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Article: RefugEAP Case Study: Developing and Critically Evaluating a Free, Online Trauma-Informed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Programme for Refugee-Background Students

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Article: RefugEAP Case Study: Developing and Critically Evaluating a Free, Online Trauma-Informed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Programme for Refugee-Background Students

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Journal of Interactive Media in Education

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RefugEAP Case Study: Developing and Critically Evaluating a Free, Online Trauma-Informed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Programme for Refugee-Background Students | Journal of Interactive Media in Education

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Among the barriers facing refugee-background students (RBS) in accessing Higher Education (HE) in the UK is reaching the required academic English standard, and accessing courses to support them with this (Ashlee & Gladwell 2020: 13). In response to these barriers, the Universities of Leicester and Leeds (both in the UK) have developed the RefugEAP programme – a free, online, pre-university academic English and skills course for the RBS cohort. The programme has been informed by Social Justice, Connected Learning in Crisis (CLiC) and Trauma-Informed Pedagogy (TIP) principles, making it unique within the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) sector. This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) case study employed an action research approach (Dickens & Watkins 1999) to course development and evaluation, drawing from qualitative data from students and tutors, as well as observations from course designers, to evaluate the course, inform changes and assess impact. This paper outlines the design of the course, including theoretical underpinnings, and how a collaborative approach to feedback led the review process for its second iteration. The outcomes indicate that this EAP course was well-placed to meet a gap in provision for RBS, and that careful consideration was needed in areas including independent study practices, student decision-making and pastoral support.

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Article: RefugEAP Case Study: Developing and Critically Evaluating a Free, Online Trauma-Informed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Programme for Refugee-Background Students

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Article: RefugEAP Case Study: Developing and Critically Evaluating a Free, Online Trauma-Informed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Programme for Refugee-Background Students

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Journal of Interactive Media in Education

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RefugEAP Case Study: Developing and Critically Evaluating a Free, Online Trauma-Informed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Programme for Refugee-Background Students | Journal of Interactive Media in Education

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Among the barriers facing refugee-background students (RBS) in accessing Higher Education (HE) in the UK is reaching the required academic English standard, and accessing courses to support them with this (Ashlee & Gladwell 2020: 13). In response to these barriers, the Universities of Leicester and Leeds (both in the UK) have developed the RefugEAP programme – a free, online, pre-university academic English and skills course for the RBS cohort. The programme has been informed by Social Justice, Connected Learning in Crisis (CLiC) and Trauma-Informed Pedagogy (TIP) principles, making it unique within the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) sector. This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) case study employed an action research approach (Dickens & Watkins 1999) to course development and evaluation, drawing from qualitative data from students and tutors, as well as observations from course designers, to evaluate the course, inform changes and assess impact. This paper outlines the design of the course, including theoretical underpinnings, and how a collaborative approach to feedback led the review process for its second iteration. The outcomes indicate that this EAP course was well-placed to meet a gap in provision for RBS, and that careful consideration was needed in areas including independent study practices, student decision-making and pastoral support.

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English for University Study (University of Edingurgh)

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English for University Study (University of Edingurgh)

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This programme aims to help refugee-background learners improve their academic language and literacies in preparation for successful study at university in English speaking contexts.

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English for University Study aims to help learners improve their academic language and literacies in preparation for successful study at university in English speaking contexts. Learners will explore academic language, cultures, and contexts while developing their ability to be an independent and reflective learner.

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Self-access textbook: Develop Your English: with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

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Self-access textbook: Develop Your English: with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

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This free resource by Sue Robbins can be used in a classroom or for self-study by upper intermediate learners aiming to develop their language skills to an advanced level.

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Book Description

Develop Your English is a textbook for upper intermediate - advanced level English language learners (B2/C1) which incorporates a global perspective into the language learning process through a focus on international themes, organised around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The sixteen units integrate global research summaries that offer learners perspectives on world issues alongside opportunities to develop their English as an international language for communication about the world and themselves in the world.

The interactive tasks in the 16 units encourage systematic vocabulary development, help extend a range of reading and listening skills as longer stretches of authentic text are tackled, and focus attention on grammatical and lexical items selected from the text (spoken or written) to examine and review. The deliberate recycling of ideas aids retrieval practice and offers learners opportunities to elaborate their understanding of the material and relate it to concrete examples from their own context, while encouraging the use of English to formulate complex responses to the material.

Subject

Language teaching and learning: second or additional languages

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Develop Your English - Simple Book Publishing

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Develop Your English is a textbook for upper intermediate - advanced level English language learners (B2/C1) which incorporates a global perspective into the language learning process through a focus on international themes, organised around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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Additional Support for Refugees Padlet (by Rachel Oner)

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Additional Support for Refugees Padlet (by Rachel Oner)

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This is a comprehensive Padlet page containing links to many different sources of support for refugees

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Free, Online Self-Access Trauma Training

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Free, Online Self-Access Trauma Training

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This free, online self-access trauma training for ESOL/EAP/ELT teachers consists of video presentations, reading material and activities. This training has been developed by Aleks Palanac to meet an acute need among teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and related fields to build awareness of how trauma can affect students with refugee backgrounds, and what practical strategies teachers can employ to both mitigate the effects of this and begin to promote recovery and growth.

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Kate Wallace - ESOL Course Leader, City College Norwich

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Trauma-informed ESOL for refugees: self-access training and workshop | Sanctuary Seekers’ Unit | University of Leicester

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Access free trauma informed pedagogy training for ESOL and EAP practitioners who teach English to people from refugee backgrounds

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This is a great resource to explore what opportunities are currently being offered in the UK context. This is a portal for sharing and searching for study opportunities to support people with backgrounds of forced displacement in the UK to access HE.

The most effective way to search for ‘pathway to Higher Education’ English language provision on this portal is, in the search filters, for ‘level of study’ select ‘pre-university’, and for ‘type of opportunity’ select ‘English language course’ and ‘preparation for university’. This should bring up all opportunities with an English language learning element (whether fully or partly).

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Studying at university has helped me learn more about something I enjoy and develop transferable skills. It has also connected me more to my local community and helped me integrate into a new society.

AbdulRahman

BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering

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Studying at university has helped me learn more about something I enjoy and develop transferable skills. It has also connected me more to my local community and helped me integrate into a new society. AbdulRahman BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering

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The Student Action for Refugees scholarships list is a useful source of information about English Language courses (click on English Language Programmes tab)

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Student Action for Refugees: English Language Programmes list

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Student Action for Refugees: English Language Programmes list

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RefuAid is a key organisation which your university language centre may wish to partner with. Through their language programme, they partner with language centres, who provide a fee waiver to enable refugee-background students to attend one of their programmes (e.g. pre-sessional, IELTS, OET). In return, RefuAid can cover travel costs, some stationery costs, exam fees (where exams are external, such as IELTS and OET) and can also provide wrap-around move-on case worker support for students. The direct link to their language programme page is here: https://refuaid.org/language

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Language

Having a class to go to gives you a safe place, structure and something to do. But it's more than that: language is the medium we use to express ourselves and the biggest barrier to integration. RefuAid are providing access to structured language tuition in schools throughout the UK and online.

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RefuAid work with host communities to source long-term solutions for both refugee and local populations. Aiming to foster greater integration amongst host and refugee communities and improve aid efficiency in refugee-hosting nations.

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Password English Language Testing is an organisation which develops quality English Language proficiency tests which tend to be used for admission to programmes of study (including pre-sessional programmes and university degree programmes) at 490+ partner organisations over 120+ countries. Over the past few years, they have kindly donated free test codes to organisations who need to assess the language proficiency of incoming refugee-background students. This removes an important barrier which many RBS face when wishing to enter HE - the need to have evidence of language level, which can often be financially prohibitive for those on very low incomes

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This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there!

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Screen Share is a brilliant organisation which provides refurbished devices to refugee background students. This is done on a referral basis through partner organisations

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Challenging refugee digital exclusion . . .

Number of devices passed on since January 2021:

245

​

​Thank you so much! We accept laptops which:

Please make sure it is suitable. We do not accept laptops which:

We have these restrictions and only provide good quality tech to our recipients because we think they are worth it, and we want them to know we believe in them. There's a good chance we can turn your 'seen better days' laptop into something high functioning and reliable. If you think your laptop is 'probably too old', then you're probably right.

These other organisations may be able to take your older laptop and make it useful for someone!

Screen Share currently partners with and provides laptops for service users at a range of refugee organisations, including:

Want to stay up to date?

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Challenging refugee digital exclusion . . . Number of devices passed on since January 2021: 245 ​ ​Thank you so much! We accept laptops which: Please make sure it is suitable. We do not accept laptops which: We have these restrictions and only provide good quality tech to our recipients because we think they are worth it, and we want them to know we believe in them.

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Good Things Foundation (National Databank and National Device Bank)

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Good Things Foundation (National Databank and National Device Bank)

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The Good Things Foundation is a charity set up to bridge the digital divide. Your organisation can apply to receive free data for service users from low income households without access to adequate data/wifi through the National Databank, and for those without access to an adequate digital device through the National Device Bank

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Whether you want to help someone use or access the internet, donate funds or devices, or become a digital inclusion hub - there's so many ways you can help fix the digital divide.

We power free digital inclusion services

These services are delivered through the National Digital Inclusion Network, made up of thousands of organisations reaching digitally excluded people across the UK.

National Device Bank

The secure, sustainable and socially responsible solution for corporate IT asset disposal. Don't dispose, donate your company's unused tech to the National Device Bank and help digitally excluded people get online.

National Databank

Like a foodbank but for mobile data, the National Databank provides free mobile SIM cards to help digitally excluded people get connected.

Learn My Way

Digital skills support is at the heart of the National Digital Inclusion Network. Learn My Way helps people with low or no digital skills to gain confidence and learn how to use the internet and digital technologies.

Our policy asks

We're calling for the Government to act on digital inclusion with three clear policy asks: co-invest to help more digitally excluded people, scrap broadband VAT, and reuse tech for social good.

