The final episode of series 3 of the ESOL Podcast was made by an ESOL students at Idea Store Learning in Tower Hamlets. ESOL students have been researching landmarks in London in preparation for a class trip at the end of the school year. Moksura talks about Big Ben, Maksim tells us about London Bridge, Tanni speaks about the Millenium Bridge, Lidiia tells us about the narrowest house in London and Johura speaks about the Tower of London.

Series 4 of the ESOL Podcast will start in the new school year 2023-2024. If you are an ESOL teacher or ESOL student in the UK and would like to make an episode, please complete this form - https://forms.gle/jpZe4dRanHmYfqmn7

This episode of The ESOL Podcast ESOL was made by an ESOL group in Liverpool. Introduced by Jingfei, we listen to Alana, Harry and Liza talk about belonging – what it means, why it is important and why it is a term talked about today. The group is a new participatory ESOL conversation group which takes place at the Granby Winter Garden, an award-winning community space established, owned and run voluntarily by local residents who formed the Granby 4 Streets Community Land Trust, in Toxteth Liverpool 8.

In this episode of The ESOL Podcast ESOL we listen to ESOL students in Bridlington talk about how studying ESOL helps them achieve their goals. Zoriana, Manal, Oksana, Violeta and Daldar recorded this episode with their teacher Pat in an ESOL class run by East Riding of Yorkshire council. They talk about how ESOL has helped their other studies and their day-to-day lives. They also talk about some of the barriers they have overcome by learning English.

In this fortnight’s episode ESOL students from Adult Learning in the East Riding of Yorkshire talk about how technology can help them to improve their English. Tatitana, Paulo and Liudmyla talked to their ESOL teacher Brenton Mayman. They share some good ideas for apps and websites you can use when you are learning English.

For the first ESOL Podcast episode after the Easter break, we revisit the important issue of climate change. ESOL students from a Foundation Course for 16-18 year olds, at Stoke on Trent College talk to their teacher, Tuğçe Çankaya Simpson about what climate change is and some of it’s effects. We hear from Oneeqa and Aqueeda from Pakistan, Olesia from Ukraine, Gabriel from Romania, Atiqullah from Afghanistan, Kidane from Eritrea, Douglas from El Salvador and Misk from Sudan.

Following on from last fortnights episode where ESOL students in Yorkshire shared their tips on learning English, in this episode we hear about the experience of learning English in the UK from ESOL students in Thurrock. ESOL teacher Zaneta Pawlowicz introduces her students Natalya from Ukraine, Jessica from Brasil and Jurgita from Lithuania, who tell us about how they have learnt English since coming to the UK.

In this episode of The ESOL Podcast ESOL teacher Beata Barker introduces a class discussion sharing tips on how to improve your English outside of ESOL class. Olga, Maria, Natalja, Izabela and Kadir are in an ESOL Improvers Class in Goole run by East Riding of Yorkshire council. They give some great advice on how to practise your English language skills.

In this episode of The ESOL Podcast ESOL students from Kirklees College talk about why learning ESOL is important to them. Xiaoyun, Marwa, Radouane, Munaza, Shene, Asmaa, Ambree, Lubna, Palma, Shabana, Neelam, Areeba, Rukhsana and Anisa introduce themselves and tell us how ESOL has help them in their lives in the UK. They are followed by a discussion between Neelam, Fazeela, Rukhsana, Sonia, Fazilat, Anisa and Shabana. Thanks to all the students for sharing their experience.

ESOL students from Westgate Community College in Newcastle have been discussing the compulsory hijab, the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran and the protests that have followed. This episode of The ESOL Podcast is introduced by Souad. Sara, Laila, Aysa and Fatemah discuss attitudes to the hijab in Morocco, Pakistan, the UK, Turkey and Iran.

This episode of The ESOL Podcast comes from Bridgend College in Wales. ESOL teacher Elin talks to ESOL students Aicha, Gheorghe, Jing, Nacho and Valeriia about Wales. They tell us about things that surprised them when they moved to Wales and about some places to visit.

There is a transcript of episode available on The ESOL Podcast website to help with Welsh place names and welsh language Gheorghe introduces us to.

