LEL Task 1 – Learner Profile

LEARNER IDENTIFICATION:

Information about Faisa was gathered through a recorded interview, informal conversations in class, class assessments and a learning styles test (VAX).

INTRODUCTION

Faisa is a 21-year-old Somali woman. She moved to the UK in 2006 as a refugee. She lives in a council flat with her brother, his wife and her baby nephew. She worked in a mobile-phone shop for five months in 2008, but has been unemployed for the past eighteen months and claims benefits. Faisa attended classes at Enfield College before joining my ESOL Entry 3 class, and has a full ESOL Entry 2 certificate. She joined my class because she was put on the Job Centre’s ‘New Deal Program’, which offers job seekers the …show more content…

She says that she was never afraid when she was in Somalia but now that she is safe in England when she thinks of the past she gets very frightened. She also says that she wants to learn everything she can now, because she could die at anytime. This bleak point of view is reflected in her almost driven need to do more work, hurry through worksheets, and ask for extension exercises. Working with a group in class slows down this drive and allows her more time for reflection on what she is doing. On days when she is feeling very low, she can get aggressive and argumentative. At these times it is best to allow her to choose if she wants to work on her own or in a group.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS IN READING/LISTENING/SPEAKING/ WRITING:

Faisa’s need to hurry her work is one of her main weakness when learning English. It means that she does not always read the texts accurately or pay attention to what is required, which leads to incorrect or poor work. At her induction to the training college, she was given a diagnostic assessment, based on the government’s ESOL assessment criteria. She finished it within fifteen minutes and was very eager to know the results. From the diagnostic it was clear that her Listening and Speaking skills for Entry Level 3 were established, and communication with her in class proves this as she responds appropriately when giving