Trauma-informed ESOL for refugees: self-access training and workshop

Introduction to trauma training

This training has been developed to meet an acute need among teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and related fields to build awareness of how trauma can affect students with refugee backgrounds, and what practical strategies teachers can employ to both mitigate the effects of this and begin to promote recovery and growth. Whilst being practical in focus, it is underpinned by a number of years of research by the University of Leicester’s Sanctuary Seekers’ Unit into trauma-informed pedagogy in the refugee ESOL classroom. Learn more about our trauma-informed pedagogy initiative. 

In order to ensure that all practitioners have the opportunity to access this content - whether they are working in the public, HE or voluntary sectors – we have made it freely available in self-access format, in addition to being available in the form of a live online workshop (for a small fee).

Self access training

The self-access training consists of four video presentations and reading material accompanied by activities to encourage reflection and application of learning to participants’ own teaching contexts. These materials might be accessed by individuals, or, alternatively, organisations might choose to use them with groups of practitioners, who can then discuss their understanding of the material, answers to tasks and applications to their contexts with colleagues.

Participants accessing this self-access training will:

• learn about refugee trauma, and some of its causes and effects
• learn to identify some of the ways in which trauma may present in the classroom
• consider the rationale behind trauma-informed pedagogy and other inclusive teaching practices
• explore trauma-informed teaching and learning strategies
• consider how these strategies may be applied in different teaching situations (including face-to-face and online)
• explore post-traumatic growth and useful strategies for fostering this in classroom
• consider how some of these strategies may be applied in their own contexts.

Access the YouTube playlist of video presentations Parts 1-4 (without the accompanying self-access materials)

Access the parts 1-4 video presentations plus the full set of accompanying self-access training materials

Workshop

We also offer live online Trauma-informed ESOL for Refugees workshops for organisations who wish to offer this training to their English language teachers of adult refugee-background students (whether this be ESOL, EAP or ESP) or other staff members in student-facing roles.

This can be offered in two formats:

Workshop 1

This is a 60-minute follow-up online workshop to the self-access trauma training materials, giving participants an opportunity to discuss their responses to tasks covered in the training materials, and discuss any queries in more depth (this option assumes that participants have worked through the self-access training materials in advance and completed all of the tasks).

Workshop 2

This is a 90-minute stand-alone online workshop, which covers much (but not all) of the content of the self-access trauma training materials and includes interactive elements. Participants accessing Workshop 2 will:

• learn about refugee trauma, and some of its causes and effects
• learn to identify some of the ways in which trauma may present in the classroom
• explore trauma-informed teaching and learning strategies
• consider how these strategies may be applied in different face-to-face teaching situations
• explore post-traumatic growth and useful strategies for fostering this in classroom

Cost of workshops

• Workshop 1 - £150
• Workshop 2 - £250

Participant testimonial