ESOL Practitioner’s Network meeting – CPP
BPSS at Dryburgh Education Resource Centre
Wed 14 January 2015
Present
Berenice Hunter – Course Leader, ESOL, D&A College
Nicola Weston Gokalp - Course Leader, ESOL, D&A College
Gill Atchison – Team Leader Bi-lingual Pupils Support Service
Kirsty Gemmell – Senior Community Learning Development Officer
Minutes
Discussion about holding a second ESOL CPD Event in June
· Friday 12 June at Gardyne Campus in a room that allows groupwork
· Possibly longer than a morning
AP: Berenice / Nicola check with Peter re date (conflicts wiuth other meeting) refreshments / lunch / free use of room.
Ideas for content
· Working with mixed ability learners
· ESOL Learners with additional support needs (deaf, blind, mental health)
· Family ESOL – input from BPSS using new on-line course ‘Valuing Bilingiualism’ and follow up. Also mentioned – PEEP and possibility of graphic illustrations of figures.
· Measuring impact and evaluating – sharing ideas/materials
AP: Berenice possibly try using video of students interviewing each other using their own questions
· Sharing materials / show and tell – both paper-based and on-line resources with a vew to compiling a list. Could use computer room for small groups in a workshop-type activity.
AP: all to come with ideas for content and speakers to next meeting
1. Ingeus Language Lift Update
Judith Kinninmont has been in touch with Marie Dailly about ELR (English Language Requirement) provision.
AP: Berenice/Nicola to check with Peter about any contact with D&A College from Ingeus or Job Centre Plus.
2. ESOL Strategy Fund 2015/16
AP: Kirsty to check with Marie / Mandy Watts about dates etc
3. Amina Employability classes
Re email from Lori looking for people to provide Conversation Classes for learners completing Employability classes. Nicola has responded with two recent CELTA graduates. Kirsty suggested a possible opportunity for partnership – most logically with DIWC. Dana confirmed DIWC would be happy to work together with Amina to support any of their service users in our conversation classes.
AP: Kirsty and Dana to respond and suggest partnership approach.
AP: Berenice / Nicola, Dana, Kirsty to email info re courses.
4. SQA ESOL Updates
Attendance at Nominee event at Morgan Academy was positive. Two more scheduled:
· Monday 19 January, 4pm
Focus on Writing
Room – Computing 2 on 2nd floor
· March (date?) 4pm
Focus on Listening and Speaking
AP: Berenice / Nicola / Kirsty to publicise among staff
SQA website is now fully updated.
5. ESOL Nexus
Useful site for teachers and learners. Teachers now have to provide on-line materials for pupils in case they can’t come to school.
AP: D&A staff to demonstrate MyLearning / Moodle in June
6. 16-18 year old provision
Number of disengaged 16 year-olds has increased (mostly male and Polish).
APs: Gill to tell them to apply for FT ESOL and forward names to Berenice / Nicola
Berenice / Nicola to follow up with Peter to see how they can be supported, perhaps with the help of other members of staff
AOCB / Updates
DIWC
· Pervin Ahmad has resigned and her last day was last Wednesday. As you can imagine it was extremely sad as she has been with DIWC for so long, but we hope she is moving on to bigger and better things, and we hope to continue the good work of DIWC. At the moment Caroline Mckenna is acting CEO until March 2015.
· B1 prep class has now ended but following up with 1-1 support where necessary.
· Women into sustainable employment (Wise) childcare course was successful, the 6 week ESOL preparation course was well attended by 8 women and are due to start placement in council run nurseries. The next course is due to start on 26th January on customer services, if you know anyone interested in moving into this field of work and and will be able to attend ESOL classes Mon-Fri 9.30-12.30 for 6 weeks from this date please let us know.
· Science is the next work area that Wise will run and this will lead to placements as lab technicians, this will run after the Easter holidays. We would be happy to work together with Amina to support any of their service users in our conversation classes, I'll see if I can contact Lori.
· DIWC had a large scale xmas fayre event in Morgan Academy at the end of Nov, it proved to be a great way for BME and wider community to mix and a lot of contributions from our volunteers and service users to raise funds for DIWC classes and groups. We hope to run it again next year.
· Burns lunch club Wednesday 28th Jan 12-1pm, £2.50 for a lovely lunch with entertainment and indoor highland games, a good way to spend a lunch break
· Chinese New Year Lunch Club Wednesday 18th Feb 12-1pm, an authentic Chinese meal with some displays showing facts about Chinese new year celebrations and entertainment. £2.50 per person.
· International Women's Week Cooking from round the world workshops and an exhibition contributed to by ESOL, art and Youth groups. Look out for dates and costs in our newsletters, facebook or website also we will be featured in International Women's Week brochure.
Mitchell St
· New Chief Executive – David Martin.
D&A
· Free classes (pre-int and upper-int) begin Thursday 5 February, 9.15-11.15 in Gardyne Campus – room 307a/ 307b.
BPSS
· Numbers continue to rise: 87 new Primary age children (1.5 times the usual number) and 37 new secondary age. All parents receive leaflets about BPSS.
Bookbug sessions for Chinese children were really successful.
ESOL Map
AP all: send updated provision info to Kirsty by Friday 23 January for inclusion in the ESOL map.
DONM
Wednesday 1 April 9.30-11.30 in DIWC