Not just language

Bangladeshi migrantsWhile mobile devices are frowned on in some contexts, in others they are the ONLY option for delivering learning. Mike Solly from the UK’s Open University described how migrant workers from Bangladesh spend long periods, usually in the Middle East but also South Korea and elsewhere, working to send remittances to their family. However, they are often woefully unprepared, not just in terms of language, but also in terms of the cultural differences they will encounter. The solution was to use the tool they all had in their pockets, which was their not-very-smart phone.

IATEFL 2015 bloggerThe important feature of the phone is to have a screen that will show video and a card slot so that material can be slotted into the phone for the owner to view. No phoning and no Internet involved. In effect, a mini-computer.

So the pain point is that people who have spent their whole life in a small village, never travelled even to the nearest town and who are likely illiterate or semi-literate, take on jobs in another country. Not only do they have no way of communicating with the middlemen, supervisors and employers but they also need to learn a whole new culture very rapidly.

So the Training at Hand project has prepared video training materials with acted out scenes as well as talking heads, which take the migrants through the whole process and teach them a bit of English too along the way. English is the medium of communication often in the Arabic countries though in S. Korea it would be of limited use.

The main advantage of the materials is that it helps to avoid some of the more embarassing and costly mistakes which migrants may make (for example in filling out immigration forms). Migrants could even end up in prison if they have misunderstood what they need to do.

A recurring theme was training in the use of modern toilets, something which the migrants had no experience of and which they would meet as early as on the flight to their destination. It was clear that the designers of the materials thought this was an odd request but they were persuaded by the locals on the ground that this was absolutely necessary and so I imagine that there must be some extremely embarassing stories behind that request.

Although the materials were initially foreseen as a language primer in English and Arabic, it soon became clear that cultural skills were also in high demand. During the session we saw a role play scene acted out (in English for us but the materials present them in Bangla) in which an experienced migrant helps a new migrant with his packing; what to take, what not to take, what to pack it in and so on. Apparently one of the main new areas is food, since most of the dishes the migrants will meet will be totally new to them. So the videos can show these foods and how they are eaten.

What’s great about this initiative is that

  • the content was determined by the migrants themselves
  • it uses appropriate technology that the migrants already own
  • it does not involve phone charges or internet time
  • it overcomes the problem of teaching non or semi-literate people

Start at 3.38 for the story.

Approval for the use of the photo can be found at Dubai Construction Update Part 7 Page 12 at Post 223. Imre Solt’s exact statement is: “I, Imre Solt, put all my images found on the Dubai Construction Update sites on the GFDL (GNU Free Documentation License). I agree to the terms that my images may be freely redistributed and used, that they may be freely modified (and modified versions may also be freely redistributed and used), that any redistribution must include the full text of the GFDL itself, that the work (and modified versions of it) must be attributed to me (the creator), and that the images can be re-used for commercial purposes (as long as the use is under the terms of the GFDL and that the full text of the GDFL goes along with the work). I acknowledge that I cannot withdraw from this agreement.” He gave this statement on 17 August 2007.