My name is Alia and I am working on the English Language Learning Project based in Aston as part of Birmingham City Council and Aston Pride. I have experience in teaching ESOL for the past 8 years at all levels from pre entry to Level 2 and 3 years experience of teaching IELTS (International English Language Testing System) which is an academic level English test. I have also been involved in helping to design resources and materials for use by tutors for their learners in the classroom and for assessments, and helped support and mentor many unqualified and newly qualified tutors to teach ESOL.

This current idea has come about as my colleague, Clarice Brierley, and I have discovered that many of the current ESOL resources and materials available are for qualified tutors and are aimed at the higher entry level of ESOL. It seems there is very little information and limited resources for volunteer trainers or classroom assistants who are supporting lower level ESOL learners (pre entry and Entry 1 learners).

It is with this aim in mind that we have set up this website, to give support at Pre entry and Entry 1 level and enable volunteers/classroom assistants and ESOL tutors easy access to useful information and easy to use resources rather than ploughing through huge amounts of information. The website contains useful links to other websites; sample exam papers from various awarding bodies for pre entry and entry 1 learners; an initial assessment with score sheet; samples of individual learning plans; worksheets for lower level learners; teacher interviews and tips from ESOL tutors.

I hope you find this website useful and interesting. If you have any comments/suggestions or any questions these can be sent to me via the ‘question and answers’ page.