments appeared provocative. They were certainly not meant to be directed at the dedicated organisations and individuals who have done so much to fight the cuts to ESOL to date.
>
> Kind regards
> Elaine
>
> ***********************************
> ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
> To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
> A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
> http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm
> To contact the list owner, send an email to
> [log in to unmask]*********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at: http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask] ***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at:
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To contact the list owner, send an email to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:15:23 +0100
From: "S.Macdonald" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: pre-entry lang test - applic to those on expiring visas?
Hi all
An Algerian woman whose current spousal visa is due to expire in the
autumn is planning to go home on hols shortly. She hasn't passed E1
speaking and mentioned to her tutor today that she has to pass a test.
Does this raise the horrendous poss that people may be refused re-entry
if their visas don't have long to run?
Can anyone know who she can approach for legal advice on this? (we are
in east Kent)
Thanks
Sheila Macdonald
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:42:45 EDT
From: Cathy Burns <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: NATECLA conference 'Language and Learning' Early booking rate until 3 May
You are warmly invited to the NATECLA conference 'Language and Learning' to
be held at the University of Warwick, Coventry 8-10 July 2011. A reminder
that the early booking rate is valid until 3 May. There are day and resid
ential places available so please book now.
Details of the programme, exhibition, the booking, on line payment and
other details can be found on this link. A word version of the booking form and
confirmed workshop list is attached.
_http://www.natecla.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=514_
(http://www.natecla.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=514)
'Language and Learning' Conference - There has been a long tradition of
teachers taking every possible chance to learn about new
approaches,techniques and materials and to share with others things that have worked well for
their learners. The weekend of the conference has been for 33 years a time
to strengthen enthusiasm and counter the effects of the more difficult and
sometimes adverse aspects of the circumstances we work in. But our primary
interest is, and has always been, the desire to improve our practice'.
The full workshop programme and timings will be sent shortly.
Kind regards
Cathy Burns
NATECLA National Centre
South Birmingham College, Hall Green Campus, Cole Bank Road, Birmingham
B28 8ES
National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to
Adults
- the professional association for ESOL teachers
Tel: 0121 688 8121
Mobile: 07875 683254
_www.natecla.org.uk_ (http://www.natecla.org.uk/)
_http://twitter.com/NATECLA_ (http://twitter.com/NATECLA)
_http://actionforesol.org/_ (http://actionforesol.org/)
***********************************
ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds.
To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html
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------------------------------
End of ESOL-RESEARCH Digest - 27 Apr 2011 to 28 Apr 2011 (#2011-116)
********************************************************************
***********************************
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To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit
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