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We don't do this alone - our partnerships are the lifeblood that drive our ambition to fix the digital divide. We make a real impact by working with collaborative and innovative partners who share our passion to succeed in our mission.

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The Minimum Digital Living Standard for Households with Children has launched

For the first time, we have a benchmark defined by the public about what families think is enough to feel included in our digital society. It tells us what families need to know, do, and be able to afford. Emma Stone explores the groundbreaking new findings.

The Minimum Digital Living Standard for Households with Children has launched

For the first time, we have a benchmark defined by the public about what families think is enough to feel included in our digital society. It tells us what families need to know, do, and be able to afford. Emma Stone explores the groundbreaking new findings.

Spring Budget overlooks the transformative potential of digital inclusion

Good Things' Group CEO, Helen Milner OBE, writes about how the Spring Budget has missed an opportunity by not investing in digital inclusion, impacting both people and the economy.

Cost of connectivity crisis: One in 10 Brits would cut back on food or heating rather than lose internet access

We're making digital for all, as new research reveals just how vital Brits consider being connected to the internet is to their everyday lives.

Fix the Digital Divide - for Good

We have developed a comprehensive service for digitally excluded people. An offer which any local organisation - anywhere in the UK - can use to Fix the Digital Divide in their communities.

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Keep up-to-date with the latest events and news from Good Things Foundation in our monthly newsletter.

Sign up for email updates

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We are the digital inclusion charity, helping people improve their lives with free access to data, devices and digital skills learning.

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RefugEAP Network JISCmail discussion list

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RefugEAP Network JISCmail discussion list

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This RefugEAP Network discussion list is a mutual support network for individuals and organisations involved and/or interested in developing widening participation initiatives for refugee-background students to facilitate access to HE via English language pathways, with a particular focus on English for Academic Purposes.

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JISCMail - Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the REFUGEAP-NETWORK List

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Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

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EAP for Social Justice (BALEAP SIG) JISCmail list

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EAP for Social Justice (BALEAP SIG) JISCmail list

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This is the discussion forum for BALEAP's EAP for Social Justice Special Interest Group. It aims to bring together a network of EAP practitioners and researchers passionate about promoting social justice values in EAP.

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This is the discussion forum for BALEAP's EAP for Social Justice Special Interest Group. It aims to bring together a network of EAP practitioners and researchers passionate about promoting social justice values in EAP.

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JISCMail - SJ-SIG-BALEAP List at WWW.JISCMAIL.AC.UK

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This is the discussion forum for BALEAP's EAP for Social Justice Special Interest Group. It aims to bring together a network of EAP practitioners and researchers passionate about promoting social justice values in EAP.

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Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE) mailing list

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Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE) mailing list

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This is a mailing list (rather than a discussion list) through which you will receive newsletters about the latest research, discussions and events relevant to refugee education in Europe

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Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE)

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Sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on the latest research, discussions and events.

Reminder: Please add us to your email browser's safe-senders list (or similar) in order to view our newsletter content including imagery.

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Newsletter Subscription - Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE)

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Sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on the latest research, discussions and events. Reminder: Please add us to your email browser's safe-senders list (or similar) in order to view our newsletter content including imagery.

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Blog Post: Exploring and mitigating Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) amongst adult migrants (refugees, asylum seekers and forced migrants) in an ESOL/EFL class in Scotland by Mathilde Smith

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Blog Post: Exploring and mitigating Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) amongst adult migrants (refugees, asylum seekers and forced migrants) in an ESOL/EFL class in Scotland by Mathilde Smith

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EMERGING VOICES: Exploring and mitigating Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) amongst adult migrants (refugees, asylum seekers and forced migrants) in an ESOL/EFL class in Scotland.

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​Author: Mathilde Smith is a MSc TESOL & Intercultural Communication student at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (Scotland). Her experience includes teaching English to young learners in...

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Article: Renaissance of the Gatekeepers: Estabishing a culture of welcome for refugees and asylum seekers at the University of Leicester's English Language Teaching Unit by Aleks Palanac

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Article: Renaissance of the Gatekeepers: Estabishing a culture of welcome for refugees and asylum seekers at the University of Leicester's English Language Teaching Unit by Aleks Palanac

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This report outlines the early development of work related to widening participation for refugee background students to English Language provision at the University of Leicester. It details a fruitful partnership with a local charity, Leicester City of Sanctuary, to run ESOL provision, and how this led to the provision of free places on the pre-sessional programme, and then sanctuary scholarships on degree programmes.

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ResearchGate is a network dedicated to science and research. Connect, collaborate and discover scientific publications, jobs and conferences. All for free.

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0.1 FTE Role Description: School Sanctuary Champion at University of Dundee

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0.1 FTE Role Description: School Sanctuary Champion at University of Dundee

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Website: Negotiating Queer Identities Following Forced Migration

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Website: Negotiating Queer Identities Following Forced Migration

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This research is being carried out by it is being carried out by Mehran Rezaei Toroghi, Moira Dustin, Kamran Matin and Nuno Ferreira. Outputs include not only a book and academic journal articles, but also a documentary and a poetry booklet, as well as some policy-related activities.

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Negotiating Queer Identities Following Forced Migration (NQIfFM)

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Dr Moira Dustin is a co-investigator on the project and a lecturer in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology where she also leads on Knowledge Exchange and Engagement for the School.

She joined the University of Sussex as a Research Fellow in 2016 working with Nuno on the SOGICA project. In 2021, Moira launched Women in Refugee Law (WiRL) with Christel Querton (University of the West of England). The network brings together asylum seeking and refugee women, senior and early career scholars, practitioners, policymakers and activists from around the globe to re-centre the study of refugee women within refugee law, policy and practice.

Moira is also a tutor and module convenor on the MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies programme at the School of Advanced Studies, University of London. Before joining the University of Sussex, Moira was Director of Research and Communications at the Equality and Diversity Forum, a network of equality and human rights organisations, where she coordinated the Equality and Diversity Forum Research Network.

Dr Kamran Matin is a co-investigator in the project, and is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Sussex University, UK, where he teaches international history, international theory, and Middle East politics.

His current research focuses on international historical sociology of modern (nation-)state formation and nationalism and limits of post-/de-colonial theory. He is the author of Recasting Iranian Modernity: International Relations and Social Change (Routledge, 2013) and numerous articles and op-eds on Kurdish and Iranian politics, and co-editors of Historical Sociology and World History: Uneven and Combined Development over the Longue Durée (Rowman & Littlefield International, 2016), and of Palgrave's Minorities in West Asia and North Africa (MWANA) series.

Dr Mehran Rezaei-Toroghi is a research fellow in the project, as well as a fellow in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology of the University of Sussex.

His main field of research is Intellectual history with a focus on sexuality in modern and contemporary Iran. Dr Rezaei was a research fellow in the Centre of Gender Studies at SOAS (The School of Oriental and African Studies) in 2014-2016, where he worked on critical research about a Foucauldian approach to writing the History of Sexuality in Iran. Among several articles, he published in Persian and English.

His most recent work is 'The politics of un-truth and the assemblage of sexuality: Revisiting the Foucauldian methodology in studying sexuality in post-revolutionary Iran' (Sexuality, Gender & Policy, May 2020). Besides academic activities, he is also a documentary producer and he has produced some short and long documentaries about Iranian society and history for Iranian TVs.

Professor Sally Munt, Emeritus Professor at the University of Sussex, and Professor Andrew Kam-Tuck Yip, Professor of Sociology at the University of Nottingham, were also involved with the inception and design of the project, as well as its initial launch. Professor Yip has also been a co-investigator in the project until the end of September 2022.

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The Project - Negotiating Queer Identities Following Forced Migration (NQIfFM)

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Dr Moira Dustin is a co-investigator on the project and a lecturer in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology where she also leads on Knowledge Exchange and Engagement for the School. She joined the University of Sussex as a Research Fellow in 2016 working with Nuno on the SOGICA project.

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1.0 FTE Job Description: Sanctuary & Emergency Response Programme Administrator at University of Leicester (Grade 4)

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1.0 FTE Job Description: Sanctuary & Emergency Response Programme Administrator at University of Leicester (Grade 4)

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Sanctuary and Emergency Response Administrator Job Summary.docx

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0.2 FTE Role Description: English Language for Widening Participation Coordinator at University of Edinburgh (Grade 7)

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0.2 FTE Role Description: English Language for Widening Participation Coordinator at University of Edinburgh (Grade 7)

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1.0 FTE Job Description: Head of Sanctuary at University of Leicester (Grade 8)

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1.0 FTE Job Description: Head of Sanctuary at University of Leicester (Grade 8)

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JISCmail list: Universities of Sanctuary

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JISCmail list: Universities of Sanctuary

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A mutual support network for sharing information, learning and good practice around welcoming and supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Higher Education. Members may already be involved with the Article 26 and Universities of Sanctuary initiatives, or may simply wish to join to find out more.

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JISCMail - Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the SANCTUARY List

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Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

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JISCmail list + CoP: Scotland's Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP)

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JISCmail list + CoP: Scotland's Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP)

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Scotland's Community of Access and Participation Practitioners sets out to achieve the following aim: To provide a practitioners' network to support the development and professionalisation of a strong WA and WP community on Scotland. This will be open to all parties, with a focus on supporting those directly engaged in delivery, with the purpose of embedding, enhancing and supporting effective practice in Scotland.

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Website: University of East London's OLIVE Programme

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Website: University of East London's OLIVE Programme

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The University is offering a 12-week course for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK to introduce refugees and asylum seekers to Higher Education.

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Outreach programme dedicated to providing language support, cultural navigation and educational inspiration to refugees and asylum seekers in the local community. Developed in collaboration with local organisations such as NNRF and NEST, aspects of this programme include:

Tailored application support.

Monthly sessions providing English language support and extra-curricular opportunities.

Annual Academic Summer School: Project-based summer school to support English language and academic study skills.

Mentoring by staff and alumni

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Navigate

What is Navigate?

