ESOL
Working with English as a Second Language providers at local colleges and learning institutions are a potential way of engaging with BME audiences and refugee and asylum seeker communities. These audiences are considered high priority groups by the government.
Portraits are a good focus for ESOL learners and tutors:
- Images of people can lead to discussion about the sitters’ stories
- People can look at how people are represented in the past and the contemporary world.
- Comparison between your portrait collection and how portraits are made and used in different cultural contexts is also valuable.
- Local collections of portraits can aid understanding about the history of the local area.
Visits to museums, galleries and heritage sites are an important way that ESOL learners can use English in social situations. The process of going to an institution is as important as the actual session on portraiture.
A useful checklist and case study on developing a programme for ESOL learners by Justine Reilly is ‘ “I didn’t know you could do that!” Opening the doors to ESOL students in Leeds’ in GEM Journal no. 28, 14-18.
Some museums with resources for ESOL learners and tutors are listed below:
- The ESOL Curriculum can be found here on the Excellence Gateway skills website.
- The Museum of London has developed a series of packs for ESOL learners at all levels and they are available here Link >>
- Birmingham Museums and Art gallery have developed a range of downloadable resources for ESOL tutors and learners and they are available on their website >>
- The National Portrait Gallery has developed resources around historical ages or around two portraits linked through theme for ESOL tutors and learners, available online >>