A Critical History of ESOL in the UK 1870-2006

Presents a critical evaluation of adult ESOL provision which contributes to debates on adult education, citizenship and entitlement. This work also offers a history of ESOL that charts the history of UK immigration.

This work presents a critical evaluation of adult ESOL provision which contributes to current debates on adult education, citizenship and entitlement. A history of ESOL also charts the history of UK immigration. It is highly topical, with political expansion to include the new Accession Countries. There are clear lessons to be drawn from the history of ESOL in the UK on the role, function and funding of post-school and community education, as well as the particular position of language learning and basic skills, and their relationships with each other.

Thematic strands (see over for full contents listing)
* Language: the effects of changing theories and practice of language teaching and learning
and the increasing dominance of English as a world language
* Government attitudes to and provision for immigration, refuge and settlement
* International economic, social and political factors
* Central, local, community and voluntary organisation responses to meeting the needs of ESOL learners
* The adult basic skills campaign in the UK from the 1970s and its relationship to the funding and provision of ESOL. Introduction: setting out aims and brief background history of ESOL
Chapter 1: 1870-1930
Jewish settlement, especially in London\'s East End. Role of voluntary organisations and self-help texts
Methodology and materials used at the time. Issues of mother tongue maintenance, assimilation/integration
Chapter 2: 1930-1950
(i) Refugees from the Spanish Civil War and Nazi Europe. Teaching methodology and materials used: Berlitz, Linguaphone, Pitmans, Eckersley
(ii) Free French and other patriot forces. Role of armed forces education service and voluntary organisations
Chapter 3: 1950s and 1960s
The different challenges from post-war patterns of immigration and refuge
(i) Immigration statistics. (ii) Government responses. (iii) Local Education Authority responses. (iv) BBC response. (v) Community response. (vi) DES response (vii) The position of ESOL teaching in the 1960s
Chapter 4: 1970s
The period of expansion
Russell Report 1973. The role of the ILEA. Establishment and contribution of Language and Literacy Unit, its organisational influence, training and publications
The continuing impact of Section 11 and other forms of funding. Impact of succeeding waves of refugees from Latin America, Uganda, Cambodia, Vietnam. (none of them provided for under Section 11 funding)
The role of the National Extension College (NEC) in publishing materials. Influence of the Council of Europe Threshold level and CILT
Chapter 5: 1980-1992
Consolidation and retrenchment
Relationship with the adult literacy movement. Abolition of the ILEA 1989. Abolition of Industrial Language Training 1989. The particular vulnerability of adult and community education
The recognition of other community languages
Chapter 6: 1993-2000
From incorporation to Moser Committee
The establishment of the Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit within the central government education department. The ESOL profession\'s response. Critique of materials and training
Chapter 7: 2000 onwards
Importance of ESOL professional contribution, especially NATECLA, to developing the National Curriculum, teacher training and targets. Security for ESOL but dangers in aligning the needs of ESOL learners with those of Basic Skills students and the absence of the dimensions racial discrimination and social cohesion.