Navigate is an outreach programme developed in collaboration with local refugee and asylum seeking organisations which includes:

Tailored application support

Monthly sessions providing English language support and extra-curricular opportunities

Annual Summer School

Mentoring by staff and students

Location

NTU Campuses

Dates

By arrangement

Further information

For more information and to book places, please contact Lucy Judd.

University of Sanctuary: Welcoming sanctuary seekers across NTU and Nottingham

NTU has a proud tradition of providing a place of support, safety and inclusion for academics and young people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. We are committed to providing a welcoming space for all sanctuary seekers in and around the NTU community.

We are currently working with colleagues at the University of Nottingham to develop a shared bid for University of Sanctuary status as part of the Universities for Nottingham Civic Agreement. This bid draws upon and evidences our long track-record and focus on supporting those seeking sanctuary through outreach, research, training, and educational opportunity. It will recognise our long-standing commitment to promoting a culture of welcome, safety and inclusion across our campuses and their wider communities, and will contribute to the City of Nottingham's bid to be recognised as part of the UK's City of Sanctuary initiative to ensure our nation is a welcoming place of safety for all.

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Navigate is an outreach programme developed in collaboration with local refugee and asylum seeking organisations which includes: Tailored application support Monthly sessions providing English language support and extra-curricular opportunities Annual Summer School Mentoring by staff and students NTU Campuses By arrangement For more information and to book places, please contact Lucy Judd.

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Website: University of Leicester's Sanctuary Summer School

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Website: University of Leicester's Sanctuary Summer School

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The University of Leicester's Sanctuary Summer School is a free one-week course aimed at sanctuary seekers who will apply to start an undergraduate degree programme at a UK university in September 2023. Our Summer School is run in partnership with Leicester-based charity After18 and includes campus visits, academic English classes and practical workshops to help you prepare for university.

Key data

Course dates: 27 June to 1 July 2022

Course days and times: Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 3.00pm

Delivery mode: face to face

Places available: 20

Application deadline: 12 June 2022

Course aims

Provide tuition in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and study skills, and resources to enable students to continue to improve these skills after the end of this course

Help participants familiarise themselves with UK university life and expectations

Give students an overview of the wide range of UG courses and course options available and tips on how to choose the most suitable course and university

Go through the university UG application process and timeline

Learn how to strengthen your university application and write a strong personal statement

Explore funding options including Student Finance loans and university scholarships

Entry requirements

Applicants should:

be aged between 17 and 25* (*applicants over the age of 25 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and subject to availability)

have an English proficiency level equivalent to or higher than IELTS 4.5 / CEFR B1 / ESOL Entry 3 / Intermediate

be aiming to apply for entry onto an undergraduate course for September 2023

have the equivalent of level 3 qualifications from their country or the UK (or be on track to gain these by July 2023)

be based in Leicester or able to commute easily

have one of the following immigration statuses:

An asylum seeker - a person who has made a claim for refugee status.

A person who has been granted Humanitarian Protection (HP) or Limited Leave to Remain (formerly Discretionary Leave to Remain) in the UK.

A refugee - a person who has been granted refugee status by the UK Home Office.

A dependant of any of the above status groups, in recognition that they are also from asylum seeking or refugee background, including family members of an asylum seeker whose claim is dependent on a principal applicant OR family members of an individual with refugee or Humanitarian Protection (HP) status who have come to the UK on a Family Reunion visa.

Apply
Apply for the Sanctuary Summer School
We will review applications and contact you by email by 14 June. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to have an informal chat with a member of our team to check that the course is suitable for your needs.

Enquiries

Email enquiries can be sent to sanctuary@le.ac.uk.

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The University of Leicester's Sanctuary Summer School is a free one-week course aimed at sanctuary seekers who will apply to start an undergraduate degree programme at a UK university in September 2023. Our Summer School is run in partnership with Leicester-based charity After18 and includes campus visits, academic English classes and practical workshops to help you prepare for university.

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A comprehensive document giving suggestions for strategies and resources for independent study, both for general and academic English (and OET and IELTS too)

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Padlet: Useful Websites for Studying Academic English (by Laura Manzie)

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Padlet: Useful Websites for Studying Academic English (by Laura Manzie)

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Useful websites for studying academic English

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Websites you can use to help you improve your language and skills

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Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE) Database

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Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE) Database

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Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE)

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The HERE Database is a searchable collection of academic and non-academic resources on refugee education from across Europe, published since 2015. Resources have been curated in accordance with set criteria designed to maximise relevance to the question of what we know about the educational provision for and educational experiences of people from refugee backgrounds arriving in Europe. For a detailed description of how the database has been developed, researched and curated the Technical Report is available to read and download.

Links are provided to all source documents in the HERE Database, some of which may require payment or institutional membership to view fully, but many are open access and available to everyone.

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Database - Hub for European Refugee Education (HERE)

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The HERE Database is a searchable collection of academic and non-academic resources on refugee education from across Europe.

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GoogleDoc: Repository of studies on HE access for forced migrants, plus language-focused Widening Participation studies (curated by Eva Hanna)

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GoogleDoc: Repository of studies on HE access for forced migrants, plus language-focused Widening Participation studies (curated by Eva Hanna)

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Please feel free to add to this repository in this editable Google Doc, if you come across an article/study that hasn't yet been included here

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Repository of studies on HE access for forced migrants, plus language-focused Widening Participation studies

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Repository of studies on HE access for forced migrants, plus language-focused Widening Participation studies Keywords UK-based studies academic literacy; teacher development; multi-disciplinary engagement; pastoral role Irvine, C. & Fisher, C. 2020. Widening access to higher education...

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Cara (the Council for At-Risk Academics) provides urgently-needed help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile, and many who choose to work on in their home countries despite serious risks. Cara also supports higher education institutions whose work is at risk or compromised. Universities and other institutions help by providing places with fee waivers and other support for academics who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of persecution, violence or conflict.

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Cara's Fellowship Programme has been developed in close partnership with a Network of 131 UK universities and research institutes, who provide financial support for Cara and fee waivers and other support for Cara beneficiaries. Fellowships help academics in danger to escape to a safe place where they can continue their work.

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Sources of funding for refugees and asylum seekers

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Central England Law Centre and Warwick Law in the Community have put together a new toolkit to help students with humanitarian protection access home fees and student finance. The Refugee Council is a UK charity that offers help and advice to refugees in the UK.

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Website: Learning English (course finder for Yorkshire and Humber)

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Website: Learning English (course finder for Yorkshire and Humber)

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Learning English in Yorkshire and the Humber

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Please see below for some useful links about corona virus. Please share as you need to.

Guidance on long covid symptoms and recovery These resources are also available in Audio, Easy Read, British Sign Language, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Pashto, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Slovak, Spanish and Urdu.

Coping strategies for anxious times This resource features translated advice in Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, French, Chinese Traditional, Kurdish Sorani, Pashto, Polish, Romanian, Somali, Tigrinya, Turkish and Urdu.

Covid 19 vaccination: British sign language resources
Official reminder on the importance of ventilation From lockdown to relaxation: tips on looking after your mental health
Coronavirus Asylum Handbook
Click here for Migrant Information Hub

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Find English classes & English class providers in Yorkshire & the Humber - Learning English in Yorkshire and the Humber

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Please see below for some useful links about corona virus. Please share as you need to. Guidance on long covid symptoms and recovery These resources are also available in Audio, Easy Read, British Sign Language, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Pashto, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Slovak, Spanish and Urdu.

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Webpage: Sanctuary volunteering opportunities with University of Leicester and partners

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Webpage: Sanctuary volunteering opportunities with University of Leicester and partners

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Our sanctuary projects owe much of their success to the involvement and dedication of our volunteers - change makers who apply themselves to making a positive difference to the lives of people with refugee backgrounds. Provision such as the Leicester City of Sanctuary ESOL classes and the RefugEAP programme would not be possible to run without committed volunteers, and projects such as Bright Path Futures may never have been launched without a phenomenal initial injection of time and energy by volunteers determined to meet an acute need.

Keen to showcase and celebrate a number of amazing volunteers from organisations who we are partnering with via our University of Sanctuary work, we hosted a ' Citizens of Change panel discussion - Journeys into volunteering and activism' as part of our Breaking Barriers Refugee Week 2022. Each panellist talked about their individual journeys into volunteering and activism, focusing on areas such as what inspired them to become involved in this work, what impact their work has had on their own lives and on others, and tips for how to ensure that work in this area makes a real difference ... thereby inspiring others to get involved too.

If you are keen to volunteer with us or one of our partners, you can find a range of opportunities below. You might also wish to explore our curated selection of resources on the topic of refugees and working with refugees to support you in your volunteering journey. These include MOOCs, articles and blogs, podcasts and interviews, and useful websites. If you are a University staff member on a permanent or fixed-term contract, it is also worth looking at the Leicester Staff Volunteering Policy and Procedure (search for 'staff volunteering' on SharePoint), as some release time can be made available for volunteering activities.

Volunteer

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Our sanctuary projects owe much of their success to the involvement and dedication of our volunteers - change makers who apply themselves to making a positive difference to the lives of people with refugee backgrounds.

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Webpage: RefugEAP Programme (University of Leicester and University of Leeds)

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Webpage: RefugEAP Programme (University of Leicester and University of Leeds)

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This is the webpage of the RefugEAP Programme, which is an innovative, trauma-informed online programme of free academic English classes especially designed for students with refugee backgrounds, and delivered by highly skilled volunteer tutors. It is intended for students from across the UK who have not been able to access formal pre-sessional academic English programmes, but who need to improve their academic English level in order to access university, thus meeting a real need among this group.

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RefugEAP is a free online pre-university academic English skills programme for refugee-background students across the UK. It is for students who need to improve their academic English skills to help them access a degree programme at university, but perhaps have not been able to access a formal pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programme yet. RefugEAP has been developed to meet this need, providing students with an opportunity to continue to develop their academic English skills in a supportive way while they are waiting for more formal opportunities to become available.

