ESOL portal: English for Life and work

Tribal CTAD is involved in developing an online solution for ESOL learners called the 'English for Life and Work'.
What is the ESOL portal?
The ESOL portal is a digital platform for English language teaching and learning, for young people and adults whose first language is not English. It is based on the idea of a virtual self-help and blended learning model. This approach aims to personalise English language learning through a combination of on-demand and on-line training, supported where appropriate by a network of local animators and e-tutors.

Target audience
The portal will target a wide audience, paying particular attention to the following themes:
1. Social inclusion: the main focus will be to provide flexible access to learning for those individuals most at risk of social exclusion because of poor English language skills.
2. Employability: those whose low levels of language make it difficult for them to work effectively, efficiently and safely. The portal will equip them with skills required for interview practice or job application processes and procedures, occupationally relevant language.
3. Qualifications: for those who are applying to be UK citizens or working towards ESOL or literacy qualifications.
Initially, the portal is aimed at young people and adults who are literate in their mother tongue. They will have basic ICT skills and with first language skills at Entry Level 3 or above and they will access the portal with a purpose in mind, e.g. citizenship, interview practice or job application processes and procedures, occupationally relevant language or working towards ESOL or literacy qualifications.
Target languages
• Urdu
• Polish
• Mandarin
• Other languages speakers can use the English version of the site.
Trialling process
This phase involves testing the site with hundreds of learners and collecting some feedback via an online survey and an invisible internal system. The feedback will contribute towards further development of the portal.
The trialling sites will be provided with a link to the portal and learners will have access to a host of Free learning materials through the trialling duration which runs until the end of October.
To find out more, and to give us your feedback, register at: www.englishforlifeandwork.co.uk