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The quality of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training is getting better, but a lot more needs to be done to ensure standards are lifted beyond ‘satisfactory’ levels.

According to a report published recently by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted), inadequate ESOL in colleges is now rare. The number of colleges providing ESOL that is less than satisfactory has fallen to one in sixteen, down from one in five in the period from 2001-2005.

The report, ESOL in the post-compulsory learning and skills sector: an evaluation, examines the quality of English training for speakers of other languages, including migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers who reside in England.

Despite marked improvements with the quality of ESOL training and overall success rates, only around half the ESOL provided by colleges and a fifth by adult and community learning providers is found to be good or outstanding.

Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said:

“Good English speaking skills are critical to millions of people, and open up a world of opportunities and benefits to learners, such as developing skills for the workplace and integrating further with the community.

“Whilst it’s encouraging to see a general picture of improvement, it is time that standards were raised so that the overwhelming majority of English for Speakers of Other Languages provision is good or better. We must equip learners with the very best English skills to help them have the confidence to make a positive contribution to the community,” added Ms Gilbert.

The most effective lessons are found to be those where learners can practise and develop their speaking skills at length, with skilled, often non-verbal intervention from their teacher. Encouragingly, a large majority of learners are now working towards externally recognised qualifications – as part of the Government’s Skills for Life strategy - which has a particular emphasis on speaking and listening skills.

On the whole, students spoke positively about the opportunity to learn English, and found their new skills extremely helpful in coping with daily life. From simple activities like shopping, or talking to doctors without having to be helped, to more complex vocational skills such as writing resumes or practising interviews and phone conversations for job placements.

Provision of ESOL in the workplace is growing, but the volume is still small. Providers often find it difficult to persuade employers of the value of offering ESOL learning to their employees, despite the benefits.

The report also finds that although an increasing number of providers offer ESOL integrated with vocational training, the range of vocational subjects offered was often narrow. Furthermore, on skills programmes specifically aimed at improving employment prospects, too few ESOL learners had the opportunity for work experience.

Following the introduction of fees for certain categories of learners in 2007, some colleges cited a drop in enrolments and demand, while others reported no change or an increase in demand for ESOL training. With no clear patterns emerging, the report suggests the impact of fees on enrolments should continue to be closely monitored.

Recommendations:

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills should closely monitor the impact of major changes in ESOL fee policy, including any major changes in client group.

The Learning and Skills Council should develop effective business cases to persuade employers of the value of offering ESOL learning to their employees. They should also ensure providers receive timely and clear information on funding arrangements and fees.

Providers should take action to increase success rates in accredited Skills for Life qualifications and improve the planning of individual learning and the attention given to individual needs in learning sessions. They should also develop more effective ways of following up the destinations of leavers and ensure learners on employability programmes receive adequate work experience.

Read the report

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1. ESOL in the post-compulsory learning and skills sector: an evaluation, can be found on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk
2. A team of five HMIs and one additional inspector visited 14 further education (FE) colleges, eight adult and community learning (ACL) providers, five independent work-based learning providers, and one learndirect provider between September 2007 and February 2008.
3. Most colleges were chosen where their ESOL provision had been graded good or better at their most recent inspection, with the remainder of providers rated at least satisfactory. Responses to a survey questionnaire received from 114 colleges and 30 ACL providers were also analysed in detail.
4. College respondents to the survey questionnaire were responsible for 62% of ESOL enrolments funded in colleges by the Learning and Skills Council in 2006-07. ACL respondents were responsible for 35% of ESOL enrolments directly funded by the LSC in the ACL sector.
5. ESOL is part of Skills for Life, the national strategy for literacy, numeracy and language launched in 2001. Government funded ESOL learners have been required to work towards the national standards since 2001. Externally recognised ESOL qualifications at these levels were introduced between the middle and end of 2004.
6. From 1 April 2007 a new single inspectorate for children and learners came into being. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) has the responsibility for the inspection of adult learning and training – work formerly undertaken by the Adult Learning Inspectorate; the regulation and inspection of children's social care – work formerly undertaken by the Commission for Social Care Inspection; the inspection of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service – work formerly undertaken by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Court Administration; and the existing regulatory and inspection activities of Ofsted.
7. The Ofsted Press Office can be contacted on 08456 4040404 between 8am – 6pm Monday – Friday. During evenings and weekends we can be reached on 07919 057359.