Orsolya Dunn is an ESOL lecturer at Ayrshire College, Scotland and has a wide remit ranging from ESOL delivery, ESOL tutor training and community accreditation work. Her special interests are ESOL literacies, social practice based learning and the impact of trauma in the ESOL classroom. Email: orsolya.dunn@ayrshire.ac.uk

 

Introduction

Scotland’s ESOL providers have a long tradition of supporting learners from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds and a significant number of refugees and asylum seekers with ESOL needs are undertaking language courses in Scotland’s colleges. Refugees are 5 times more likely to be affected by serious mental health conditions than the general UK population and 61% of asylum seekers suffer from serious mental distress (Eaton, et al., 2011). According to the Mental Health Foundation (2016) refugees and asylum seekers’ mental health needs can be linked to trauma that they experienced pre-migration, during migration and post-migration.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration defines trauma as "an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being" (2014). Trauma researchers seem to agree that trauma changes the brain and thereby trauma-affected individuals can often develop a negative self-concept and approach their learning with deep-seated negativity (Perry, 2006; Oehlberg, 2008; Crosby, 2015). Minahan claims that trauma-experienced learners tend to focus on the negative, they are more inclined to ruminate on negative memories and can often process new information through a “negativity amplifier” (2017, p.4).

The introduction of classroom activities which allow students to develop their language skills and at the same time build a more positive sense of self and more positive ways of thinking therefore can have a transformative impact in our classrooms. The following paragraphs aim to document my journey as a practitioner when trialling an activity which goes beyond the development of language skills and aims to provide an opportunity to examine and potentially reframe the way students think about themselves a individuals. The activity is an adaptation of a bingo game mainly used by educators with native speakers of English and therefore it has required careful and thoughtful adaptation in order to make it accessible to ESOL learners. I trialled the activity over two sessions in a small class of eight part-time female ESOL learners (three of whom are refugees and a further two have disclosed being affected by trauma), six members of the group reported low confidence in their pre-course initial interviews and students have often displayed signs of negative thinking when engaging with their learning in previous learning sessions.

 

Review of relevant literature

My trial of the activity is driven by my understanding of and commitment to humanistic pedagogy. Avis et al describe humanistic approaches as learning from within, “where humanistic psychology takes centre stage” (2015, p.91). Carl Rogers’ view that the importance of personal development and personal relationships within the classroom are crucial to education are echoed by a great number of researchers on trauma-informed teaching (Burnzell, 2016; Davidson, 2017; Minahan, 2019; Treisman, 2016), arguing that promoting a growth mindset with a focus on identification of strengths and positive emotions can be instrumental for educational success for trauma-impacted students. This emphasis on learners’ self-concept, values and emotions has been of subject of criticism in the world of academia, one concern being that an emphasis on the facilitation and enablement of personal growth within the classroom detracts from actual academic learning (Johnson, 2014). Johnson argues, however, that personal growth and academic growth should not be viewed as mutually exclusive, “either or” achievements, but rather as desirable outcomes that reinforce and enhance one another.

Brunzell et al. claim that positive education in the footsteps of the humanistic tradition enables educators to encourage and build positive emotions in learners and thereby trigger “upward spirals that increase the reciprocal and self-reinforcing ability to build psychological resources” (2016, p.70). This increase in positive emotions and resilience building seem to be inextricably linked to personal and academic success in and out of the classroom. Triesman argues that educators’ commitment to the practical fostering of self esteem are instrumental in the reshaping of neurological pathways which have the ability to bring about positive changes in the brain (2016). Just seven minutes of meaningful, positive and empathetic connection can result in the formation of new healthy more positive pathways (Harrow, 2021), which gives practitioners tremendous opportunities whenever they interact or facilitate interactions in the classroom. Treisman’s metaphor of “inspirational hope-coated glue” (p.62) is exceptional in describing the potential that we all have when it comes to supporting our students using strength-based approaches.

Placing learning and teaching within the concept of “transformability” rather than “capability” affords educators an “open-ended view of the learner and their learning” (Florian, 2012, p.278). The need for promoting and nurturing a growth mindset in the classroom is highlighted by a chorus of educational theorists and trauma experts (Dweck in Gregson and Duncan, 2020; Davidson, 2017; Brunzell et al., 2015; Treisman, 2016) arguing that the creation of reparative experiences when learning can play a significant role in an individual’s healing. The very concept of post-traumatic growth (i.e. a significant number of trauma-impacted individuals report growth after experiencing severe adversity), in Treisman’s view, is a testament to our learners’ potential ability to reframe their self-views (2016). In other words, harnessing humanity’s seemingly innate capacity for resilience in the classroom is something that both students and educators can profit from.

