MIGRANTS who are building a new life in the UK say ESOL lessons at Wiltshire College & University Centre are giving them the gift of communication and expression.
This week is Refugee Week, which celebrates the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees who come to the UK. This year’s theme is Community as a Superpower and lecturer Tom Evans believes the record number of 80 students of all ages who are studying English at the college’s Salisbury campus play a more active role in their communities as their language skills grow.
“Our ESOL department is the only offering what I would call proper ESOL with qualifications and certificates in the whole county,” he said.
“It’s quite a precious resource because it’s a pathway to employment or further study.”
The abilities vary from absolute beginners to those who just want to improve their skills. There are six levels of ESOL, split into three modules that are studied over the course of a year. Tom uses a combination of sign language, body language, books, pictures and online resources to build his pupils’ confidence.
“Getting everybody to work together and help each other works as well,” he said. “Teaching them is a privilege and it certainly gets me out of bed every morning because you know you’re doing good for the world by just doing your day’s work.”
Noorullah Shirzad spent 14 years in his native Afghanistan working as a translator with the British Army before he came to Wiltshire with his wife and children as part of the settlement scheme.
“My English was okay but I wanted it to be better so I applied for the ESOL course,” said Noorullah, who now works in a school. “I’ve studied for two years and my English has improved a lot, my vocabulary is growing.
“I worked for Aldi for a few months and at the beginning it was difficult. But step by step, when I’m using my English I am improving. I enjoy working, dealing with the people and listening to them.”
His eldest son Elhamullah, 19, is studying alongside his father since last September. “It was so hard for me to speak English at first because I didn’t know the accents well,” he said.
“I was shy as well, but now hopefully I’m improving a lot. I know the English accents and how to listen so it’s all good things that happened to me.”
His new-found language has given him the confidence to apply to study engineering. “If I hadn’t started the ESOL course I couldn’t do that because I have to know English,” he said.
“I’ve improved a lot and it’s really helpful for me. I enjoy the course a lot and I am very happy with the lecturers, they are respectful and they are so nice with us.”
Wiya Pan, 19, moved to Fordingbridge from China with her parents when they opened a restaurant. “When I first came here my speaking was terrible because in English lessons in my country we were just reading books and writing, but no speaking at all,” she said.
She now helps her parents with the ordering and paperwork for the restaurant and enjoys helping out with serving. “I like to chat with the customers and I feel more confident now,” she said. “I want to study beauty or maybe go university, I haven’t decided yet.”
Alisa Hololob, 37, and her young daughter, who is now 13, came to the UK after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and were among thousands of people who were torn apart from their families and found themselves in a strange country where communication was almost impossible.
“It was really difficult and frustrating and when we lived with a sponsor family they tried to talk to us using easy words but when I started to work in beauty salon it was so difficult to talk with my colleagues,” she said.
“I have finished Level 3 now and I feel confident. I love studying and going to college and I love our relationship with teachers, it is really friendly and that’s very important.”
The students say aside from being able to talk and understand people, the course has meant they can fill in forms and communicate via email – which is vital in an increasingly online world.
They have also made friendships that have been forged by their common circumstances. “I have enjoyed the course because I have made friends, we are all learning together,” said Wiya.
Noorullah adds: “Sometimes there will be a group discussion and you have everybody talking about their culture, their country and their situation. It’s really good for us to get to know each other, we’re just sharing languages and we’re making friends so we are integrated with each other.
“Because of this course I have a very good connection with my community, I have made lots of friends and we have integrated. My children are very happy in school and we are happy with the local people.”
