I’ve recently become involved with a move to reestablish a London Branch for NATECLA, the National Association for the Teaching of English and other Community Languages to Adults, and also therefore the national association for ESOL teachers.
This is a brief post to update you about a conference we are planning for Saturday 13 October, entitled ‘Breaking the ice: addressing LGBT issues in the ESOL classroom’.
The event is going to take place between 10am and 1pm (and will be followed by a short AGM) and is open for FREE for all current and potential NATECLA members. It will be held at the British Council in London here:
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Further details can be seen on the flyer here:
We look forward to seeing you there!!
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I totally applaud this initiative, and insist that LGBT people are under-represented – to the point of invisibility – in current published ESL materials. In these circumstances, what chance has a LGBT English learner of identifying with his/her target culture and language?
Congrats, Mike. =)
Agreed! @Scott Thornbury
Thanks all very much for the support.
As I said on Facebook, I’d like to make clear that there are a number of people involved in setting up this event and the intended reestablishment of NATECLA London, so I can in no way claim the sole credit
Also, the LGBT theme was decided upon within our committee as our first event ‘back’, as it were. We plan on running more events in the future, on perhaps more generic topics – technology, teaching skills, etc. However, I would imagine that a greater focus will still be needed on how to address issues relating to LGBT students in ESOL settings now that being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is recognised by OFSTED as a protected characteristic of learners in their new inspection framework.
Will definitely report back following the event.
Great Mike. It’ll great to read a report about this event. Have you thought about functionally diverse students as a possible topic?
Thanks, Miguel.
Can you clarify what you mean by ‘functionally diverse students’? I have an idea, but I’m not 100% sure
Students with disabilities (Asperger, blindness/low vision/ physical disability, hearing impairment)
For those who can’t make this event, it is being filmed and should be available from the British Council and Natecla’s websites in the near future.
[...] Harrision, “NATECLA London and an October conference” (2012) – I was inspired to see an entire talk by a ELT organisation on LGBT issues, [...]