Perth group’s plan to teach non-native speakers English
Linda El-Miligy, senior tutor of Story Club at ESOL Perth A brand new book club has been set up in Perth for children learning English as a foreign language.
The group, which will be run by ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Perth met for the first time from 10amnoon on Saturday last week in the Perth Business Centre on the Glasgow Road.
Aimed at primary school aged kids, the group uses some of the best-loved children’s books to help improve language and social skills.
Linda El-Miligy, senior tutor at ESOL Perth, said: “ESOL Perth has been running for about two-and-a-half years now, but this is the first time we have had a group for children learning English as a foreign language.
“We started this reading club with the priority of getting the children to meet and getting to know each other using books as the medium.”
Linda explained there were two age groups, and said the younger ones will focus on Beatrix Potter, with the older ones looking at Michael Morpurgo.
Linda continued: “It is about going back to reading and getting children away from their laptops and phones with some good, old-fashioned reading. Once someone has opened up a book, there is much more of a chance to interact with other people than a computer game does.
“The children can talk about the story and the different ideas in the book - it is just a way of getting the children to meet new friends, especially when they have come over from somewhere like Eastern Europe or Syria, anywhere at all.”
This comes after ESOL Perth received a funding boost of £1000 from Perth and Kinross Council’s creative communities project.
Linda said the group was fortunate to receive the money, adding they it was hoped lots of people would be interested in joining their new reading club.
She said: “Everyone already seems quite enthusiastic about it. I hope this will appeal to most children!
“This will also help teach them English so they can become a part of their new community.”
The Saturday morning book club will be led by a qualified primary school teacher who has also studied TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and can speak Polish.
The story club will run every Saturday morning for 12 weeks at the business centre opposite Lidl’s supermarket.
It is free and for all young people between the ages of five and 11 who do not have a British background.
Call Linda El-Miligy on 07427689797.