Wednesday 5th October saw the launch of ESOL Extras at City of Glasgow College. This is a programme of activities to encourage students to use their English in all sorts of different situations, including:
- Café- meets in St. Mungo’s Museum on the first Saturday of each month
- ESOL Goes Green- students grow herbs and vegetables during the year and use them at home or sell them for a charity
- Job Club- help in preparing and searching for jobs, including modern apprenticeships
- Volunteering Club- puts people in touch with organisations looking for help in the community
- Oasis Magazine- a student magazine produced by ESOL students working alongside journalism students
- Interpreting/ Mentoring- where students at higher levels of English support and help others, both in and out of the classroom
- Reading group- takes place in library and recommends “good reads” for all levels of English.
- IT Club- organized by students who want to learn or share their IT skills over lunch time
- Chat Room- a space for using language skills- first-language and English to make new friends and have fun in college
- Help Hub- where students can go for help and advice on day to day matters in a safe environment.
All of these activities are organized and supported by ESOL students and staff and happen on a regular basis. Very little, if any money is involved in these activities. It is mainly the enthusiasm and good will of all our students and staff which make a big impact on language skills and self- confidence of those who participate regularly.
We were very pleased to welcome some of our external partners along on the day to share their expertise and opportunities with our students. These included:
- Waverly Care
- Positive Action in Housing
- YCSA
- BEMIS
- Barclay’s Life Skills
If you would like any further information on any of the above, please don’t hesitate to contact Mary Mc Manus or David Cullen at City of Glasgow College
