IATEFL ES(O)L SIG Newsletter September 2015

13

Talk English: From CELTA to ESOL volunteer teaching in South Africa

Julie Douglas, Durban, South Africa jdouglas@netactive.co.za

Talk English was born on August 15th 2005 after a Durban CELTA course. As with CELTA

generally, students became a close-knit group of all ages, from various occupations. My children

were independent and I resigned from my work, planning to travel somewhere exotic with CELTA.

Fellow founder, Sarah Ralfe, planned to teach in London.

Sarah Ralfe and Julie Douglas. Talk English founders

Our 20 French-speaking teaching-practice students from DRC included 6 medical professionals (3

doctors, 1 nurse, 2 third year medical students), 2 engineers, a maths teacher and several other

professionals and graduates. Most had work experience but none could practice their profession or

trade because all were beginner or low level English speakers: a Lingua Franca in South Africa, vital

for work and survival in the port city of Durban.

After CELTA Sarah and I offered the students free English lessons while we remained in Durban. I

was part of a research project in a primary school in The Point – a notorious part of Durban next to

the harbour where many refugees lived. The principal offered us use of classrooms on Saturday

mornings. Our Australian trainer, still in Durban for another CELTA, helped. Four Durban-based

mailto:jdouglas@netactive.co.za

IATEFL ES(O)L SIG Newsletter September 2015

14

CELTA colleagues pitched in when student numbers grew rapidly. We enlisted willing friends, CELTA

and TEFL-trained teachers. Today approximately 20 volunteer teachers, teach once every 3 or 4

weeks.

IH Durban gave us free use of their resources and materials. We tried to keep classes small but

found it hard to turn students away. Our volunteers became skilled at teaching 25-30 students. We

quickly realised that few course books were appropriate for students needing functional, situation-

related survival-English. We found no organisations like ourselves to learn from. However with

refugees increasing worldwide we noted countries developing curricula, often marked by political

discourses of integration, citizenship and life-skills. Most were context-specific and not appropriate

for African students. But the split from TEFL and move to ESOL was in line with our thinking.

Despite South Africa’s progressive policy for asylum seekers and refugees, the socio-political climate

is harsh, with underlying bitter xenophobia against kwerekwere, a disparaging term for foreigners.

Refugees are not a community but flee from conflict alone or in small family units.

A pronunciation lesson. 2015: standing room only

Talk English provides a safe social space and lessons that are fun and engaging. South Africa’s

serious shortage of doctors, nurses, teachers and other professionals can be helped once skilled

refugees learn English.

IATEFL ES(O)L SIG Newsletter September 2015

15

Our students’ resilience and proactive spirit inspired us to start Talk English and sustained us for

almost 10 years. We solved many problems:

Poor time-keeping and irregular attendance, frustrated teachers - some students work

overnight as security guards, some walk many kilometres, some leave early for a lunchtime

shift, some are called at the last minute for a day’s work. We started with a warmer and

pronunciation games for all before their class proper. This gave latecomer a little leeway.

Ongoing registration and attrition meant a shifting student population. It helped to give

semester attendance certificates and make each lessons a self-contained ‘drop-in’ unit.

Most students speak French, Portuguese, isiZulu, kiSwahili or Lingala but sometimes one

arrives with no accessible language. We must then find another student who understands

enough to help.

Students’ ability ranges from limited literacy or learning problems to post-graduate. Some

have never been to school. We try to have an extra teacher to help individuals:

Students’ ages are 14 to79, and various nationalities, cultures and religions.

Many were traumatised with horrifying life experiences that our teachers could not imagine.

Most left their homes with nothing and became suddenly poor. We provided juice, biscuits

and time for students to share experiences and forge new friendships.

Women’s group at Refugee Social Services, Durban: awarding certificates

Little by little we saw students’ lives changing. Many found jobs that most South Africans scorned

such as restaurant menials or security guards. Some were lucky enough to study. Last week a final-

year engineering student bought his new wife to enrol. In 2008 he was a Talk English beginner. We

IATEFL ES(O)L SIG Newsletter September 2015

16

witnessed many such success stories. 2015 saw an explosion of students with many South African

isiZulu speakers who spoke some English and wanted more. We started an advanced group offering

workplace English but classes soon filled and we turn many students away.

Saturday 4th April 2015: Most teachers and adult students attending on that date

Our teachers are problem-solvers, skilled at teaching under tough circumstances. Ours has been a

sustainable model where, when teachers find paid work through Talk English, a small percentage is

donated to funds. Amongst other organisations our teachers have worked for Refugee Social

Services, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the US Embassy and the British Council. Two years ago we

employed a part-time administrator. That changed our lives and Talk English. We are ready to grow.

Talk English currently operates without funding and provides 3 hours weekly of free English lessons

to 5 adult and 1 children’s groups.

Contributions

The ES(O)L SIG newsletter welcomes the submission of previously unpublished articles in the fields of English

for Speakers of Other Languages and English as a Second Language. We are an international organisation

and are particularly keen to encourage contributions which represent the scope of ESOL across the world. If

you would like to contribute, please contact the editorial team at esolsig@iatefl.org so that we can discuss

your ideas further. Our aim is to include a broad range of articles written by both practitioners and ESOL

researchers and other submissions which would be of interest to our readership.

Disclaimer

Views expressed in ES(O)L SIG newsletter articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect

those of the editor or the ES(O)L SIG committee.

mailto:esolsig@iatefl.org

IATEFL ES(O)L SIG Newsletter September 2015

17

Children’s group

We recently approached Durban University of Technology who are keen to work with us. With help

and funding we can help more students including the many on our waiting list.

Find out more about Talk English through our Website http://talkenglish.org.za , or on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/TalkEnglish.za

Julie Douglas originally a high school English teacher from Nottinghamshire

moved to South Africa in 1976. After completing a Master of Education cum

laude in 2000, she lectured and worked on several education research

projects. She became a senior researcher for three years with the Education

Policy Unit (Natal) and the Centre for Education Policy Development. From

2005, she worked as an education consultant specialising in the evaluation

of social, education and language projects. She evaluated projects from most

major English language non-government organisations (NGOs) in South Africa

and several major South African school improvement projects. From 2006 to

2012 she monitored and evaluated the Toyota Teach Primary Schools Project

in KwaZulu-Natal. She is currently completing a PhD on the oral English of

South African EL2 speaking Primary school teachers who introduce young

isiZulu speaking children to English. She recently co-authored with Charlotte

Mbali a report for the British Council (AR/2015/002) Evaluating Aptis tests with teacher training students

and in-service primary school teachers in Durban, South Africa.

http://talkenglish.org.za/https://www.facebook.com/TalkEnglish.za