With national cuts to ESOL funding, West London College students were part of a multilingual mingle with students from further education colleges across the capital, to encourage the London Mayor’s Office to increase the funding available for ESOL courses and to raise awareness of the importance of lifelong language learning, diversity and intercultural understanding.
One activity involved the students describing how they felt about their ESOL class in one adjective, they also wrote that word in their language and asked other students to do the same in theirs. Many students came back with words written in 19 languages, to demonstrate the diversity of the attendees.
Nicci Golland, ESOL teacher at West London College, said: “Participating in this action has helped our students feel part of a wider ESOL community outside of West London College. Many of our students come from marginalised communities so it is vital that their voices are heard.”
The event, organised by English for Action on European Day of Languages, promoted lifelong language learning, linguistic diversity and intercultural understanding and highlighted the importance of access to English classes especially in London where over 300 languages are spoken.
West London College is the top provider for ESOL courses in inner London with the Highest Achievement and Highest Retention Rate across the capital*. Our courses focus on improving our learners’ English Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing, and Maths up to GCSE level to prepare students for academic or employment progression.
*Source: National achievement rates tables 2016 to 2017
Notes to editors
For more information please contact Jack Gallagher, Marketing and Communications Manager at West London College, on j.gallagher@wlc.ac.uk or call 0208 741 1688.
West London College is a large Further Education college with five sites: Hammersmith and Fulham College, Ealing Green College, Southall Community College, Park Royal College and West London Construction Academy.
Rated Good by Ofsted it is the Top Performing College in London having achieved the first position in the National Achievement Rate Tables for both Overall Achievement Rate and Adult Achievement Rate in London.
Offers both full-time and part-time courses for 16-18s and adults in a wide range of subjects, students can choose vocational, professional and academic qualifications. It also provides flexible and responsive training programmes for employers and high-quality apprenticeships via its employer training arm, the Evolve Learning Group.