Investigating the adequacy of support for bilingual learners in further education

The main aim of the project is to investigate the adequacy or otherwise of the current support provision to bilingual learners in further education – with a particular reference to a London further education college. The project investigates the academic support and guidance available to bilingual learners and establishes the relationship between the learner support and learner motivation, retention and achievement. The project also identifies ways of overcoming language barriers that prevents bilingual learners from achieving their educational goals. The project adopts a case study research methodology with some element of action research methodology as the work involves collaborations with tutors, support staff and the learners. The data collection instruments are: questionnaires, to find out the challenges faced by Bilingual learners as a consequence of their language barrier and how these could be overcome, and interviews, to identify the support and guidance provision available to the learners and attempt to answer the project questions listed below. In terms of outcomes, this project will be beneficial to the community by providing skilled workforce that will make positive contribution to their community. Empowering learners to achieve the skills and qualification they need to get their desired jobs. This will in turn benefit the community as a whole, since they are the future workforce of the community.