Known as ESOL for short, English for Speakers of Other Languages involves supporting adults whose first language is not English. This might include people from settled minority ethnic communities in Scotland, migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers.
Adult ESOL Strategy for Scotland
After much research, the Scottish Government published the Adult ESOL Strategy for Scotland in 2007, to support and raise standards of ESOL learning provision and to help address the needs of ESOL learners more effectively.
As the Strategy states: 'without effective communication in English, we fail to benefit from valuable contributions to Scottish society that New Scots and settled minority ethnic communities can make.'
The vision of the Strategy is: 'that all Scottish Residents for whom English is not a first language have the opportunity to access high quality English language provision so that they can acquire the language skills to enable them to participate in Scottish life: the workplace, through further study, within the family, the local community, Scottish society and the economy. These language skills are essential to giving people a democratic voice and supporting them to contribute to the society in which they live.'
The Strategy offers a number of national and regional solutions to complement existing wider planning structures for both further education and community learning and development providers. It also recognises the contribution of the voluntary and private sectors.
ESOL Website
The Strategy also proposed the development of a national ESOL website as a medium for promoting available ESOL provision, professional development and student and practitioner network events.
The website offers a variety of teaching resources, information on funding for learners, funding opportunities for providers and updates on national ESOL developments. Recent additions include a set of 18 case studies from across Scotland, and an initial assessment tool.
Training
There is also a section on training and professional development on the ESOL website, with information about the most recent qualification from the SQA, the PDA: TESOL at level 9.
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