The RefugEAP Programme has been developed by staff at the University of Leicester's Sanctuary Seekers' Unit and the University of Leeds Language Centre. It is being kindly supported by dedicated volunteer tutors and a number of partner organisations, including Password Testing (who are providing assessments), Screen Share (who are providing digital devices for students who need them), RefuAid (who are providing wrap-around support and referrals) and Oxford University Press (who have provided online course books).
Listen to a British Council Teaching English podcast featuring the RefugEAP Programme
Watch a video of a presentation entitled Introducing the RefugEAP Programme (from Breaking Barriers Refugee Week 2023).

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RefugEAP Programme | Sanctuary Seekers' Unit | University of Leicester

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Access free online academic English programme RefugEAP for refugees in the UK developed by University of Leicester and University of Leeds and taught by volunteer EAP tutors

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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives and protecting the rights of refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.

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European Council for Refugees and Exiles

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European Council for Refugees and Exiles

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The Asylum Information Database (AIDA) is a database managed by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), containing information on asylum procedures, reception conditions and detention across 23 countries. This includes 19 European Union (EU) Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and Slovenia, and 4 non-EU countries (Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey and the United Kingdom).

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European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) |

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The Asylum Information Database (AIDA) is a database managed by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), containing information on asylum procedures, reception conditions and detention across 23 countries. This includes 19 European Union (EU) Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and Slovenia, and 4 non-EU countries (Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey and the United Kingdom).

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Refugee Council | Supporting and empowering refugees

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The Refugee Council is one of the leading charities in the UK working directly with refugees and asylum seekers and supporting them to rebuild their lives.

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At Refugee Action, we've spent 35 years helping refugees build safe, hopeful and productive new lives in the UK. Join us now to help refugees live again.

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We are a national network of university staff, lecturers, academics and students. Together we are working to make Higher Education institutions places of safety, solidarity and empowerment for people seeking sanctuary.

Higher Education Institutions in the UK have a proud and radical tradition of supporting refugees and people in the asylum system. We are there to support the organisations who want to build on this tradition in today's political and social context.

This network has been developed through a partnership between City of Sanctuary, Article 26, Student Action for Refugees and others. Our aim is to develop a culture and a practice of welcome within institutions, the wider community, and across the Higher Education sector in the UK.

For information on universities in Ireland, click here for information from our sister organisation, Places of Sanctuary Ireland.

A map of awarded Universities of Sanctuary Across the UK. Click on each university for more details or to be directed to their Sanctuary webpage.
For the latest news and updates from the network here

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We are a national network of university staff, lecturers, academics and students. Together we are working to make Higher Education institutions places of safety, solidarity and empowerment for people seeking sanctuary. Higher Education Institutions in the UK have a proud and radical tradition of supporting refugees and people in the asylum system.

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STAR is the national network of students building a more understanding and just society where refugees are welcomed and can thrive in the UK

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HOME

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REUK is a charity that supports your refugee-background students in their educational journeys. Among other things, they provide information, advice and guidance for children and young people (and those working with them), and mentoring, and also run useful practitioner training courses: https://training.reuk.org/

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Refugee Education UK | REUK | Refugee Education

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REUK (formerly RSN) equips young refugees to build positive futures by thriving in education.

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Welcome to Article 26, a project of the Helena Kennedy Foundation. The main aim of Article 26 is to promote access to Higher Education for people who have fled persecution and sought asylum in the UK. If you want to find out about . . .

Roots and rationale for the project

Opportunities for prospective students wanting to go to university

Resources to support access to Higher Education

Becoming a member of the network for partner universities

Need advice & guidance . . .

You have come to the right place, explore and enjoy the website. Get in touch if you have any feedback or want to find out more!

University scholarships for refugees - click here to read in full!

Keele University has some fantastic opportunities for refugees wanting to study at PG level.

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Welcome to Article 26, a project of the Helena Kennedy Foundation. The main aim of Article 26 is to promote access to Higher Education for people who have fled persecution and sought asylum in the UK. If you want to find out about . . .

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Article: Towards a Trauma-Informed ELT Pedagogy for Refugees by Aleks Palanac

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Article: Towards a Trauma-Informed ELT Pedagogy for Refugees by Aleks Palanac

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MOOC: Migrants and Refugees in Education: A Toolkit for Teachers

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MOOC: Migrants and Refugees in Education: A Toolkit for Teachers

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This free Future Learn MOOC helps participants ‘learn how to teach and support young people across the globe affected by violence, conflict, or displacement’. It takes 12 hours to complete, and it spread over 4 weeks.

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Migrants And Refugees In Education - Online Course - FutureLearn

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Learn new and impactful education strategies to help teach students from countries affected by violence and conflict with this online course from the British Council.

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Podcast: How can I teach refugees, migrants and IDPs effectively?

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Podcast: How can I teach refugees, migrants and IDPs effectively?

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In this British Council Teaching English podcast, teacher / trainer Brian Lally talks about his work and research in Lebanon with Syrian refugees, and identifies a number of core principles that teachers can employ in these situations.

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British Council: TeachingEnglish - series overview

In this ten-part podcast series from the British Council, we try and provide solutions to some of the key questions being asked by English teachers around the world. Each episode explores a specific topic through interviews, a focus on recent developments and reports on British Council initiatives in English language teaching. Practical show notes and transcripts are available to download at the bottom of the page.

Episode 4: How can I teach refugees, migrants and IDP's effectively?

There are in excess of 85 million displaced people in the world, with children under the age of 18 constituting around half this total. Whether a refugee, migrant or internally-displaced person, developing language skills can play a huge role for these individuals - and the host communities in which they live - to withstand challenges, recover from crisis and overcome barriers. We'll explore the British Council work on Language for Resilience to understand this further. Following on from this, we'll speak to teacher and trainer Brian Lally about his work and research in Lebanon with Syrian refugees, and identify some core principles which teachers working in these challenging situations can use.

Show notes

Each episode contains downloadable show notes. These include the following:

Ideas for how you could use the podcast in your teaching

Detailed notes with extra information about the contents of the episode

Useful links

A lexical glossary of words and phrases from the episode, mapped to the CEFR

How to listen or subscribe to the podcast

You can listen and subscribe to the podcast in the following ways:

Downloads

Episode 4 audio file

Episode 4 Show notes

Epsiode 4 Transcript

This episode is produced for the British Council by Chris Sowton and Kris Dyer

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British Council TeachingEnglish - Episode 4: How can I teach refugees, migrants and IDP's effectively?

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British Council: TeachingEnglish - series overview In this ten-part podcast series from the British Council, we try and provide solutions to some of the key questions being asked by English teachers around the world. Each episode explores a specific topic through interviews, a focus on recent developments and reports on British Council initiatives in English language teaching.

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Article: How to address the effects of trauma in the English language classroom by Shirley Reynolds and Beverley Costa

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Article: How to address the effects of trauma in the English language classroom by Shirley Reynolds and Beverley Costa

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This British Council article suggests ways in which teachers who work with students who have experienced trauma can address this issue in the English language classroom.

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MOOC: Working Supportively with Refugees

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MOOC: Working Supportively with Refugees

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This free Future Learn MOOC helps participants ‘learn how the principles of psychological well-being, communication and interpretation can benefit your work with refugees’. It takes 12 hours to complete, and is spread over 3 weeks.

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JAMIE SPURWAY: There have been mass movements of refugees many times before. The World Wars saw tens of millions fleeing their homes. The partition of India and Pakistan, the independence of Bangladesh, the Rwandan genocide, and civil conflicts around the world have all created refugees and there are millions. They are a massively diverse group, speaking many languages, of age, religions, and ethnicities, men and women, young and old, rich and poor. In many ways, they may have nothing in common except the fact that they have had to leave their home, a decision that nobody takes lightly and one that impacts on every aspect of their lives.

Many flee war, while others flee a risk of violence that is specific to them, their families, or the group they're perceived to belong to. Critical to understanding this group of people is a recognition that they are not unusual. Refugees are ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. In recent years, we've been inundated with images of refugees fleeing conflict and persecution in countries like Syria, Afghanistan, and Eritrea. There is a situation of humanitarian crisis in many of the countries that refugees currently flee to. DR.

MARTA MOSKAL: In the current massive increase of refugees flows that have been perceived as a refugee crisis. Skill needs are changing rapidly, calling for updated training within a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach, combining the principles of psychological well-being, intercultural communication, and interpretation, conflict and crisis management in the reality of and in the work with refugees. DR.

GIOVANNA FASSETTA: Cultural mediators hold a central role in addressing the needs of refugees and asylum seekers in the context of the current humanitarian crisis in Europe. Cultural mediators are directly involved in the facilitation of relations between newcomers under civil society, working towards the mutual exchange of knowledge and towards establishing positive relations between individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and ethnic origins. This course aims to address the needs of interpreters, NGO practitioners, volunteers, refugees, researchers, and students. It will develop a set of skills needed to respond to this humanitarian crisis, which will include group management, intercultural communication, conflict resolution, counselling, and negotiation. DR.

MARTA MOSKAL: The course is informed by a variety of resources developed by the Erasmus+ Reculm project consortium based in four European countries, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, and Spain. The course develops over three weeks. But attendance is flexible and self-paced. We look forward to working with you online.

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Working Supportively With Refugees - Online Course

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JAMIE SPURWAY: There have been mass movements of refugees many times before. The World Wars saw tens of millions fleeing their homes. The partition of India and Pakistan, the independence of Bangladesh, the Rwandan genocide, and civil conflicts around the world have all created refugees and there are millions.

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Interview Series: Teaching Through Crisis

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Interview Series: Teaching Through Crisis

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In this National Geographic Learning series of interviews, practitioners and researchers from around the English language teaching sector explore from various perspectives how we might effectively teach learners from refugee backgrounds in various contexts, and how we might talk about refugee-related issues in and out of the classroom.

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Bringing the World to the Classroom and the Classroom to Life

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Article: Developing Teachers of Refugees

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Article: Developing Teachers of Refugees

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This British Council article outlines useful strategies for working with refugee background learners in the classroom, taking into account their needs and backgrounds.

