Enter English Course launch
How are churches and volunteer community groups supporting refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Iran? As the UK government is trying to ‘export’ asylum seekers to Rwanda, how can ordinary people in our country help those most in need? Who is supporting families hosting newly arrived refugees from Ukraine? We have one potential answer. Welcome to the Enter English course.
Over 75,000 refugees from the war in Ukraine have already arrived and are being hosted by families in the UK. Churches and community groups are standing in the gap left by years of government underfunding to support refugees by providing English classes and conversation cafes.
Through this new 10-hour online training course and additional webinar series, Christian TEFL aims to support families hosting Ukrainian refugees and groups teaching English to refugees and asylum seekers in their local communities.
From experience working with churches across the UK, we know that many refugees lack basic English skills. Without these, they can’t integrate effectively. Many feel marginalised and isolated. This course is designed to support families hosting Ukrainian refugees by providing them with initial teaching skills to help their guests understand basic English, communicate successfully and engage more fully in their new home location. It’s also relevant for churches and community groups wishing to help refugees from any country learn basic English.
Enter English Course content
Written and produced by Christian TEFL, the course covers the following topics:
- Refugees in the UK – how we can help.
- Having a conversation – basic functional English.
- Getting it right – essential English grammar.
- Signposting – agencies and support.
There will be a webinar on each available to all participants.
It’s a basic introduction to how we communicate in English with those who have minimal language capability. Western Power Distribution has provided a grant through Localgiving, which enables us to write and produce the course. It also allows us to offer the course free for the first 100 participants within the Western Power Distribution area. Thereafter, we plan to make it available at a nominal fee for anyone wishing to participate.
William Bradridge from Christian TEFL says:
“The generous funding from Western Power Distribution through Localgiving has enabled us to support the valuable work so many families are doing here in the UK. We can also get alongside churches and community groups to help them reach out to refugees in their areas. With over 75,000 Ukrainian refugees already arrived and many more coming, we want to help refugees overcome the isolation that moving to a new country can bring. To be able to offer friendship as they enrich our lives by their presence.”
The course is available now and free to the first 100 people in the Western Power Distribution area. If you are interested in taking the course and would like to sign up, visit our Enter English registration page here.
Hi,
I work as an ESOL Coordinator on a refugee resettlement scheme in Warwickshire (within the Western Power Distribution Area). One part of my role is working with different volunteer groups who provide ESOL to refugees. Some of the volunteers are formally-trained teachers, often with an ESOL background. Others are complete novices but bring with them enthusiasm.
The groups I work with are not specifically associated with churches, although there are some links. Would this course be appropriate form them? And, if so, are there any of the free places remaining?
Kind regards,
Harry Pickup.
Hello Harry,
Great to hear from you and I have emailed you separately about availability and options for your team in Warwickshire.
Best wishes,
William
Our small community in Ashland, Oregon is sponsoring, hosting 6 families from the Ukraine. They all have host families and I am teaching English. Their children are attending local schools and are pulled out for ESL classes daily. I am teaching adults. They are wonderful and clever and so willing to do the work. We have approximately 10 adults and 5 teachers…we are all retired English or ESL folks. Would this be a proper use of this funding if there are programs available?
Hello Rhonda,
Thank you for your message. The course is now available to anyone supporting internationals from all over the world.
You would be welcome to register and enrol.
Best wishes,
William