The ESOL Podcast returns for series 3. In the first episode of the new series, ESOL students from Idea Store Learning in Tower Hamlets talk about the Cost of Living Crisis in the UK. They recorded this discussion at the end of 2022. The ESOL students who took part are Tania, Sultana, Shuhuda, Masum, Ruksana, Tahera, Sultana, Nazma, Ibrahim, Nazmin and Maksim.

In this episode ESOL students from Newcastle College - Wafa Abu Saleh, Nazha Sayed Ahmed, Rofayda Sinada and Khalida Parveen – compare housing in the UK to housing in their countries Jordan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Bahrain.

In this episode of The ESOL Podcast, ESOL students from Edinburgh College discuss special food from their home countries. We hear from Karima, Anca, Özgür, Aisha, Wilmary, Rasma, Maymona and Lakhi. They talk about traditional and important meals from around the world and share recipes so you can make them yourself.

ESOL students from Newcastle College have been making podcasts about this that are important to them. In this episode Zahra and Romaa discus their love of baking.

You can hear more Newcastle College ESOL Podcasts here.

If you would like to make an episode of The ESOL Podcast email info@esolpodcast.co.uk

For this episode of The ESOL Podcast, ESOL students from Westgate College in Newcastle have been talking about influential women from around the world. They have been discussing these women’s achievements to celebrate two important days - International day for Women and Girls in Science on 11th Feb and International Women's Day on 8th March.

Parisa speaks about Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian Mathematician (0.37). Ivanka speaks about Stefka Kostadinova, a Bulgarian Athlete (2.02). Nadia speaks about Benazir Bhutto, a Pakistani Politician (2.51). Viorica speaks about Nadia Elena Comăneci Conner, a Romanian Gymnast (4.04). Farzana speaks about Begum Rokeya, a Bengali Feminist and Political Activist (5.08). Raj speaks about Kalpana Chawala, an Indian Astronaut (6.27).

This episode is our first profile of an ESOL organisation. Phoebe and Gulay join us from Thanet in Kent to tell us about United Mothers. United Mothers is a project for women who speak English as an other language. They use natural voice activities to develop speaking confidence and to develop community. Phoebe and Gulay tell us how they got involved and why they love being part of United Mothers. If you would like to know more about the organisation please follow this link.

In this episode ESOL students from Newcastle College - Rebar, Bahar and Susan - discuss the positive impact of volunteering. Many ESOL students find volunteering a good way to connect with their community and to improve their language skills. If their discussion inspires you to start volunteering you can find your nearest Volunteer Centre at https://www.ncvo.org.uk/ncvo-volunteering/i-want-to-volunteer there is also Volunteering Wales and Volunteer Scotland.

This episode hears from ESOL students at English for Action who have been involved in the #LoveESOL Campaign to improve ESOL provision in London. The students share their ESOL stories and talk about their experiences campaigning for ESOL so far.

You can get involved in the #LoveESOL Campaign. You can visit the website https://loveesol.co.uk/ or send an email to LoveEsol@efalondon.org

Last year the GLA held an Adult Education Roadmap Consultation, which included ESOL. The findings will be published soon. We will post a link at www.esolpodcast.co.uk when it is published.

Happy New Year from The ESOL Podcast. ESOL Students from Newcastle City Learning, Westgate College tell us about New Year around the world. Adla talks about Kurdish New Year. Farzana and Taslima talk about New Year in Bangladesh. Ivanka talks about celebrations in Bulgaria. Sana tells us how New Year is celebrated in Libya. Viorica describes new year in Romania. Can you hear the differences and similarities? How do you celebrate New Year?

For the last ESOL Podcast episode of 2021, Maria and Azadeh talk about the important issue of climate change. They made this episode as part of the Newcastle College ESOL Podcast project and you can find many more podcasts by ESOL students at Newcastle College on spotify and other podcast platforms - https://open.spotify.com/show/1l9w1KKS6nt2TE7ewGRLb3?si=9113734e4f404ee2

If you would like to make an episode for The ESOL Podcast please send us an email info@esolpodcast.co.uk or contact us through Facebook or Twitter. @TheESOLPodcast