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Whatever your reason for reading this article, I hope the following ideas are useful for you. They are the tip of an iceberg - see the end for some links/suggestions of reading to allow you to explore further.

Let's begin by thinking about the needs of refugee learners in class. Our teaching methodology should do three things here:

1. Make sure classrooms are safe spaces for refugee students (even if the wider community is not). Find out from your students, for example, what topics they are comfortable talking about.

2. Promote mixing/social interaction in class, as some learners might be isolated outside it. Encourage group work, for instance - and across language groups, if relevant.

3. Develop an inclusive pedagogy, where everyone is valued and helped to access the education on offer. This is particularly important when national students and refugee students are in the same classroom. Allow informal translation of instructions into mother tongue, for example, to make sure everyone understands what is going on.

Thinking about the profile of teachers of refugees, they should:

ideally be recruited from the same background as the refugees to allow shared identities;

be inducted into the background and rights of refugees if they are host country nationals;

comprise a gender balance, to give both boys and girls positive role models.

Now let's turn to what teachers of refugees need to know about. If you are a teacher from a different background to your refugee students you should:

1. Find out about:

the educational experiences in your students' countries of origin and of first asylum

the extent to which their schooling has been limited, disrupted or if they have had no schooling

2. Be aware that:

language is a barrier to schooling

your refugee students may have previously been taught in a range of languages without proficiency in any of them

the quality of education they may have received is probably low and uneven

they have faced forms of discrimination (i.e. bullying, hostility).

3. Recognise:

the importance of building a classroom community to support learning;

the implications of working with learners and families who have experienced trauma.

Let's consider teacher education for refugee contexts - both initial and in-service.
Courses for teacher training and teacher professional development should be developed within the national context and should include:

Promotion of the move away from traditional teacher-fronted classes towards student-centred learning;

Encouragement of an evidence-based, positive view of multilingualism and literacy;

basic information about the effects of trauma on children's emotional, social and cognitive development, and how this is likely to interact with learning and behaviour in school;

practical, uncomplicated advice for teachers on how best to support children who have experienced trauma, how to adapt standard teaching methods, and what they can do to help vulnerable children learn and develop their full potential.

Pre-service teacher education needs new curricula which:

include basic knowledge of the teaching profession: what we know about teaching and learning

include the capacity for applying knowledge in practice: how to teach

followed by knowledge of the subject area: what to teach

and develop understanding of multilingualism in refugee contexts: the role of language in learning.

All teachers also need training in appropriate psycho-social support for refugee pupils and their families.

This development of theoretical knowledge and practical skills then needs to be supplemented through on-going supervision and support to teachers. This could be provided in a range of ways, to individuals or groups of teachers, using skype, email or video conferences. Peer supervision may be viable in some schools.
For existing teachers:

Any change in expectations of teachers must be introduced carefully to ensure that teachers are not over-burdened.

They can also be supported to improve/develop traditional methods of language teaching, rather than being expected to adopt new pedagogies.

Let's think about the role of existing training colleges and universities in developing teachers of refugees:

1. Universities in countries with large numbers of refugees should get involved with teacher training for teachers in refugee contexts.

2. Continuing professional development should be offered to teachers of refugees in contexts that are both formal (eg in local schools) and informal (eg volunteer-run classes in camps).

3. New in-service teacher education provision can best be achieved through partnerships with institutions which:

have trainers who understand issues in working with refugees;

support teachers in implementing new curricula, in using new teaching methods and in enhancing the practical competencies of dealing with displaced learners, including lesson planning for diverse groups of learners and materials design.

Finally, we need to recognize the important of getting wider stakeholder approval.

Outreach and the development of a shared educational vision with all educational stakeholders are crucial for success.

In addition, teachers and students alike should be involved in the co-construction of the curriculum.

Want to read more on this?
Changes in teaching practices need buy-in from governments, NGOs, policymakers, principals and parents:

Kuchah, K. (ed.) & Shamim, F. (ed.) 2018. International Perspectives on Teaching English in Difficult Circumstances: Contexts, Challenges and possibilities. Basingstoke, U. K.: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mendenhall, M., Dryden-Peterson, S., Bartlett, L., Ndirangu, C., Imonje, R., Gakunga, D., Gichuhi, L., Nyagah, G., Okoth, U. and Tangelder, M., 2015. Quality education for refugees in Kenya: Pedagogy in urban Nairobi and Kakuma refugee camp settings.

Roxas, K. 2011. Creating communities working with refugee students in classrooms. Democracy & Education 19(2):1-8.

Szente, J., Hoot, J., Taylor, D. 2006. Responding to the special needs of refugee children: practical ideas for teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal 34(1):15-20.
Websites: Multi Aid Programs (a Syrian-led NGO working in informal settlements in Lebanon) British Council. Innovations in English language teaching for migrants and refugees Tes (formerly known as Times Educational Supplement) resources
UNICEF (2016). Language education and social cohesion (LESC) Initiative. UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office: Malaysia.

UK National Union of Teachers includes the ' Welcoming Refugee Children to your School ' guide
https://www.tc.columbia.edu/refugeeeducation/resources/Teachers-for-Teachers-Presentation-(Final).compressed.pdf
UK Schools of Sanctuary project resources https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/resources/

Background to the 5 Language for Resilience blog pieces

In 2016, as part of the response to the Syrian refugee crisis, the British Council commissioned research on the role of language in enhancing the resilience of Syrian refugees and host communities. You can read that research here. The report identified 5 interconnected ways in which language is an essential component in enhancing the resilience of individuals, communities and institutions.

This year, those 5 interconnected principles have been investigated further by a team of researchers, academics and practitioners. As an insight into their research each has written a blog piece. Read these pieces by clicking on the links below:

Seven reasons for teachers to welcome home languages in education | Kerryn Dixon, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (published on British Council Voices)

How language affects refugees' abilities to access education, training and employment | Chris Sowton, University of Bath, UK

How to address the effects of trauma in the English language classroom | Professor Shirley Reynolds, Director Charlie Waller Institute, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, UK and Beverley Costa, CEO & Clinical Director of Mothertongue and founder of the Pasalo Project

Language learning and social cohesion in a multicultural classroom with vulnerable learners | Mohammed Ateek, Research Associate, Birkbeck College University of London, UK

Developing teachers of refugees | Clare Furneaux, Teaching & Learning Dean/Professor of Applied Linguistics, University of Reading, UK

If you are interested in finding out more about Language for Resilience you can:

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Whatever your reason for reading this article, I hope the following ideas are useful for you. They are the tip of an iceberg - see the end for some links/suggestions of reading to allow you to explore further. Let's begin by thinking about the needs of refugee learners in class.

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This free Future Learn MOOC helps participants ‘understand how to best support the emotional, linguistic, and social needs of refugees who are settling into a new country’. It takes 12 hours to complete, and is spread over 3 weeks.

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Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

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Volunteering with Refugees - Online Course - FutureLearn

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Understand how to best support the emotional, linguistic, and social needs of refugees who are settling into a new country, from Crisis Classroom and Cambridge Assessment English.

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Webinar Recording: Journeys into Volunteering and Activism Panel Discussion

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Webinar Recording: Journeys into Volunteering and Activism Panel Discussion

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Hear about the journeys of four individuals involved in volunteering/activism in the field of refugee education. Featuring Moses Seitler (Refugee Education UK and Screen Share), Anna Jones (RefuAid), Maryam Taher (City of Sanctuary UK and Student Acvtion for Refugees) and Zeeshan Arif (NHS and RefuDoc). Part of the University of Leicester's Breaking Barriers Refugee Week 2022

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Citizens of Change - Journeys into volunteering and activism

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Blog Post: Online Classes as a Remedy for Loneliness and Isolation during COVID-19 by Julie Umarova

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Blog Post: Online Classes as a Remedy for Loneliness and Isolation during COVID-19 by Julie Umarova

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' My husband is in Greece. I'm trying to survive here with my two sons. It is very hard for me. My life made sense with your lessons. It gave me hope. It made my difficult times beautiful.' - Tahmine, 34

These sadness-evoking lines are not from a recent issue of an academic journal or from a best-selling book. Unfortunately, this is a heartfelt confession of one of my refugee students who has been attending free online ESOL classes offered by the charity Leicester City of Sanctuary, in co-operation with the University of Leicester. Moreover, Tahmine expressed her immense relief and joy that online classes served as a blissful escape from loneliness and isolation during these testing times. Unfortunately, this is just a single outcry which reflects the harsh reality of hundreds and thousands of refugees on a daily basis and especially during this period of lockdown.

Indeed, a report entitled ' This is How it Feels to be Lonely', carried out by the charity Forum, emphasizes the fact that:

'...refugees are among the most vulnerable groups in relation to experiencing loneliness. When they arrive in reception country, they face a completely different life in a strange new environment. This situation, in combination with government policies, can make refugees' journey traumatic and damaging for their well-being. Restrictions to entitlements to welfare services and exclusions in employment and housing, along with the possibility of detention and removal are social disconnection factors that are associated with loneliness and can further impact on health and well-being. Because of these restrictions, refugees feel discriminated against, excluded, unloved and lonelier' (Christodoulou, 2014)

Similarly, a recent piece of research carried out by Refugee Action with refugees and asylum seekers found that most of them saw 'loneliness and isolation as their biggest challenge in everyday life' (Refugee Action, 2017). This research involved six focus groups with a total of 41 refugees and asylum seekers across England discussing their experience of loneliness since arriving in the UK. All of them admitted their daily hardship and mental struggle in integrating into the new society and pointed out 'loneliness' as their biggest fear. One of the refugees, Maria, expressed her anxiety and internal fight with the following words: 'It is lonely because you feel isolated and you feel there is no one to help. You feel like a bouncing ball. It can cause depression; it can cause all sorts of mental health problems' (Refugee Action, 2017). Maria's emphasis on mental health is crucial here, as it highlights the fact that loneliness can cause great damage to people's health and psychological well-being. According to the Mental Health Foundation 'loneliness and social isolation can be the catalyst for many mental health problems, including acute stress disorders, irritability, insomnia, emotional distress, mood disorders, including depressive symptoms, fear and panic, anxiety, frustration and boredom, self-harm and even suicide' (Sanders, 2020).

