Life of a Luton woman who struggled to communicate in English for 43 years is transformed by 8 week course

A Luton woman who struggled to communicate in English for 43 years has had her life transformed by an eight-week course.

Balqis Akhtar moved to Luton from Pakistan 43 years ago and with limited education and has struggled to read, write and communicate in English.

But in July 2022, Balqis became one of many local individuals from the Jobs 22 Restart Scheme in Luton to enrol on an eight-week ESOL training course Learn Plus Us.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training is designed to help individuals to settle into their local communities and to empower them thrive in work and everyday life.Participants practise reading, writing, speaking and listening in English, and engage in activities designed to help them get a job like CV writing and interview preparation.

Through the help of her tutors, her classmates and most of all, through sheer determination, Balqis has not only excelled in her studies but found a new confidence in herself.

Senior ESOL tutor at Learn Plus Us, Ava, shares: “At the beginning of the course, Balqis was very shy and she could barely say a word, but now she can even joke in English and is quickly becoming the group’s favourite!

"Balqis has quickly progressed and is now writing sentences in English. She is always in class, never late, diligent with homework and she is a stunning example of what the perfect learner should be. She has overcome her initial shyness and is now much more confident, she is not afraid to try even with the risk of failure.”