Reports and publications

ESOL Matters

Angela published an article on Progression Pathways as a Participatory Resource in the classroom in the IATEFL ESOL Special Interest Group Newsletter ESOL Matters in September 2024.  

ESOL in the East Midlands

This commissioned report explores and evaluates ESOL provision across the East Midlands region.  You can access the report from the East Midlands Councils website. 

MESH paper published in Language Issues 2023

MESH Development Worker Angela Palmer published a second paper in a year in NATECLA's journal Language Issues.  In the Winter 2023 edition, Angela's paper entitled 'ESOL and progression pathways' was published, exploring MESH work in this important area.

Access to ESOL for Ukrainian Refugees

This report was commissioned by Migration Yorkshie to explore to examine access to ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) classes for Ukrainian refugees living in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

MESH paper published in Language Issues 2022

MESH Development Worker Angela Palmer, along with ex-Director of MESH Cathering Hemmings, published a paper all about MESH in the Winter 2022 issue of NATECLA's journal Language Issues.  The paper is called: 'Teaching English the Yorkshire Way: about MIgrant English Support Hub'.  

MESH Annual Report 2022 - 2023

You can access our latest Annual Report here.  

Our trustees have been involved in the production of many publications.  A selection of publications about ESOL and the migrant experience are available to download here.  

James Simpson, (2019) Policy and adult migrant language education in the UK. In M. Cooke & R. Peutrell (eds.) Brokering Britain, Educating Citizens. Bristol: Multilingual Matters

James Simpson, (2019) ‘Supporting bilingualism in first generation adults.’ In A. De Houwer and L. Ortega (eds.) The Cambridge Handbook of Bilingualism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Sari Pöyhönen, Mirja Tarnanen and James Simpson (2018), ‘Adult migrant language education in a diversifying world’, in A. Creese and Adrian Blackledge (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Language and Superdiversity, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge


James Simpson (2016), 'English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): Language education and migration' in G. Hall (ed.), Routledge Handbook of English Language Teaching, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge

James Simpson (2015), 'English language learning for adult migrants in superdiverse Britain', in James Simpson & Anne Whiteside, Adult Language Education and Migration: Challenging agendas in policy and practice, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge

Simpson, J. & A. Whiteside (2015), ‘Adult language education and migration: Challenging agendas in policy and practice’, In J. Kurvers & I. van de Craats (eds.) LESLLA. Proceedings of 10th annual forum, Radbout University, August 2014.

Stephen Woulds & James Simpson (2010), '"Dead on the page" no more! The case for authentic, locally appropriate ESOL materials', Language Issues 21(1)

ESOL Policy Documents.  A list of policy documents relevant to the ESOL sector, prepared by MESH in 2021

Other policy documents and reports relevant to our sector

'Making connections, building resilience: the Yorkshire and Humber refugee integration strategy', published by Migration Yorkshire in 2022


'Integration works: The role of organisations in refugee integration in Yorkshire and the Humber', by Philip Brown, Claire Walkey, Philip Martin, University of Huddersfield, 2020 Policy Briefing

Learning & Work Institute, 'Establishing and developing ESOL local partnerships: An effective practice guide', 2019 

ESOL Neighbourhood Audit Pilot (Harehills, Leeds), 2011.  A critical document in the development of MESH. Also download the methodological toolkit from this project here