English Speaking Board (International) Ltd

Category: 70/70

  • ‘1.9 million children are behind with their talking and understanding of words’ – ESB endorses the findings in Speech and Language UK’s newly published report: Listening to unheard children

    Speech and Language UK has recently published a report which highlights the significant rise in children struggling with talking and understanding words.

    English Speaking Board (International) wholeheartedly supports the report’s recommendations and the charity’s call on the Government and the education system to take urgent action so that these children have the skills they need to face the future with confidence.

    ESB knows the impact when young people and adults don’t have the speaking and listening skills needed to thrive in their lives.

    • Ineffective communication and poor oracy skills can significantly impact an individual’s learning, life and work. 
    • Communication-rich experiences are key to helping children, young people and adults find their voice; developing confidence, self-esteem and self-respect. The pandemic adversely impacted these experiences for those children already living with socio economic disadvantage.
    • Acquiring good levels of Oracy are further challenged by disadvantage – socio-economic, special educational needs and disabilities and people whose first language isn’t English. Sadly these often act as barriers to educational attainment and aspirations.

    These are the problems that ESB wants to address.

    Says ESB’s Chief Executive, “Finding your voice is absolutely central to who we are as human beings. Many young people and adults are eager to reach their full potential, but the education system can be a barrier for those with additional or significant learning needs. That’s where ESB comes in. Our empowering, confidence-boosting oracy qualifications help prepare individuals for success in both their personal and professional lives.”

    ESB is committed to helping close the disadvantage gap and the key points of this new report mirror ESB’s purpose to empower all learners to develop key oracy skills, regardless of their background.

    Adds Tina, “We reach out to children and young adults who may be affected by poverty, difficult socio-economic conditions, special educational needs and disabilities, and we offer them that unique opportunity to focus on oracy through our Ofqual Accredited qualifications.

    “Through our Outreach Campaign, we provide financial support through our Christabel Burniston Fund to schools in areas of disadvantage, as well as schools offering specialist SEND provision.”

    What is the impact of investing in ESB qualifications that focus on oracy?

    ESB’s recently launched National Impact Report outlines the impact of its externally assessed qualifications on the development of learners’ oracy and personal development.

    Impact at Primary Level

    Teachers told us that:

    • ESB qualifications have had a huge impact on the speaking and listening skills of their learners in the wake of the pandemic, with a 9/10 impact score.
    • Learners spoke with an increasing command of standard English.
    • Learners were judged to be far more competent and confident in their ability to gain and maintain the interest of their peers and to stay on topic, initiate and respond.
    • Learners improved their group work skills.
    • Learners also said that they were much happier to read in class after they had completed the assessment.

    Impact at Secondary Level

    • 62% of learners told us that the qualifications improved their ability to work well in a group and helped them to stay focused and to collaborate with others.
    • Teachers said that the impact of completing these qualifications in a post-pandemic world was of significance for these young people, with an 8/10 impact score.
    • Learners also felt they improved their ability to speak confidently, audibly and fluently, enhanced their vocabulary to articulate better, and improved their own abilities and targets.

    To find out more about ESB’s National Impact Report, please watch the video. You can also download the Executive Summary of the report here.

    ESB understands that investing in oracy has its dividends and has both an immediate and life-long impact on learners.

    Tina says, “It is ESB’s goal to expand our reach to more organisations where learners face disadvantage. By developing speaking and listening skills, we stretch the most able, support the least confident and realise the potential of all, to help close the disadvantage gap.”

    If you are interested in speaking to our team about Oracy qualifications or if your centre qualifies for financial support through our Outreach Programme, we would love to hear from you. Please email business@esbuk.org or call 01695 573439 extension 201.

    You can read Speech and Language UK’s full report here.

  • ESB reaches more learners facing disadvantage!

    As part of its 70/70 Campaign, ESB is supporting learners at Staffordshire’s St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy to boost their oracy skills by enabling them access to its Level 3 Certificate in Speech (Grade 6) assessments.

    With many learners at the school facing disadvantage due to socio economic factors and migration status, ESB aims to equip these learners with the communication skills they need in order to achieve their aspirations.

    Says ESB Organiser at St Margaret Ward, Mary Yates, “We, at St Margaret Ward, are always so impressed with the impact that ESB assessments have on developing our students’ self-confidence. Public speaking is not a skill many of our students come to naturally, so it is always a pleasure to witness their oratory skills progress as they practise for the assessment.

    “Watching their sheer relief turn into pride upon receiving their results, only further solidifies the importance of this certification.”

    ESB Assessor, Louise Fox, said, “I received a very warm welcome at St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy. It’s a delightful school and the children were all keen and receptive. They had prepared super presentations and visual aids. Feedback received after the examinations was positive and encouraging, the children had clearly benefitted and developed their confidence due to this opportunity. Well done!!”

    ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw adds, “Here at ESB, we are steadfast in our determination to support as many disadvantaged groups as possible from the charity and community sectors, as well as educational centres and we are passionate to help close the disadvantage gap, as demonstrated by our 70/70 Campaign. I’m thrilled that our initiative has enabled learners at St Margaret Ward to complete our assessments, unlocking their potential and raising their achievement.”

    St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy is just one of the schools that is using ESB to help its learners to develop essential life skills, but ESB would like to help many more.
    If you believe your learners or young people would benefit from an Oracy journey which includes ESB assessments, we would love to hear from you! Once you contact us you can also find out whether your centre is eligible for funding and support. Please email business@esbuk.org. For further details about our 70/70 Campaign, please click here.