Specialist Language Courses

Online ESOL courses for refugee, migrant & asylum seeker adult learners: challenges faced & lessons learned

Refugee healthcare
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At SLC, we’ve been providing online English language courses to refugee and migrant communities since 2018 when we worked with learners on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme in Northern Ireland.

Courses focused on integration and employability. Learners were scattered across the region with little access to colleges, often with childcare and healthcare issues. Levels were mixed, from Pre-Entry (A0) and illiterate in their own language to C1 advanced. Online lessons were the only way that participants could come together. Online also enable us to bring specialist teachers in front of learners who needed their support and input.

OET and IELTS Preparation

Online ESOL provision then expanded as we provided online test preparation for refugee and migrant communities across the UK, working with refugee healthcare professionals in particular who needed OET or IELTS to register to work in the UK. These included groups of doctors, pharmacists and social workers. Between 2022 and 2024, we worked with NHS England to provide OET training to over 100 refugee nurses arriving to work in Trust around the UK on the Displaced Talent programme.

Integration and Work

From 2024, online ESOL courses have further expanded to include a range of integration focused courses, including Housing Rights, The NHS and Healthcare Literacy, Financial Literacy and Budgeting, Employment Rights, and Driving Theory Test Preparation. At the same time, courses focusing on language and communication in social care, healthcare support work, and safety were added to the online ESOL portfolio.

Why online?

Online has tremendous potential. It provides reach, scale, accessibility, convenience, and flexibility. Course offers can be widened and differentiated. Internet connections are so much better than they used to be, enabling most refugees to join classes via their mobile phone wherever they are. Courses can be led by enthusiastic specialist teachers keen to make a difference, irrespective of geography. SLC teachers working on courses for UK-based refugee and migrant communities have taught from as far afield as Australia.

What are the challenges of teaching online?

Courses for refugee and migrant learners are very different to other more mainstream English language courses taught in schools and colleges.

From a teaching perspective, there are several challenges consistent across different teaching settings. Here are some of the main ones.

  • Many learners have experienced high levels of trauma and disrupted education both of which have significant impact on learning.
  • Classes may contain high levels of differentiation, not only in level but also in cultural values and attitudes.
  • Syllabi and materials need to be culturally sensitive and avoid triggering topics and images.
  • OET and IELTS are ‘western’ exams and may test different skills to those experienced in previous education.

From a learner perspective, there are additional challenges.

  • Life circumstances may be very difficult. Issues include unstable and/or poor accommodation, poverty, loneliness, racism and sleeplessness.
  • Learners may be upset and anxious for families and friends in their home countries.
  • Technology can be unpredictable, especially access to devices and a stable internet connection. Many have no experience of online education.
  • Many are at a lower level and underestimate the amount of time needed to reach higher levels of proficiency.

How to address these challenges?

Teacher support

There are a number of important ways on which teachers can be supported. A training programme can aim to support teachers in the following ways:

  • Understanding learners through trauma informed teaching and intercultural awareness training.
  • Creating a safe and predictable online learning space by setting expectations, boundaries, and routines. Part of this should include keeping cameras on where possible.
  • Using and designing curricula, lessons, materials and activities that are relevant, engaging, avoid potential triggers, and build trust.
  • Working with high levels differentiation, for example by using breakout rooms and peer teaching.
  • Using accessible online tools to provide learner support outside lessons, such as WhatsApp groups and Google Classroom for assignments and resources.
  • Understanding policies and approaches to ‘what ifs’, so teachers know what to do when certain situations arise. Teachers need to know that they are not counsellors and that they have access to caseworkers or another responsible party if needed.

Learner support

Refugee and migrant learners can be further supported. Here are some ways of doing so.

  • Provide tech training early on, e.g. using breakout rooms, chat and screenshare.
  • Emphasise the online classroom as a safe place where mutual respect is paramount.
  • Associate learning with life outside the classroom, ensure language learnt can be put into practice.
  • Set short achievable goals and longer, more ambitious ones.
  • Consistently praise and give positive feedback.
  • Provide flexibility, for example on punctuality or taking time out during lessons.
  • Follow up quickly on non-attendance.

Results

Progress is often difficult to track post-course given the many challenges learners are constantly dealing with. However, we track attendance and where both applicable and possible, exam results. Here are some highlights:

NHS England Displaced Talent Programme: OET preparation courses for 60 refugee nurses arrived 2023 from Jordan and Lebanon and placed in hospitals around the UK. 39 are now working as nurses or a pending final documentation before receiving their PIN.

East of England Local Government Association Strategic Migration Partnership: IELTS preparation courses for approx. 120 learners from a wide variety of refugee backgrounds based across 6 counties, 120 to 150 hours’ tuition each – 70% completion rates, with an average band score increase of 1.0 to 1.5. Significant numbers are now in work or higher education.

Lincolnshire Refugee Doctor Project: 37 refugee doctors have undertaken preparation for the OET Medicine test on LRDP programme, with more doctors joining in 2025. To date, 26 have passed OET, of which 15 are now registered with GMC and 9 are taking PLAB training.

These clearly demonstrate the great potential online tuition has for providing effective courses for refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. The learners in all the above were geographically dispersed and many had employment and childcare commitments, yet were able to attend lessons regularly and over long periods of time.

Get in touch to find out more

For more information and to discuss any potential courses you have in mind, contact Chris Moore on chris@specialistlanguagecourses.com or 07788 294853.

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