Dogme seems to offer a learner-centred alternative to more traditional textbook-centred approaches. Dogme encourages teachers to do away with course books and explore “ways of exploiting the learning opportunities offered by the raw material of the classroom, that is the language that emerges from the needs, interests, concerns and desires of the people in the room” (Thornbury, 2013, p. 207). Dogme calls on practitioners to use methodologies that do not rely on textbooks but draw on their students’ experiences when constructing learning opportunities. In this participatory framework, the teacher’s response to authentic queries on grammar and vocabulary relates to a discussion that has grown organically out of student-student or teacher-student interaction provides a more meaningful alternative to an atomised and commodified textbook. The learners’ immediate needs serve as an invaluable teaching opportunity for practitioners, as they increase their learners’ motivation and provide a meaningful context for future recall. Using the student as “raw material”, however can have its drawbacks if the teacher is not experienced, confident or knowledgeable enough about language to make the language learning opportunity truly effective (Bertrand, n.d.).  Students’ beliefs and ideas of what “good education” should be like and what methods used by their teachers are of value can also be at significant odds with their teacher’s ideas of good practice (Renshaw, 2010).

 

Implementation

The activity is based on a self-esteem building bingo game found on a free bingo card generator website aimed at American primary and secondary school teachers of all subjects. The original copy of the self-esteem bingo game provided a great number of initial challenges even in the planning stages. The language of the game was rather advanced for an intermediate ESOL group both in terms of vocabulary and grammar. A number of language items needed reworded or exchanged due to their lexical and structural complexity and even the adapted text (see Appendix 1.) needed careful consideration in terms of what vocabulary had to be pre- taught to learners. As a result, I designed a simple vocabulary matching exercise that pre-taught vocabulary that students were to encounter later on their bingo sheet. Vocabulary items included compliment, applaud, accomplishment, proud, admire, grateful etc.

Due to the varied cultural and educational backgrounds of my learners I could not be certain whether they were familiar with the concept of bingo, therefore I decided to devise a simple nine-item practice bingo game based on the pre-taught vocabulary items. Once the learners were familiar with both the rules of bingo and the vocabulary needed in order to answer the questions on their self-esteem bingo grids, I introduced the main activity.

I asked students to sit in pairs (I gave them the option to choose their partners for the activity, in order to remove the potential barrier of being paired with someone that they did not feel comfortable with) and find the question that I read out from my calling card. Once they found the question in the grid they were to mark it with a cross on their sheet and discuss the question with their partners. Their goal was to have a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line of crosses on their sheets and they were to shout bingo upon completing a row. All the questions on their grid cards prompted students to think about themselves in positive ways and to think about their present and future life experiences in more positive terms. Some of the questions enabled learners to express their appreciation of and give positive feedback to their peers.   

The overall time involved in the delivery of the pre-teaching of vocabulary, familiarisation with the activity type and finally the delivery of the actual delivery was just over an hour. I was using a scaffolded approach not only because its gradual, teacher-aided task-by-task building of the learners’ skills with the overall final aim of facilitating independent learner output is good practice in ESOL (Gibbons, 2015; NALDIC, 1999) but also because the use of sequentially structured gradually built activities is a widely accepted pre-requisite of trauma-informed teaching. As Brunzell et al. point out, all new learning has the potential to be a confrontational experience to a trauma-impacted learner and the use of scaffolding as an educational strategy can minimise stress responses (2016). The amount of time spent on the activity, however, was considerably long considering the overall time available for all learning to take place – our level 4 ESOL in Context unit is delivered over 17 weeks in 3 hours per week.

 

Evaluation

Moore points out that the general aim of a teaching innovation should be to create a better learning environment for students where learning is “more accessible and engaging and supports the students in developing learning and other skills and attitudes” (2011, p.5). Thus evaluating the success of teaching activities is an absolute necessity in order for practitioners to form judgements of their practice and to develop an ongoing in-depth understanding of what they do in the classroom (Macdonald, 2006).

Macdonald places great emphasis on evaluations being valued by all stakeholders involved (2006), therefore I wanted to ensure that the evaluation methods I use are appropriate and proportionate to the scale and spirit of the activity. I decided on using a short questionnaire after the first session, direct observation of the learners throughout both bingo activities and a short feedback session after the activity in the second session. The short questionnaire in session one focused on the primary goal of improving learner confidence, with specific goal-orientated questions on confidence and self-esteem included (Moore, 2011).   

