This study examines the role of negotiated curriculum (NC), operationalised through the co-design of Schemes of Work (SOW), in enhancing adult ESOL learners’ linguistic development and sociocultural participation within the UK Further Education (FE) context. While ESOL provision is often structured around standardised curricula and assessment-driven outcomes, such approaches can marginalise learners’ lived experiences and limit opportunities for meaningful language use beyond the classroom. This study addresses a critical gap by investigating how learner involvement in curriculum design can support autonomy, motivation, and social integration.
Situated within an interpretivist paradigm, the research adopts a qualitative practitioner inquiry approach. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, focus groups, and additional learner-contributed accounts. The study explores how learners participate in shaping SOW content and examines the impact of this process on their engagement with language learning and sociocultural practices.
The findings indicate that participants associated negotiated SOW with increased motivation, agency, and independent learning practices. Participants reported enhanced confidence in applying language skills in real-life contexts and developed a deeper awareness of sociocultural norms, supporting more effective participation in everyday life. However, the study also identifies structural constraints, including institutional requirements, assessment pressures, and uneven levels of learner participation, which mediate the extent of curriculum negotiation.
This research contributes to ESOL pedagogy by providing an empirically grounded account of NC in practice. It reconceptualises the SOW as a dynamic, dialogic, and context-responsive pedagogical tool, demonstrating its potential to bridge the gap between institutional demands and learners’ socio-cultural realities. In doing so, the study advances understanding of how curriculum co-construction can support both language development and purposeful social integration within FE ESOL contexts.