John Donne's (1624) widely quoted line 'No man is an island' is a daily reminder that a human being is a social creature and longs for interpersonal contact (Baumeister, 1995). When Maria and other refugees were asked what helped them to fight their loneliness, they all admitted that attending English classes and community groups helped them to meet new people, to make new friends and feel less lonely. The value of these words should not be underestimated, and this is the reason why English classes should be viewed as a lifebuoy in helping refugees to integrate into British society and help them to overcome the feelings of loneliness and isolation. One of the female refugees went even further and described these opportunities for social interaction as a 'medicine'. In The Loneliness Cure, Kory Floyd equates 'hunger for connection' with other people to 'the air we breathe or the water we drink'. Maybe you don't recognize how valuable these resources are to you when you have them in abundance. Cut off your oxygen supply, though, and you'll quickly appreciate the difference between a luxury and a requirement (Floyd, 2015). Unfortunately, these English classes and community groups which served as an 'oxygen supply' for refugees were abruptly cut off for many people by the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant lockdown.

This is a very difficult and worrying time for everyone but even more so for refugees, many of whom have already suffered psychological trauma from fleeing war zones and who already have underlying health conditions. This ruthless disease forced most organisations and schools supporting and helping refugees to cancel all face-to-face events. This decision was taken with a very heavy heart in order to shield refugees from this disease. Unfortunately, losing this vital oxygen supply affected refugees enormously. According to a recent survey, some refugees described life as becoming 'unbearably difficult' since the beginning of the pandemic. Nazia Parveen in her article Coronavirus crisis increases suffering of the most vulnerable refugees, points out that 'social isolation is exacerbating multilayered traumas - no distraction means women are suffering from increasing anxiety levels, sleep problems which can lead to suicide ideation' (Parveen, 2020).

This crisis forced refugees to be confined to their houses not only physically but also mentally; however online classes served as a helping hand and rescued them from loneliness and psychological isolation.
Easing refugees' loneliness
Leicester City of Sanctuary, which is known for offering free face-to-face classes to refugees and asylum seekers, was quick to respond in helping to ease refugees' sufferings by swiftly setting up free online ESOL classes for refugees. Refugee students who have been attending online classes have already reported how they have started to feel happier, more optimistic and how these classes have brightened up their mundane days in isolation. 34 year old Dilara said she started to feel better and less lonely because of these classes. Another student, 32 year old Elisa, said: 'I really feel so free and relaxed during these classes.' Muhammed, 34, said at the beginning of lockdown he was very anxious, confused and became moody as a result of this. However, online classes helped him to cope with uncertainty and he started to feel more comfortable. These refugees' 'peaceful state' during online classes reflects findings from a recent survey which suggests that virtual social interactions, online social reading activities and classes can help to reduce the boredom of long-term social isolation and enable them to feel less lonely (Sanders, 2020). Moreover, these classes can be viewed as a light at the end of tunnel which assures refugees that they are not left alone, that they are not forgotten, and it gives them a sense of being cared for and loved.

Refugee Action, which helps refugees who have survived some of the world's worst regimes and gives them the basic support they need to live again with dignity, has already reported that many refugees and people seeking asylum are among the worst affected in this coronavirus emergency. One of the refugees expressed his pain and said: 'Most of us live with depression surrounding what we fled and what we go through every day, the coronavirus fears will definitely add to it. Another refugee added: 'Most of us will feel forgotten' (Refugee Action, 2020).

Nuriye, another one of my refugee students who has been attending online classes admitted how she hasn't felt helpless and forgotten because of these online classes and she could still progress in her language learning and most of all that she has been really enjoying them.
Providing a sense of normality
In COVID-19: How to Cope with Loneliness during the coronavirus pandemic, Lydia Smith highlights how 'human connection is vital for our sense of well-being' in the current crisis. Loneliness is a growing epidemic in the UK with 2.4 million adults feeling lonely according to data from the Office for National Statistics and it has already been mentioned that refugees are in the highest risk group. Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of My Online Therapy, points out how self-isolation stops us engaging with normal day to day life and emphasizes that 'sticking to a routine' provides a sense of normality. Online classes provide this normality and enables refugees to stick to a routine. Classes take place at the same time and days of the week. Refugee students already underlined how they feel comfortable during online classes and look forward to them every day. Tahmine, one of the refugees in my class, admitted that she waits for classes impatiently every day. 36-year-old Osman also added that online classes gave him a sense of normality: 'We don't know what will happen tomorrow and this uncertainty is worrying; however online classes gave us hope and assurance that the things will go back to normal one day'.
Opening new doors for women with young children
Furthermore, female refugees with young children expressed their great delight and relief that online classes opened up new doors for them to keep up with their studies and to look after their children at the same time. 32 year old Elisa, who has 7 and 4 year old children and whose husband is out at work all day, said that online classes enabled her to self-isolate with her children and continue her language learning. Another student, 28 year old Guzal, pointed out that this is one of the biggest advantages of online classes as she has a young child to look after too. Tahmine, who has 4 and 8 year old boys, supported her online classmates and said that these classes gave her assurance that she is not forgotten. These testimonies above bring to light another very serious problem faced by women refugees.

Government funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in England fell from £203m in 2010 to £90m in 2016 - a real term cut of 60% (Foster& Bolton, 2017). It is evident that this drastic reduction in funding is having a profoundly negative psychological impact, with refugees across England routinely waiting months and in some cases years to access ESOL classes. Women refugees with young children are the most fragile group which is being hit hard by this reduction. Isabelle, one of the refugees who took part in Refugee Action's survey expressed her disbelief: 'The Government has cut classes every year. Last year the ESOL class paid for childcare. But this year they aren't going to pay for that. It is very difficult without childcare' (Refugee Action, 2017).

Online classes on the other hand offer flexibility and assurance to women with young children that they are not forgotten and that they can combine both the language learning and childcare within four walls when they must self-isolate (although it must be acknowledged that balancing childcare and class attendance simultaneously is not a perfect solution).
Creating new opportunities for married couples
Moreover, online classes create new opportunities for married couples to attend the classes at the same time, which was not always possible with face-to-face classes. Manal, another respondent from Refugee Action's survey revealed her sadness: 'I really struggled to get access to English lessons. Every time I went to the job centre they told me that I have to wait longer. A few months ago, they offered me a place at the same time as my husband. I could not attend because of my young son. I was then told that either I or my husband can attend so that one of us could stay with the boy, so I ended up staying home. So, I missed three months. It's clear that online classes enable women to feel less lonely and gives them a sense that they are not left out.

In my online classes, there are currently three married couples who attend online classes at the same time. This creates a very positive, friendly and cheerful atmosphere for the students. This peaceful state of mind is crucial in overcoming these long days of uncertainty when they all have to self-isolate. The majority of the students have already acknowledged that being able to attend classes at the same time with their spouses is one of the biggest advantages of online classes.
Helping students to focus on small achievements
Last but not least, online classes during these uncertain times will help students to focus on small achievements and acknowledge their progress in language learning. Robert Sanders in Covid-19, social isolation and loneliness, has pointed out that this self-isolation during the pandemic will result in people feeling very low and lacking in motivation; however focusing on small achievements can help to foster a sense of competence (Sanders, 2020).

Students attending my online classes have already responded that these classes are keeping them motivated and helping to keep up with their progress. 28 year old Guzal says that, online classes are a big chance for them as these classes enable them to keep on track with their progress. 34 year old Ahmed says that, online classes will make sure that he will not forget anything and it ensures he will be ready to resume face-to-face classes, once everything goes back to normal. Some of the students shared their sad experiences of how they were not able to attend face-to-face classes previously, either because of travel costs or because they were no schools nearby. However, online classes opened up new doors of hope for everyone. These sincere and heartfelt testimonies from the students bring us to conclusion that online classes have been embraced by self-isolating refugees and are giving them the assurance that they are not forgotten, that they are still cared for and loved. Online classes are helping them to feel less lonely, providing them with a routine, giving them a sense of normality, helping them to focus on small achievements, creating new opportunities for women with young children to keep up with their studies, enabling couples to attend the classes at the same time, without either of them feeling that one of them have been left out and, finally, giving them hope that one day everything will go back to normal.

As has been discussed in this post, there are many benefits to online classes. These unprecedented times have shaken every single human being to their deepest cells. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 on people's mental health will be another big area for research for the scientists and doctors for years to come. However, human beings are very fragile, and a quick response in safeguarding their mental well-being is crucial. As has been rationalized above, without any doubt online classes can serve as a vital remedy for loneliness and isolation during this pandemic.
References
Baumeister, Roy, F. (1995). ' The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation'. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15420847_The_Need_to_Belong_Desire_for_Interpersonal_Attachments_as_a_Fundamental_Human_Motivation(accessed 11 June 2020)

Christodoulou,P. (2014). 'This is how it feels to be lonely'. Available at: https://migrantsorganise.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Loneliness-report_The-Forum_UPDATED.pdf (accessed 10 June 2020)

Floyd, K. (2015). ' The Loneliness Cure: Six Strategies for Finding Real Connections in Your Life'. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-27tDQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Loneliness+Cure:+Six+Strategies+for+Finding+Real+Connections+in+Your+Life&hl= en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE07Hvg_rpAhU3UBUIHScuCuwQ6AEIJTAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Loneliness%20Cure%3A%20Six%20Strategies%20for%20Finding%20Real%20Connections%20in%20Your%20Life&f=false (accessed 10 June 2020)

Foster, D. & Bolton, P. (2017). 'Adult ESOL in England', House of Commons library Briefing Paper Number 7905, available at:

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7905/ (accessed 10 June 2020)

Parveen, N. (2020). 'Coronavirus crisis Increases Suffering of Most Vulnerable Refugees'. Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/18/coronavirus-crisis-increases-suffering-of-most-vulnerable-refugees (accessed 12 June 2020)

Refugee Action (2020). 'Our Coronavirus Response: How we're supporting Refugees and People Seeking asylum in the UK.' Available at: https://www.refugee-action.org.uk/coronavirus-response/ (accessed 15 June 2020)

Refugee Action (2017). 'Safe but Alone'. Available at: https://www.refugee-action.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Safe-but-Alone-final.pdf (accessed 10 June 2020)

Sanders, R. (2020). 'COVID-19, Social Isolation and Loneliness'. Available at : https://www.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-04/iriss_esss_outline_social_isolation_22042020.pdf (accessed 13 June 2020)

Smyth, L. (2020). ' COVID-19, How to Cope with Loneliness During the Coronavirus' Available at: https://patient.info/news-and-features/covid-19-how-to-cope-with-loneliness-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic (accessed 11 June 2020)
About the author
Julie G. Umarova

Julie Umarova is an independent ESOL/EFL Tutor. She holds Bachelor's and Master's Degree in English Philology, and Master's Degree in English from the University of Loughborough. She worked with different age range groups, starting with primary school children and university students. She has been volunteering/working closely with refugees since September 2019. She has admitted that working with refugees has been an eye-opening experience and one of the most rewarding things that she has done in her life.