When asked to feedback about the activity’s intended outcomes 40% of the students strongly agreed that they felt more positive about themselves and their learning after the session, while 60% simply agreed with the statement. The inclusion of goal-free items (Moore, 2011) in the questionnaire (e.g. the most useful thing I learned was…) allowed me to develop an understanding of what aspect of the lesson was most valued by the students. Interestingly, half of the students named the bingo activity as the most useful element of the lesson, while the other half favoured a listening task about Robert Burns.

The observation, despite being very challenging due to the amount of multi-tasking involved, also afforded me the opportunity to witness first-hand how involved students were from the very start of the bingo game. They read the questions on the cards with great interest and some of them started completing some of the sentence starters on their cards straight-away. The length of time that the students took to discuss the questions in their pairs was also really encouraging in proving that the task provided a relevant and engaging context in which learners could improve their vocabulary. At times I found myself having to stop these conversations in order to make sure we did not run out of time to complete the activity.

There was a great amount of laughter, smiles and nodding as students spontaneously provided each other with peer support with the apparently more difficult questions on the bingo grid such as “say something positive about yourself” or “I am good at…”. Students seemed to recognise their partners’ difficulties with answering questions about their strengths and gave valuable insight to each other about how students’ positive attributes are recognised by others in the group. Observation allowed me to watch the body language of learners when their peers were instructed to give them compliments (“you are smart”, “your smile is beautiful”, “you can do everything in class”), it was genuinely touching to see the smiles and open gestures as learners interacted and connected with each other. It is exactly this relatedness that researchers say is the key aspect of trauma-informed education; in Perry’s words “the invisible yet powerful web of relationships that effective educators create between themselves and learners and between and among learners, is crucial to an optimal learning environment” (Perry, 2006, p.27). 

The fact that students actively used their newly learnt vocabulary and they often asked me to provide them with further vocabulary items that best described what they were trying to say to their partners throughout their mini conversations pointed towards the fact that this series of tasks enabled students to develop their language skills in order to express emotions and opinions, a powerful illustration of how the Dogme approach can be brought alive in the classroom (Thornbury, 2013). Students needed a good few instances of clarification of certain language items used in a real life context in the bingo activity; it was apparent that they needed more support in order to truly grasp the concept of “accomplishment” and “admiration” for instance. My use of formative assessment on how often and how successfully learners used newly acquired vocabulary at the most productive stage of the task in the first session had also given me invaluable information when it came to reflecting on the potentials of language development for the activity.

The repetition of the bingo activity in session two (without the scaffolding activities required in session one) gave me the opportunity to facilitate a post-activity conversation with learners where they were encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings on the activity. They acknowledged that the game itself is indeed an important element of their learning (“all questions hard but we found answers”, “I learned many new words”) and that it provided a very useful opportunity for them to recognise the need to build a more positive sense of self (“we feel ashamed, we don’t talk about it”, “it is not a custom to say nice things about myself in my country”, “I don’t think about these questions”, “sometimes it is difficult to talk about yourself”, “you build up your happiness inside”). In fact, many of the comments that they had made indicated a possible attitudinal shift, indicating recognition that the value of the activity pointed way beyond mere language learning. Their comments were a true testament to the suggestion that positive pedagogy does not only increase learner engagement and motivation but it also builds psychological resources (Brunzell, 2016).

 

Discussion and conclusion

I feel that the planning and implementation of the activity have provided me with a tremendous learning opportunity. It has given me a chance to carefully examine and critically evaluate my own assumptions about what learners need and what learners are capable of in the language classroom. My previous tendency to shy away from activities that focus on the learners’ psychological development in favour of traditionally defined (and more easily cross-referenced) language learning has given way to a firm commitment to continue to use this specific activity with students and seek out and adapt many others in a similar vein.

Treisman’s inspirational hope-coated glue (2016) seems to be a rather sticky substance, I have found myself covered in it while planning, developing and evaluating the activity and I have realised I cannot help spreading it either. My students’ feedback, the volume of new language output throughout the activity and the volume of references to personal growth as a result of the activity have given me great motivation and reassurance as a practitioner. One of the squares on the bingo sheet asked students to stand up and be applauded by their peers. In the second session when the question came up students took great delight in taking turns (without having been instructed) to stand up and get their applause. Once every student had their cheers from their peers, the group got me to stand up to receive a clap as well - I still smile every time I think about it. Delivering the activities left such an afterglow that I have realised that my students are not the only beneficiaries of these resilience building activities, they have significantly contributed to my own growth and sense of self as an educator as well.

The activity gave students the ability not only to engage in more positive ways of thinking about themselves but to move away from being needy recipients to valued contributors. This sense of a development of agency (not just on an individual level but as part of a learning community) was a truly significant aspect of students’ experience throughout the activity. By supporting each other in finding answers, looking for examples and giving encouragement as well as  sharing their own experiences and perspectives within the group, they provided vital learning opportunities to their peers and for themselves.

