NATECLA Webinar: Bias, Belonging and ESOL

• Title: Bias, Belonging and ESOL
•  Date: Friday 19 January 2024
• Time: 17:00 -18:30
• Presenters: Dr Nafisah Graham-Brown
• Cost: NATECLA members £5, non-members £30

To book, copy and paste this web link into your browser: https://bit.ly/bias-belonging

About the webinar: Bias, Belonging and ESOL

Migrant language education for adults in England ranges from delivery of classes in formal settings to informal community-led conversation clubs.

As many programmes have an aim of supporting participants to resettle in the UK, it has become necessary to consider how adult ESOL courses support people to feel they are accepted and belong in their new communities. This includes supporting teachers and volunteers to examine their own biases and deficit views of language learning, and shifting the paradigms of second language learning.

Drawing on her doctoral research, Dr Graham-Brown suggests using the theory of belonging as an alternative lens with which to view new language development, diversity and inclusion. This session will give teachers, practitioners and volunteers the tools to be able to diversify their curriculum and teaching methodologies, to better support the needs of the wide range of students in adult ESOL.

 

About the presenter: Dr Nafisah Graham-Brown

Nafisah is Head of Fundraising and Business Development at ELATT, an education not-for-profit delivering ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and refugee and migrant settlement programmes across London. She is also a board member for NATECLA and was Co-Chair from 2018-2022. She is a board member for ALT, the Adult Literacy Trust, UK.

She gained her Doctor in Education from UCL Institute of Education in 2020. Her research area is belonging and her doctoral thesis was on the experiences of migrant women who are settling into UK society, with a focus on the value of social interactions.

She has managed ESOL and community projects since 2010, growing the provision from its Hackney base into eight London boroughs and developing partnerships with other third sector partners, colleges, ACL, local authorities and government.

As well as being an experienced adult education teacher, she is also an established leader in the sector, and was one of the youngest chosen to take part in the Preparing for CEO in FE, delivered at Said Business School, University of Oxford. 

Nafisah is passionate about encouraging and fostering independence and autonomy in learners, to progress and flourish in their lives. She believes that to achieve equality we need to holistically examine equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion in all our contexts, and make clear commitments to social justice for all. 

Nafisah is a cat-lover, a cyclist, and is continuously trying to live a more environmentally-responsible life.

If you want to register multiple people from your organisation, or if you have any problems booking using the Findjoo booking system, please email info@natecla.org.uk to book and pay.

To book, copy and paste this web link into your browser: https://bit.ly/bias-belonging