ESOL Merton Local Authority
Nedjma Kissoum arrived in London just over a year ago and is studying Level 1 ESOL at Merton College.
Nedjma says: "When I arrived in this country, I was a little lost - I found learning a new language overwhelming. But I knew I had to adapt and go step by step. The first thing I needed to do was to find English courses. I applied online for Merton's ESOL course and had an assessment at the College. I started on an Entry 3 ESOL course and my teacher was amazing, helping me to improve my English a lot.
After I'd been to a few lessons, I felt confident to go shopping alone, attend appointments and just generally speak to people. I then began an additional conversational College class to help improve my communication skills. The staff were so supportive, they gave me advice on putting together a CV to apply for a job and I now work as a Supervisor in a retail shop.
I still continue to take courses at Merton, I'm doing Level 1 ESOL at the moment so my English skills are improving all the time."
