England: policy development impacting on ESOL basic literacy

Abstract

"This paper will argue that 'LESLLA learners' (ESOL learners with very low literacy skills in any language) are invisible in the English education system. It will describe current policy drivers in education and show how these lead to policies that exclude LESLLA learners. It will consider policy regarding provision, curriculum and quality assurance and whether this supports the needs of LESLLA learners. The paper will go on to reflect on issues of status and naming practices in ESOL and will relate these to theory concerning the nature of literacy. Finally, it will bring these two themes together in calling for a policy for ESOL basic literacy and for LESLLA to support work towards such policy"