In Practice: Case study - Help for parents to improve English
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A children's centre in Cheltenham has started an informal group where parents with English as a second language can chat, improve their English and gain confidence in speaking. Jo Stephenson looks at how it is improving lives.
Objectives: Gardners Lane Children's Centre in Cheltenham developed a Social English Group after spotting a gap in support for parents with English as a second language. "Very often people with English as a second language came to a group but were quite isolated," explains community family worker Julie Clifton, who set up the group with her colleague Solja Sovali. "There wasn't really anything in the area apart from ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses, which can be hard to get into and take a year."
What was done: The centre began hosting two-hour weekly sessions on Tuesday mornings where parents could chat and improve their English. Sessions are limited to 10 people and are fairly informal. "It's very flexible so we tailor it to the needs of those attending," says Clifton. "People like talking about their families, so it's a good starting point. Some say the only time they get to speak English is when they come to the group."
The group sometimes goes out to join the library, uses public transport or visits the local college. It has been publicised through word of mouth and talking to people who come to the centre to use services such as childcare. Health visitors and family members also refer people. Sometimes other professionals such as speech therapists, social workers and local police pop in and the group has covered issues such as domestic violence and community safety.
The issues: "The difficulty when running a group like this is there will be people who are more confident and speak a lot, so you have to ensure quieter people also have a chance to speak and become more confident," says Clifton. "Also you have to stop people chatting in their own language, because it can detract from the group."
Sometimes group members have only basic skills in their own language, which makes it more challenging to learn another. One good thing is the group does not cost much to run and makes use of resources already available at the centre, including basic literacy games and tools.
Outcomes: Members have gained confidence in handling everyday situations such as making phone calls and going to the doctor. One is now volunteering at the centre, while others have gone on to take part in ESOL courses. "People feel more confident generally and more confident in speaking English," says Sovali. "They're getting more involved in their own community and the wider community. This month (September) the centre is launching Social English Family Time sessions, where mums and children can play and learn together.
TOP TIPS
Do
- Encourage quieter members of the group to participate to ensure confident people don't dominate
- Be patient and take time to build trust by showing interest in people's backgrounds and families
- Talk about what other services are available in the area
Don't
- Have more than eight to 10 people in a group - any more and it's too big
- Forget to provide a creche for those with young children and have two people to be with the group.