Local Authorities
Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees
Rachida Yenoune-Radi is an ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) tutor for Cherwell District Council and was herself an ESOL learner, having arrived in the UK in 2017. This gives Rachida a unique perspective and understanding of the needs and challenges her learners face. Cherwell District Council supports a diverse range of individuals, including Syrian and Afghan refugees, who are seeking to learn English.
Many of the people seeking help from Cherwell District Council have varying levels of English proficiency when they arrive in the UK. This has been a huge challenge for Rachida, who’s main objective is to help her learners progress, with the ultimate goal of them becoming completely independent. This is where FlashAcademy® has come in.
How is FlashAcademy® used by ESOL learners?
For Rachida’s learners, FlashAcademy® has provided a tailored and effective language acquisition solution. The app allows her to follow the progress of each individual week-on-week, meaning that she can then set them personalised tasks to practice at home. Repetition has been a huge part of the strategy used by Rachida and has proved to be effective in everyone’s journey. FlashAcademy® facilitates this approach and provides features, such as handwriting practice and pronunciation.
In a community where learners may come from large families, some with five or six children, the flexibility FlashAcademy® adds has proven invaluable. The ESOL course at Cherwell District Council is set up to have weekly sessions but this can sometimes be difficult for learners to stick to due to family life, appointments, job hunting etc. With the introduction of FlashAcademy®, Rachida has been able to encourage learners to practice at their own convenience, meaning if they miss a session they can simply catch up on the content.
Rachida said, “I like to integrate the use of FlashAcademy® with my other teaching methods. This blended approach in the classroom allows me to create group activities for the more advanced learners while freeing me up to spend more time with those who need additional support.”
How has FlashAcademy® impacted the learners?
Rachida shared that FlashAcademy® has encouraged her learners to work and learn together, which they have all found very motivational. This has fostered a feeling of community and togetherness among the learners, something that is vital for the wellbeing of each individual.
Rachida shared, “Using FlashAcademy® has brought my learners together in class. It has also improved my communication with them as I’ve been able to learn some of their languages too. This has been so beneficial for learners who are right at the start of their English language journey. I feel I’ve been able to support them so much more.”
Witnessing the success stories of the learner’s is incredibly rewarding. One learner, progressing to level 3, now teaches others in their community and has secured employment — a testament to the hard work of people like Rachida and the transformative impact of FlashAcademy®.