I was taken aback by the time that was necessary in order to design and plan for the use of resilience building activities in the ESOL classroom. The initial investment, however, both in terms of planning and delivering the activities produced wonderful results that I am very keen to share with my colleagues in ESOL and beyond. This “small” bingo activity has inspired me to gather a small library of specifically adapted resilience building resources that my college colleagues and I can make use of in the future. I have now designed and delivered a successful workshop at NATECLA Scotland’s annual conference on building ESOL learners’ psychological resources in the language classroom. That inspirational hope-coated glue does not seem to wash off very easily…

 

References

Avis, J., Fisher, R. & Thompson, R., 2015. Teaching in lifelong learning: a guide to theory and practice. Second edition ed. Maidenhead, United Kingdom: McGraw-Hill education/Open University Press.

Bertrand, J., n.d. Dogme: A teacher's view, London: British Council Teaching English.

Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., Waters, L, 2016. Trauma-Informed Positive Education: Using Positive Psychology to Strengthen Vulnerable Students. Contemporary School Psychology, Volume 20, pp. 63-83.

Crosby, C. B., 2015. An Ecological Perspective on Emerging Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices. Children & Schools, 37(4), p. 223–230.

Davidson, S., 2017. Trauma-Informed Practices for Postsecondary Education: A Guide, s.l.: Education Northwest.

Eaton, V., Ward, C., Womack, J. & Taylor, A., 2011. Mental Health and Wellbing in Leeds: An Assessment of Need in the Adult Population, s.l.: NHS Leeds.

Florian, L., 2012. Preparing Teachers to Work in Inclusive Classrooms Key Lessons for the Professional Development of Teacher Educators from Scotland’s Inclusive Practice Project. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(4), pp. 275-285.

Gibbons, P., 2015. Scaffolding language scaffolding learning. 2nd ed. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann.

Gregson, M. & Duncan, S., 2020. Reflective teaching in further, adult and vocational education. Fourth edition. ed. s.l.:s.n.

Harrow, P., 2021. Education and Training Foundation. [Online]
Available at: https://et-foundation.co.uk/safeguarding-and-prevent/trauma-aware-practice/
[Accessed 17 10 2022].

Johnson, A., 2014. Education Psychology: Theories of Learning and Human Development. s.l.:National Science Press.

Macdonald, R., 2006. The use of evaluation to improve practice in learning and teaching. Innovations in Education and Teaching International , 43(1), pp. 3-13.

Mental Health Foundation, 2016. Fundamental Facts About Mental Health , London: Mental Health Foundation.

Minahan, J., 2019. ASCD. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/trauma-informed-teaching-strategies
[Accessed 17 December 2022].

Moore, I., 2011. A Guide to Practice: Evaluating your Teaching Innovation, Birmingham: The National HE STEM Programme Curriculum Innovation Projects.

NALDIC, 1999. The distinctiveness of English as an Additional Language: a cross-curricular discipline, Working Paper 5, s.l.: National Association of Language Development in the Curriculum.

Oehlberg, B., 2008. Why Schools Need to Be Trauma Informed. Trauma and Loss: Research and Interventions, 8(2), pp. 1-4.

Perry, B. D., 2006 . Fear and learning: Trauma-related factors in the adult education process. New Direction for Adult and Continuing Education, 2006(110), pp. 21-27.

Renshaw, J., 2010. Learning Twigs. [Online]
Available at: https://jasonrenshaw.typepad.com/jason_renshaws_web_log/2010/03/the-trouble-with-teaching-unplugged.html
[Accessed 04 Feb 2022].

SAMHSA Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiative, 2014. SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach, s.l.: SAMHSA.

Thornbury S. (2013) ‘Resisting Coursebooks’ in: Gray J. (ed.) Critical Perspectives on Language Teaching Materials. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 2014-223.

Treisman, K., 2016. Working with Relational and Developmental Trauma in Children and Adolescence. 1st ed. London: Routledge

 

Appendix 1 – Bingo game

I am good at ____________.	Stand up and let everyone give you an applause.	I feel best when people _________.	Talk about someone you admire.
Talk about an accomplishment that made you proud.	My favourite part of the day is__________.	I am happiest when _______________.	Give your partner a compliment.
Share something you would like to do but you haven’t done yet.	Give someone in the group a wave and a smile.	Say something positive about yourself.	Talk about one thing that you are grateful for.
Talk about a happy event in your life.	I am proud of myself today because___________.	I feel good about myself when _____________.	Share something you would like to be better at.

 

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