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https://www.canva.com/design/DAEjhEigcFo/pPRb8eBz1UUQDPUe5bYvVg/view?utm_content=DAEjhEigcFo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

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Glossary - Final Version

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Glossary - Version 2

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Attached are the 3 versions of the digital terminology resource that was created for use with the learners. The resource was developed after open and honest feedback and collaborative working between the ESOL and ICT Tutors.

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Communicating effectively with ESOL learners

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Communicating Effectively with ESOL Learners

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The course for the action research project had to be delivered fully online due to being in a National Lockdown situation.  At the end of the course and upon reflection by the tutors, it was decided moving the course to face to face delivery would support the learners to develop their digital skills in a conducive environment, where the tutor was easily accessible to give the learners the support they need.  The learners would be supported to improve their digital skills and prepare them for progression onto an online course.  The initial face to face course would help to mitigate learners’ anxiety around getting online whilst developing their confidence in using IT equipment.

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The tutors commented that the learners are showing good skill development and the positive impact this is having on their confidence.  The learners can navigate successfully between Google search, Google images and Google Drive.  They can copy and paste images into a new Google Document and add text.  They can take screenshots.  They have completed extra work away from their formal sessions and have create their own comprehensive glossary for their own use.  The learners are able to confidently send e-mails.

The learners have also been successful in attaining the Entry 1 Digital Skills for Work qualification accredited by Gateway Qualifications.

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The learners also expressed that the digital class had supported them to be able to access their online ESOL courses during lockdown and continue their ESOL learning.  One learner commented how he was combining the learning from his ESOL class to his digital class and was both pleased and proud of the progress he had made and was grateful that he had had this opportunity to undertake this digital course.

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Reflections from the learners:-

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Learners indicated that they could now use e-mail and were using their laptops every day at home.

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Learner reflections - what they found useful

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Learner reflections - what they found useful

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Video reflections from the learners:-

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Learner reflections - what they found useful

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Learner reflections - what they found useful

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Video reflections from the learners:-

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Learner Reflections - What they found useful

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Learner Reflections - What they found useful

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Video reflections from the learners:-

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Achievements - from a learner perspective

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Achievements - from a learner perspective

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Three of the learners contributed to a student feedback and reflection discussion at the end of week 3, using the following questions as a prompt:  What did you find useful?  What can you do now?  How will you use this?  The learners were very positive about their progress and their lessons- they are really enjoying their learning, and making great progress against starting points. They could clearly explain how their learning will benefit them in their lives and work.  The learners identified they were move confident in using their laptop and becoming more and more confident in using Google Drive to sort and work with documents and had an increased confidence to undertake online shopping in a safe and secure way.

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Once learners had connected into the session, it was found they made very quick progress and were able to achieve their extended targets.

Learners have been exploring and developing the use of their loan laptop devices from the Service.  They are becoming less dependent on the use of the mobile phones and developing long lasting understanding of the roles and features of different platforms accessible from their laptops, eg Google search, Google Drive, etc – this is supporting the move to be able to develop their digital skills which they are using in their home-life and preparing them for the world of work.  In week 2 the learners had made a language connection with their ESOL class where words such as document, CV and forms were being used.  Recognisable language was building learners’ confidence.

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The project consisted of a very small cohort of learners, 6 in total at the tart of the course, unfortunately 2 learners have to withdraw - one due to moving back to their birth country and one due to health reasons.

Look at the video from the ESOL tutor who observed the impact on the learners.

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Developing tutor confidence in using the on-line meetings software - The use of breakout rooms became very efficient in meeting learners’ specific needs. Reflections from the ICT tutor early in the programme identified the language barriers with the learners and developed the sessions to use breakout rooms to ensure all learners can continue their learning at a suitable pace with the ESOL tutor supporting in one room and the ICT tutor in another.