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Online Classes as a Remedy for Loneliness and Isolation during COVID-19

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Julie G. Umarova - 'My husband is in Greece. I'm trying to survive here with my two sons. It is very hard for me. My life made sense with your lessons. It gave me hope. It made my difficult times beautiful.' - Tahmine, 34 These sadness-evoking lines are not from a recent issue of...

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MOOC: Language for Resilience - Teaching English to Refugees and Displaced Learners

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MOOC: Language for Resilience - Teaching English to Refugees and Displaced Learners

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This 9-hour British Council MOOC covers:

How to create a trauma-sensitive learning environment

How to work with limited resources

How to manage challenging behaviour

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Welcome to 'Language for resilience: Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners

As part of our programme to recognise and celebrate World Refugee Day on 20 June, join our Language for Resilience online course for teachers. Throughout the course you will learn effective strategies and techniques to help make your classroom a safe environment. You will learn about the following:

How to create a trauma-sensitive learning environment

How to work with limited resources

How to manage challenging behaviour.

How do I sign up for the course?

Module 1: An introduction to trauma and its effects on the classroom

By the end of this module, you will:

be able to define trauma and understand its possible causes

be able to reflect on the effects on learning and behaviour in the classroom through examples of students and consider the role of the teacher in endings and transitions

learn some interesting ways to create physical and emotional safety through basic strategies

Module 2: Teaching with minimal resources

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

identify the resources available in the classroom.

use a variety of activities when teaching with limited resources and adapt an activity for a particular teaching context

analyse the advantages and disadvantages of different activities and be more resourceful when faced with a low-resource context

Module 3: Dealing with very challenging behaviour

By the end of this module, you will:

be able to understand behaviour as a communication of need - asking what has happened to you rather than what's wrong with you.

be able to recognise unconscious defence mechanisms: breaking negative patterns of interaction: choosing a different response.

learn some practical classroom strategies to manage meaningful communication and interactions.

Start dates and duration

The course begins on 7th June 2022 and lasts for four weeks. Each module involves approximately three hours of study.

Registration for this course closes on 27 June 2022.

Community and forum

The community and forums for this course are on Facebook. You do not need a Facebook account to join.
Join the course community and forum
Cost

Free

Certificates

For participants who successfully complete all tasks and achieve a score of 70% or above in the online exercises, there will be a downloadable certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Level of English required

Minimum CEFR B1

How do I access the course after I have enrolled?

On a desktop or laptop computer

1. Log in to your free TeachingEnglish account.

2. If you have enrolled in the course, you will see 'MY PORTFOLIO' in the menu bar at the top of the page next to the Home button.

3. Move your mouse over MY PORTFOLIO to see the drop-down menu.

4. Click on 'My courses' to access your training.

On a mobile device

1. Log in to your free TeachingEnglish account.

2. Tap the three horizontal lines next to the home button to open the menu.

3. Below 'Home', you will see MY PORTFOLIO and 'My courses' below. Tap on MY PORTFOLIO if you don't see 'My courses'.

4. Tap on 'My courses' to access your training.

Support and troubleshooting

If you have signed up for this course and have problems accessing your learning, please make sure you are logged in, then click or tap the link below:
https://open.teachingenglish.org.uk/Home/MyProgrammes
If you are still having problems accessing your course, please see the advice below:
Problem
I can't register for the course
Possible solution
Please make sure you have created a free account or that you are logged in to your existing account. If registration is available, you will see instructions for 'How do I register for this course?' at the top of this page. If registration is not available, you will see the message 'This course is not available for registration'.
Problem
I can't access the course. I am logged in to my account, but when I click or tap 'My courses' from MY PORTFOLIO I just go to my profile page.
Possible solution
Check that you are not logged into your TeachingEnglish account on a different device or browser. Log out of your account on all devices and browsers, and log in again. Click or tap 'My courses' from MY PORTFOLIO. You should be taken to your training course. If you still can't access your course, log out, clear the cache on your browser and log in again.

Important:

Our courses have a start and end date. After the end date of the course, the material will not be available.
Problem
I can't get my certificate
Possible solution
Certificates are available to participants who complete 70% of the course material. To access your certificate, go to the course platform where you have done your training. Click or tap 'My awards'. If you have completed 70% of the course, your certificate should be available to download.

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Language for resilience: Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners

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Welcome to 'Language for resilience: Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners As part of our programme to recognise and celebrate World Refugee Day on 20 June, join our Language for Resilience online course for teachers. Throughout the course you will learn effective strategies and techniques to help make your classroom a safe environment.

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Blog Post: Providing pastoral support for refugees on university language programmes: It's not a career - it's a life choice by Pascale Roussel

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Blog Post: Providing pastoral support for refugees on university language programmes: It's not a career - it's a life choice by Pascale Roussel

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- Pascale Roussel -
Podcast version of this post available here
I'm the first point of contact for sanctuary-seeking students - refugees and asylum seekers - at the University of Leicester. I work as Programme Administration Team Leader and University of Sanctuary Facilitator for the Centre for International Training and Education, which includes the English Language Teaching Unit and the Sanctuary Seekers' Unit. We have been offering Sanctuary scholarships for our Pre-sessional English Programmes since October 2017 and quickly learnt that teaching and providing standard pastoral care are not enough. Refugees and asylum seekers have complex needs as a result of the traumatic situations and many challenges they have encountered and are still often encountering on a daily basis. It is therefore absolutely essential that we educate ourselves, and provide dedicated pastoral and wrap-around support to these students. Based on my personal experience and the feedback I have received from our Sanctuary scholars, I can honestly say such support hugely impacts their university experience and chances of succeeding. Not only that, but it makes a massive difference in their lives in general.

Before I outline my approach, just to say I'm not advocating that everyone follows in my footsteps as I realise I've got a very personal approach to the role and a lot of colleagues would probably prefer or recommend maintaining stricter professional boundaries. Everyone needs to find their own way and work-life balance. The more you get involved, the more emotional resilience you'll need and the more mindful you'll need to be when it comes to your own mental health. It's easy to get carried away when you are passionate about a cause and when you care about people as individuals. That being said, I'll now go on to outline my perspective and my approach to providing support to these students.

I'm their mama, their sister, their friend. I'm their go-to person when they have a question or problem, big or small. Maybe they just got refugee status and they are about to lose their NASS accommodation without having been able to secure a new place due to the massively long waiting list. Maybe they can't access their online classes because they can't afford a laptop or internet. Maybe they don't know how to cook a meal from the random can selection they got from the food bank. Maybe they don't know how to make British friends. Maybe they are having an anxiety attack and think they just can't do this assignment or pass that exam or talk to that person. Spoiler: they usually can, they just need someone to believe in them and tell them they can.

In June 2020, one of our students wrote to me to say that he'd lost the project he'd been working on for weeks due to a computer problem. It was a couple of days before it was due for submission. He thought it was literally the end and he'd lost his chance to pass the pre-sessional programme and go to university. I emailed him back straight away to reassure him and encourage him. Here is the response I received two days later:

"Thank you very much for all the nice words. Sometimes, one word changes someone's life and everyone needs this word in some point in his life. I submitted my project yesterday evening. I've worked on it for more than 40 hours without eating or sleeping or even drinking. Before I saw your words, I was deciding to sleep and write an email to the course director that I will not be able to do it even if you give me extra time, but when I saw your words I thought about it and I motivated and started writing anyway. I found myself write quickly and not too bad, of course not like the previous one but not bad at all, this is my opinion at least. I don't know how it goes during grading. I have just woken up after approximately two days without sleeping. I hope now to have enough time to practice for exam. Whatever happens in my exams, I will be happy for doing it. A huge thank you again".

As can be seen, sometimes it only takes a few words to help someone feel like it is possible for them to succeed or to overcome their fear of failure or fear more generally. These fears aren't always rational, but they are very real and need urgent attention. Maybe they are having a flashback after hearing an alarm or an helicopter, or they've just received some bad news from their family back home, and they need someone to listen, reassure them, maybe hold their hand, give them a glass of water, tissue or even a hug (in non-COVID times).

But this is only one side of the coin. Yes, they are fragile, but they are the strongest and most resilient people I know. They've been through so much, they've had to adapt so quickly. They still have ambition, hopes and dreams, and they are capable of achieving them, if given the opportunity and right support. I've talked of the difficulties, but I still have to mention how rewarding and heart-warming working with Sanctuary seekers can be. I'm not just their go-to person when they have problems, I'm also their go-to person when it comes to celebrating their achievements. They will proudly tell me when they get their driving licence - a very important step because it means they will get an ID that doesn't mention their immigration status - or when they get a good grade for an assignment they thought they couldn't do. They will invite me to celebrate Eid with them, their graduation, their wedding. For every baby step or giant leap, small or big victory, I'll share their joy and my heart will swell with pride.

