Adult and Community Learning in the Swansea Area

REACH Assessment Hub in Swansea

It has been a really productive and informative day at the REACH Assessment Hub in Swansea! Managers from across the ‘Swansea Adult Community Learning Partnership’ (ALPS) have come together for a tour of the facility, to meet assessment staff and people who are attending their ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Assessments. The Hub is based on the Kingsway in Swansea – a central and convenient location for people to be assessed in the 4 language skills, of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Upon assessment, learners are able to choose whether they wish to attend community classes with Adult Learning Wales or attend classes in a FE College setting, at Gower College, Swansea. Staff at both Adult Learning Wales and Gower College, Swansea, work closely together, as members of the ALPS Partnership, to ensure a balanced, varied and enriching curriculum offer for learners across the City and County of Swansea.

Our ESOL entry learners have been studying the topic of technology and grammar!

During this new term, our ESOL entry learners have been studying the topic of technology along with grammar for future predictions. They were given the task of writing an article about an important invention they are interested in.

Our tutor, Sandra Warner tells us, “It was a subject that easily embedded the use of I.T. and the perfect opportunity to introduce them to AI for teaching and learning. As with any technology, it is only as good as the user! So, I had to give exact instructions to Chat GPT ...”

- Adult Learning Wales

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Walid Musa Albuqai - winner of the 2023 ‘different past, shared futures’, Learning & Work Institute national Inspire! Award. Walid grew up in Syria but was forced to flee the country with his wife and three daughters because of the war. When he first arrived in Swansea, Walid spoke very little English, so, with the help of Swansea Council, he started studying English as a Second Language (ESOL) at Gower College Swansea. “My support workers at EYST also helped a lot, and I volunteered at a charity shop to practice my English and start making friends with people in the local community”. Walid went on to complete 3 levels of ESOL and applied for several jobs, including a bus driver role with FirstBus. His passion for driving and language skills shone through during the interview, and he got the job! “I absolutely love working as a bus driver. Practically, the exam wasn’t too difficult, but the theory test was hard. I wouldn’t have been able to do the interview without my English skills. I owe my career to those ESOL classes.”

- Gower College Swansea

Our learner José Hernan Godoy Nunez moved to the U.K a few months ago, and since then he has worked very hard to find opportunities to improve his English and create a new life for himself and his family in Wales. His tutor Sandra Warner shares with us why she has nominated him for the Adult Learning Inspire! Award 2023. . .

- Adult Learning Wales

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"My name is JJ O’Neil, I am 16 and a trainee florist from South Wales. I attend the Lifelong Learning Service Floristry for Work class, my Tutor is Liz Gordon.

Ever since I can remember, I have always loved being creative. However, it is only recently that I have discovered my passion for floristry."

- JJ O’Neil

It’s a team game in Swansea, as Adult Learning Wales tutors in the city, deliver ESOL courses to learners from across the world – with over 45 different nationalities attending classes in 23/24; all of whom have made Swansea their home.

- Adult Learning Wales

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Our ESOL Entry 1 learner, Sergio Costa Oliveira shares his learning experience with us and tells what motivates him to encourage others

Having spent six years in the UK, our ESOL Entry 1 learner, Sergio Costa Oliveira joined one of our ESOL courses, Sergio kindly tells us his story.

Sergio says, “I am originally from Brazil. I am 49 years old and moved to the U.K in 2018 with my family, which includes my wife and two sons. My sons have become fluent in English and are planning to attend University this year. However, my wife and I do not yet have sufficient English proficiency to do so yet.

I am currently just an English student in Sadiah's ESOL Entry 1 class every Wednesday and participate in a community learning online course by Swansea University for one hour daily.”

- Adult Learning Wales

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Tutor Clare Jones' Conversation Class explores the vocabulary of parts of the body in a fun and engaging way.

Tutor Clare Jones' Conversation Class in partnership with the African Community Centre in the Arts Wing of the Swansea Grand Theatre has been exploring the vocabulary of the body in a fun and engaging way.

Learners used Wordwall activities as a starter, then a labelling activity, followed by consolidation with follow-up writing.

- Adult Learning Wales

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A Festive Language Journey: ESOL Learners Explore Cardiff Christmas Markets

On 5^thDecember 2023, a group of Swansea’s ESOL learners from Entry Level 2 and 3 embarked on an enriching and successful trip to the Cardiff Christmas Markets. The aim was not only to experience the festive atmosphere but also to provide an opportunity for language practice in real-life settings.

- Adult Learning Wales

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Phyllis Gregory, winner of the ‘ageing well’ category in the 2021 Learning & Work Institute national Inspire! awards is someone who truly embodies lifelong learning. Phyllis is a published author and poet, who unfortunately suffered a life-changing illness which meant she could no longer write by hand. Undeterred, she enrolled in a Digital Literacy class at the College at the tender age of 94! She has since learned how to use a laptop and ipad which has enabled her to continue her passion for writing.

- Gower College Swansea

At the end of March some of our learners from the introduction to IT skills for ESOL and AMIF project took an educational trip to Swansea Museum to develop their interest in and knowledge of Welsh culture and history.

“IT is good to know about the history and what happened. I will learn more general knowledge”.

- Nasrin

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Hisham Saeed – winner of the 2022 ‘different past, shared futures’, Learning & Work Institute national Inspire! Award, which he was presented with by Welsh Education Minister, Jeremey Miles, at an awards ceremony in St Fagans. Hisham was brought up on a farm in Iraq with little opportunity for education. Tired with the war, he decided to make the treacherous land journey to north France and eventually to the UK. He subsequently found himself in Swansea, enrolled on an ESOL course at Gower College Swansea and has subsequently completed 2 levels of ESOL, 5 GCSEs and 3 A levels. Hisham is currently studying for a degree in Pharmacy at Swansea University.

- Gower College Swansea