EFA Conference 2020: ESOL and Community Organising
EFA Conference 2020: ESOL and Community Organising
From GBP 10.00
Location
Date
Description
This year's conference theme is Community Organising and ESOL. Community organsing has been integral to the approach of English for Action (EFA) since our beginnings in 2006. During the conference participants will explore together what community organising means, identify the various approaches, origins and influences and exchange experiences of doing it. EFA will share our approach(es) to community organising and how this might differ from others. We will make a case for including community organising as an intrinsic part of participatory ESOL.
We will also focus on some of the problems or difficulties, both theoretically and practically, for deeper discussion. The specifics will be determined by the experiences and perspectives brought by conference participants but might include:
How do we work effectively with heterogenous groups, including a focus on social class and its intersection with other identities?
To what extent is ESOL-based community organising possible with lower level groups/students?
Is this community organising necessary/desirable in all contexts?
How do we address power dynamics in community organising?
What is the role of the teacher/organiser in all of this?
How do ESOL teachers develop community organising skills?
FAQs:
Who is the conference for?
This conference will be relevant for you if you are an ESOL/EAL teacher looking to engage with the world outside the classroom in a critical way and especially supporting students to take action for a fairer world. It will also be relevant for community organisers and activists working with people for whom English is not an 'expert language'.
What is participatory ESOL?
Participatory ESOL is a radical approach to language learning - and a growing movement across the UK. It's inspired by the critical pedagogy of Brazilian Marxist educator, Paulo Freire, who believed that education is never neutral - it either upholds or challenges the status quo. The participatory approach rejects the idea that students are passive vessels to be filled with the teacher's knowledge. Instead, all participants (including the teacher) are encouraged to engage critically with the learning process. Curriculum is developed through group dialogue, based on participants' pre-existing experiences, knowledge and daily reality. By nurturing exploratory, critical dialogue within the classroom, participants become better able to constructively question orthodoxies outside the classroom and are encouraged to take action against social injustice. Many teachers incorporate elements of a participatory approach in their practice, without necessarily terming it as such.
What will the conference be like?
The conference will be run by facilitators based at EFA London. We will be using a range of activities, including group work, structured discussions, and participatory tools that trainees can then try to use in the classroom. As with our participatory ESOL approach, we will draw on the expertise and ideas of everyone attending, who we know have a lot to contribute themselves.
Where will it be? Is the venue accessible for wheelchair users?
The conference will be in London, the wheelchair accessible venue will be confirmed as soon as we secure it. If you have any additional accessibility needs, please contact the conference organiser.
Will lunch be provided?
Yes, lunch is included in the ticket price. Please inform the event organiser of any dietary requirements.
I can't cover the cost of the ticket at the moment, can you support?
The conference tickets are priced on a sliding scale to cover our costs. We understand, however, that this does not necessarily suit everyone. If the ticket cost will mean you are unable to attend, please contact the event organiser for a subsidised ticket.
For any further questions, please contact the event organiser, Amira, via email: amira@efalondon.org
We look forward to meeting you!
Organiser
English for Action runs free participatory ESOL classes in community locations across London, reaching about 400 students a week. Our courses are taught in a participatory style and we also take action with our students outside the classroom.We are committed to sharing participatory tools and our evolving best practice with the wider ESOL community. For our research and toolkits we've put together, please check our website.
Venue
To be confirmed, London
FAQ
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EFA Conference 2020: ESOL and Community Organising
From GBP 10.00