Free training events for ESOL practitioners Wednesday, July 7, 2010 - 11:48

The government's new strategy A New Approach to ESOL (May 2009), has practical implications for the Skills Funding Agency, ESOL providers, the voluntary sector and local authorities. To address these implications and help ESOL practitioners meet the needs of excluded women, NIACE is hosting a series of regional training events in July and September.

The events will also provide attendees with the chance to hear about A Woman's Place approach to engaging women with language needs from settled minority ethnic communities; a project which is cited in A New Approach to ESOL as an example of a method that can improve quality and responsiveness to priorities.

ESOL providers can also download a free toolkit - A Woman's Place: A toolkit of learning activities to engage women as learners - containing case study examples and a booklet that can be used to make sure that women from disadvantaged backgrounds can access learning of all types.

The training events are specifically designed for professionals who deliver ESOL within all sectors, especially:

• ESOL teachers;
• outreach workers;
• IAG workers; and
• representatives from the voluntary sector.

Chris Taylor, NIACE Programme Director said:

"This is a fabulous opportunity for practitioners and providers to get practical support in reaching women as learners and implementing the new English for Speakers of Other Languages ESOL policy - A New Approach. There will be professional support, a toolkit and a planning tool which will be really useful to ESOL planners and providers."