As part of this I created an activity that encouraged students to ask and answer questions that they may need in day to day life. My ESOL students’ main needs are to improve their English so that they feel less isolated in an English speaking society. This is also beneficial to improve all four skills needed in language, speaking, listening, reading and writing. I would pair 2 students that come from differing countries to ensure that they do not speak the same language and to emphasise the importance of speaking in English. I would then explain the roles of each student and ask them to read the dialogue in turns while encouraging them to focus on pronunciation. My role in this is mainly to observe and offer constructive feedback. After reading the dialogue and getting an idea of the role play I would get the students to do the role play once more without looking at the dialogue to encourage them to think of the English for themselves and to build their confidence in speaking and listening.

This activity has a very positive impact on my students as it shows them that they can use English practically and they can build their ability to speak to any stranger. This helps them to become less withdrawn and integrate into society while feeling comfortable and safe to do so. They begin to believe that they can ask for support when they need it and they get a general increase in confidence.

- Kokila Solanki

My activity focuses mainly on speaking and listening which is imperative for my students to improve their confidence in the outside world. To begin with I would recite the alphabet emphasising the correct pronunciation, this will introduce the new concreate experience. I would then encourage students to reflect on their knowledge of the alphabet and how their pronunciation differs from mine. To finalize the cycle, the students participate in a game to help them test out and experiment with this reflection. The game involves splitting students into pairs and they must complete the alphabet together saying one letter each alternating. If a mistake is made, they must start again from the beginning. This creates a challenge for students as they use everything they have heard and reflected about towards this new experience. 

The activity has allowed my students to further solidify and improve their understanding and pronunciation of the English alphabet which further positively impacts their general speaking and listening skills. It also allows my students to go back home with an activity that they can easily complete at home too without guidance to continue improving. 

-Nital Joshi