I learn from them every day: geography, history, language, religion, cuisine, psychology, art, you name it! I learn from their stories, experiences and everything they willingly share with me: from the Syrian revolution to the Iranian underground art scene, the Turkish cuisine and traditions, the strong Sudanese community spirit, the richness and poetry of the Arabic language, their journeys to the UK and the many countries they've crossed, how fondly they might remember a kind stranger who helped them along the way, the UK immigration system and its many pitfalls, the intense sense of loss or guilt and loneliness they can feel, their wonderful hospitality, warmth and sense of humour.

They've all been in their own personal lockdown for so long and they are probably the ones who've been the most affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, yet they were the first ones to check on me and offer me their help. The truth is, they are the ones who've carried me through this lockdown, they've given me much needed perspective and the strength and motivation to carry on. I feel a responsibility towards them and that I can't let them down, not because it's my job, but because I care about them and they are, actually, my friends. My life is richer because they are in it and for this I'm grateful.
About the author

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Providing pastoral support for refugees on university language programmes: It's not a career - it's a life choice

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Pascale Roussel - Podcast version of this post available here I'm the first point of contact for sanctuary-seeking students - refugees and asylum seekers - at the University of Leicester. I work as Programme Administration Team Leader and University of Sanctuary Facilitator for the Centre for International Training and Education, which includes the English Language Teaching...

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Webinar Recording: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in ELT for Refugee Students

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Webinar Recording: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in ELT for Refugee Students

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This was the EAP for Social Justice SIG's contribution to a '6 SIGs' event, an online symposium focusing on Inclusivity in ELT. Iwona Winiarska-Pringle starts by giving an overview of the EAP4SJ SIG, and the trauma-presentation by Aleks Palanac starts at 7:45

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BALEAP EAP4SJ Trauma-informed pedagogy in ELT for refugee students

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Blog Post: A 'Safe Space' in 'Cyberspace'? Refugee Students in Synchronous Online EAP Classes by Aleks Palanac

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Blog Post: A 'Safe Space' in 'Cyberspace'? Refugee Students in Synchronous Online EAP Classes by Aleks Palanac

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- Aleks Palanac -

The argument for classrooms to be set up as physically and viscerally safe spaces for refugee students and others who have experienced potentially traumatic events is not new (e.g. Horsman, 2004; Kerka, 2002), and the application of this work to English language learning contexts is beginning to gain more momentum and visibility through initiatives such as the recent British Council commissioned Language for Resilience programmes (British Council, 2018; Capstick and Delaney, 2016). But, with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions prompting a sudden need to move our teaching and learning online, it has become necessary to ask how this advice might translate to synchronous online settings. This is particularly pertinent in light of the fact that platforms such as Zoom have recently come under fire in the media for their live sessions being vulnerable to breaches of privacy such as trolling and unauthorised recording by participants, which might be particularly damaging to refugee students needing to protect their identities to safeguard themselves and often also family members back home. How, then, might we take measures to minimise these threats and to foster the creation of safe spaces in cyberspace for refugee students?

As I outlined in a recent article synthesising insights related to trauma-informed ELT pedagogy for refugees (Palanac, 2020), there are many factors which combine to render a classroom a 'safe space', and many of these can be transferred to synchronous online learning contexts. One of these is giving students the opportunity to exercise a degree of control in the space of their classroom. One way of doing this in online contexts is to overtly familiarise students with the features of the synchronous online platform which you are using, which will enable them to make decisions about the degree to which they wish to be 'present' or 'visible' in the online space of the classroom. This might entail allowing them to experiment with: changing their on-screen name (to their first name only, or a pseudonym); turning their video on and off; muting and unmuting themselves; using the chatbox to communicate with the class if they cannot or do not wish to switch their audio on; changing the view of participants to grid view so that they can see all of their classmates (if their videos are turned on), or at least get a better sense of who is in the virtual classroom with them; sending a private message to the teacher to express a concern; and using a virtual background (if they do not wish for others to see their home). However, on this last point, see Barrett-Fox's (2020) recent insightful blog on the limitations of using virtual backgrounds, which includes concerns about these not functioning properly on all devices and potentially not fully preventing other people from appearing on the screen.

Another transferrable strategy from face-to-face trauma-informed ELT pedagogy is to set clear expectations and ground rules from the outset (Furneaux, 2018). This might include: a procedure for turn taking (e.g. raising one's hand in the video or through the 'raise hand' function of certain platforms); agreeing rules about whether and/or when it is permissible for them to record and/or take screenshots of sessions, and what use these screenshots might then be put to; explaining the procedure for using break-out rooms so that, among other things, they know to expect that you may be popping in and out; agreeing whether students are permitted to share the session link and password with others, and, if so, who.

On this last point, there are various further measures which can be put in place to secure the boundaries of the synchronous online classroom against undesirables. For example, with reference to the Zoom platform, guidance compiled by U.C. Berkeley (2020) suggests: the meeting ID and password for the session should not be shared on public forums, but instead sent to participants directly; the 'join before host' option should be unchecked, as should the function which allows students to record the session through their app; and private chat and screen sharing by participants should be disabled. If an undesirable does somehow end up in the session, it is important for a teacher to be aware of the actions which they can immediately take to minimise the risks, including switching a participant's audio and/or video off and removing them from the session.

Whilst it can be seen that some strategies from the trauma-informed ELT pedagogy for refugees can be usefully applied to the synchronous online classroom, these measures are by no means a perfect solution to creating a 'safe space' in online classes. For example, the options of being able to switch one's video off and change one's online name may help a student feel more comfortable in some respects (in terms of protecting their own identity), but the flip side of this is that others in the class may feel uncomfortable not knowing exactly who is in the room with them, which may then reduce their own sense of safety, and may also negatively affect quality of inter-personal interaction and relationship-building. The latter is another key tenet of building a sense of safety in the language classroom, in which students need to feel comfortable enough in their social environment to take risks and make mistakes (e.g. Stone, 1995).

At present, therefore, the indication is that, while there are certainly ways in which teachers and refugee students can mitigate the risks contingent in using online platforms for synchronous EAP teaching and learning, the measures used for increasing the sense of safety of one student may inadvertently lead to other students feeling less safe, or to a potential deterioration in the quality of classroom interaction. Ultimately, as with good face-to-face trauma-informed teaching, a flexible approach should be taken, with teachers making themselves available to listen to students' concerns and needs, and being ready to respond with flexibility and creativity.
References
Barrett-Fox, R. (2020). 'A reminder of who is hurt by insisting that students share images of their personal lives', Any Good Thing, 6 March. Available at: https://anygoodthing.com/2020/04/06/a-reminder-of-who-is-hurt-by-insisting-that-students-share-images-of-their-personal-lives/amp/?__twitter_impression=true (accessed 8 May 2020)

British Council (2018) Language for Resilience: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives. Available at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/language_for_resilience_-_cross-disciplinary_perspectives_0.pdf

Capstick, T. & Delaney, M. (2016) Language for Resilience: The Role of Language in Enhancing the Resilience of Syrian Refugees and Host Communities. Available at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/language-for-resilience-report-en.pdf

Furneaux, C. (2018) 'Trauma and second / foreign language learning' in T. Capstick (ed) Language for Resilience: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives. Available at: www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/language_for_resilience_-_cross-disciplinary_perspectives_0.pdf (accessed 8 May 2020)

Horsman, J. (2004) '"But is it education?": The challenge of creating effective learning for survivors of trauma'. Women's Studies Quarterly 32/1-2: 130-146 www.jstor.org/stable/40004396 (accessed 8 May 2020)

Kerka, S. (2002) 'Trauma and Adult Learning' ERIC Digest 1-8 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED472601.pdf(accessed 8 May 2020)

Palanac, A. (2020). 'Towards a trauma-informed ELT pedagogy for refugees' Language Issues 30/2: 3-14

Stone, N. (1995) 'Teaching ESL to Survivors of Trauma' Prospect 10/3: 49-57U.C. Berkeley (2020). Settings for securing Zoom. [online] Available at: https://security.berkeley.edu/resources/cybersecurity-and-covid-19/settings-securing-zoom (accessed 8 May 2020)
About the author

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A 'safe space' in 'cyberspace'? Refugee students in synchronous online EAP classes

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Aleks Palanac - The argument for classrooms to be set up as physically and viscerally safe spaces for refugee students and others who have experienced potentially traumatic events is not new (e.g. Horsman, 2004; Kerka, 2002), and the application of this work to English language learning contexts is beginning to gain more momentum and...

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Webinar Recording from BALEAP 2021: EAP for Refugees Session (SJ SIG Event Inspired by the Work of Carol Irvine, University of Glasgow)

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Webinar Recording from BALEAP 2021: EAP for Refugees Session (SJ SIG Event Inspired by the Work of Carol Irvine, University of Glasgow)

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We hear about the inspiring work that the late Carol Irvine did, alongside Dr Bill Guariento, to widen participation for refugee-background students to access pre-sessional programmes at the University of Glasgow. We then hear about how her work inspired similar initiatives at the University of Leicester, followed by an outline of the CARA Syria Programme

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Webinar Recording: Researching Refugeedom 2022

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Webinar Recording: Researching Refugeedom 2022

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This session from the University of Leicester's Breaking Barriers Refugee Week 2022 showcases three research projects focusing on refugees. Of particular relevance to inclusivity in ELT/EAP is the second presentation (starting at 31:40) entitled Beyond Resilience: Facilitating Learning and Well-Being in the Refugee Language Classroom

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Interview: Teaching Trauma Experienced Learners 

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Interview: Teaching Trauma Experienced Learners 

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Emily Bryson talks with Aleks Palanac about trauma-informed approaches in the refugee language classroom in this interview which is part of National Geographic's Teaching Through Crisis series.

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246 views, 12 likes, 4 loves, 22 comments, 4 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from National Geographic Learning Europe: This event is the third Facebook...

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Report: Finding their way: The journey to university for refugee and asylum-seeking young people in Coventry

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Report: Finding their way: The journey to university for refugee and asylum-seeking young people in Coventry