European Social Fund in England

Baytree centre literacy project

Background

The Baytree Centre is a women-only centre run by women. The centre understands the myriad of complications that can prevent women from accessing training and taking steps towards the labour market.

The Baytree Literacy Project grew out of the need for special support classes because they had difficulties with reading or writing or were illiterate in their mother tongue. This training in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and basic skills (literacy and numeracy) also had the holistic approach of integrating other factors such as childcare and pastoral support through mentoring, career advice and guidance sessions - in a warm and friendly environment where people of all ethnic backgrounds are welcome.

Aims the project

This programme sought to raise achievement among those lacking the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The overarching objective was for 30 beneficiaries (including members of ethnic minority groups, the unemployed, women and refugees and asylum seekers) to access training and learning at three different levels:

1. Beginners progressed from Milestone 8 (couldn't read) to Entry Level I.
2. Intermediate progressed from Entry Level I to II.
3. Higher intermediate progressed from Entry Level II to III.

The Project

The project made the use of the Spalding Method for teaching literacy. This method, developed in the USA by Romuadla Spalding, is employed in the US and Australia to teach reading and writing to schoolchildren. It is also one of the methods used to teach dyslexics. It is little known in the UK outside dyslexia. A further innovation and the Baytree Centre is that the Spalding method has been used to teach ESOL adults successfully, including women who were illiterate even in their mother tongue. Individual Learning Plans and Mentoring Forms have been specifically designed to monitor student progress in terms of academic achievement, the development of social and development skills and aspirations.

One of the biggest barriers to the target groups learning has been that it was hard for them to admit to having literacy problems, as there is huge social stigma attached to this. However, once the women accessed the training, they realised that there are many other people who also have problems with reading and writing.

They realise that they are not made to feel foolish. As a result the women could relax in class and were visibly able to progress.

Confidence was shown in ways such as a greater willingness of the students to read out loud, write on the board and speak out - at the beginning of the course many were too shy.

As a result of this project the students smile more often. Their increased self esteem and confidence was manifested in their body language, posture and the way they dressed. The women became much more willing to greet other students and treat them in a friendly way, even though some of them come from countries that have been at war with one another (for example Ethiopia and Eritrea and Iran and Iraq).

Targeting

The whole project focussed specifically on economically inactive women refugee and asylum seekers. Approximately 98 per cent of the women came from minority ethnic groups, about 46 per cent were black British / black African and about 8 per cent were of Latin American origin. 100 per cent of the students were women and approximately 95 per cent of the students were unemployed.

Literacy writing photo - example of the very first handwriting from the group who learned to write and read for the first time.

ESF Matters - making a difference to peoples lives

The Project Beneficiaries

Silvia (not her real name) is from Madeira, Portugal. She had very little schooling in her own country. Her tutors suspect that she is dyslexic and has learning difficulties, and although she was put on a waiting list to be assessed, this has not yet taken place. As a result, she was completely illiterate and used to try to cover this up by speaking a lot. She has lived in the UK for the past 15 years and can speak English at only a very basic level. Her learning of English has been hampered by her illiteracy. She had to learn to read from scratch. Through the Literacy Programme, she can now read polysyllabic words and whole sentences. She has beautiful handwriting.

Her level of confidence has increased and actually went to the local charity shop on her own, to become a volunteer as an interpreter because she felt she had learned enough English to make herself understood.

This is what Jane (not her real name) said of the Baytree Literacy Project and the methods it employed. She was born in Scotland, has been economically inactive and is the mother of four school-aged children. It shows not only how she has improved in her literacy but has gained many soft-skills.

'The reason I find it useful is that I find out the rules - not only how to spell, but how to pronounce them. It gives me more confidence in writing; I can now write letters. I can read aloud as well, because I can work out the words better, as I know the rules. For instance, I can read and spell the word hierarchical, whereas before, I couldn't work it out. I would feel embarrassed and ashamed, get myself all worked up and stay quiet. Now, I'm more confident, and even if I get words wrong, I keep going and don't feel bad or embarrassed.

If I'm not sure about a word, I realise that there's nothing to be ashamed of if I want to check it in a dictionary - because I have seen the teacher doing this. In class or at home, I will always check. My sons, too, have seen me using a dictionary, and they now do the same. These days, I often find that my spelling was right in the first place. '

Through the programme, the women have learned analytical skills. There is one student, originally from Angola, who joined an access Psychology course with other native English speakers. She said she was able to take down the dictation of complicated words because she could analyse on her own the spelling structures she learned about in this project.

They are also given the confidence to go out more into the world. One beneficiary plucked up the courage to apply as a volunteer at the local Barnardo's. Several of the women have volunteered to teach literacy to other women at the centre.

Outcomes

This project achieved or in many cases exceeded against planned delivery:

Many soft outcomes were also achieved as part of the project, including enhanced confidence skills, increased social and interpersonal skills, growth in self-knowledge, improved attendance and sense of responsibility, analytical skills and also increased self-esteem.

Funding

This project was funded £200,246 under ESF Measure 1.2, the project finished in 2004.

To find out further information about the Baytree Centre please telephone 020 7733 5283.

For further information about European Social Funding please visit:

www.esf.gov.uk

Learning and Skills Council

The LSC exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. We are responsible for planning and funding high-quality vocational education and training for everyone. We have a single goal: to improve the skills of England's young people and adults to world-class standards. Our vision is that by 2010, young people and adults in England have the knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of a truly competitive workforce. Established in 2001, we work nationally, regionally and locally from a network of offices across the country.

For any media enquiries please contact Vicky Taylor on 020 7904 0789 victoria.taylor@lsc.gov.uk