Collaboration with teaching colleagues – Team teaching is a powerful way to meet learners’ needs and to have fun together with the learners while teaching.  Team teaching lessens challenging, stressful situations for individual teachers.  Team teaching boosted motivation, confidence, morale, which resulted in a positive classroom atmosphere, therefore motivating the learners and enabling their received a positive learning experience.

Use of a wider range of digital platforms – the use of Padlet allowed both tutors to reflect on the sessions and were positive and willing to develop their skills in using this  in education. Staff involved in the project showed a positive attitude to using it to share and collaborate on.

The digital action research project created frequent opportunities for the tutors to focus upon aspects of their established teaching strategies, and to collaboratively explore opportunities to develop and try new techniques and resources to improve learner participation both in and between the sessions.  Teachers learn from each other and develop strategies and techniques that can be used in their future teaching.

Staff development sessions have previously been held in small curriculum teams, but through the project, this has resulted in the sharing of good practice, especially between the ESOL and ICT teams.  The tutors have been encouraged to collaborate and share ideas in a relaxed and informal environment.  The joint activities have become opened up to enable staff to reflectively evaluate what each team is trialling within their teaching, learning and assessment.  This has improved working relationships between tutors from different curriculum areas.

Collaboration between the tutors has helped to identify and find solutions to very practical barriers, such as how to ensure the learners can easily access their online session.  Learners were struggling to find the link to the session, therefore as a Service we have decided to set a reminder e-mail to be sent 15 minutes prior to the session, this will ensure the e-mail containing the link is near the top of a learner’s inbox and therefore more easily achievable.  This is crucial to support a prompt start to the session prior to a learner having confidence in using bookmarks.

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The introduction of this project has allowed the Service to review and reflect on the way communication takes place with ESOL learners in all curriculum areas.  The ESOL tutors have been keen to share ideas and good practice with colleagues throughout the Service in what to consider when preparing resources or communicating with learners.  Attached are training materials that have been used to support this sharing of good practice.

As a result of the training a glossary of terms was produced containing more pictures than words.  The ESOL tutor commented how she supported the ICT Tutor to develop this learner resource to support the learners' understanding of key terminology. “the use of visual aids such as images, shared screen, demonstrations, videos, glossary are essential to support learners’ understanding of the spoken language.  The course requests learners to take actions using many different verbs: click, double click, open, tab, scroll, etc.  Knowledge and understanding of the terms is essential to be able to take the correct action”.  (See video link.)

Both tutors have considerably used breakout rooms and have clearly seen the benefit to the learners, they have indicated that they will use this function more extensively within their teaching.

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The project was designed to explore and create visual resources and learning methods to support Entry 2 ESOL learners' understanding of instructional language (with a focus on digital terminology)

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The project was designed to deliver an introduction to essential digital skills course to entry 2 ESOL learners to support their development of digital skills which could be transferred and used within their home and working life.

The approach was to develop the use of instructional language and visual resources for learners to support their understanding of basic IT terminology and how it

underpins the development of the practical action.

The activities planned were to support the learners to access their own Google Docs accounts and be able to document their own reflections/ progress in relation to their journey of developing essential digital skills.

The Service wanted to explore and develop relevant and engaging resources to meet the

needs of the ESOL learners and promote their development in understanding digital

terminology as a starting point to further develop and embed their digital skills.

The proposed activities were designed to support a positive learner experience, to develop the

curriculum offer that progresses the knowledge and skills that the ESOL learners will need in

order to take advantage of the opportunities that prepare them for their next stage and

develop their confidence in using digital technologies.

This would address social

disadvantage.  The activities would support learners to build on previous learning and

develop the new digital knowledge and skills they need.  It was important that the foundation

building blocks of gaining the knowledge and understanding of using correct digital

terminology is embedded in the learners’ long-term memory and they have the confidence

to use them fluently and consistently.  From these activities there is a clear progression to

essential digital skills which all the learners will have the opportunity to develop those skills as their next steps in their digital skills learning.  This initial course will enable the

ESOL learners to gain the skills, knowledge and confident to explore progressing onto the

essential digital skills provision.