Sample records for adult esl learners

  1. How Do Chinese ESL Learners Recognize English Words during a Reading Test? A Comparison with Romance-Language-Speaking ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Hongli; Suen, Hoi K.

    2015-01-01

    This study examines how Chinese ESL learners recognize English words while responding to a multiple-choice reading test as compared to Romance-language-speaking ESL learners. Four adult Chinese ESL learners and three adult Romance-language-speaking ESL learners participated in a think-aloud study with the Michigan English Language Assessment…

  2. Teaching Low-Level Adult ESL Learners. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holt, Grace Massey

    In recent years, the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching profession has made discoveries about teaching beginning or low-level adult learners (those with little or no schooling in their native languages, learners who may not be familiar with the Roman alphabet, those with learning disabilities, and those literate in their native languages…

  3. Content-Learning Tasks for Adult ESL Learners: Promoting Literacy for Work or School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ewert, Doreen E.

    2014-01-01

    Teachers of English as a second language (ESL) are often on the frontline of working with adult ESL learners who are facing a difficult developmental pathway to academic and/or economic success. These learners come to the task of learning English with widely varying schooling experiences, degrees of first language literacy, and English language…

  4. The Relationship between Reading Proficiency and Reading Strategy Use: A Study of Adult ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Jiuhan; Nisbet, Deanna

    2014-01-01

    This article explores the relationship between reading strategy use and reading proficiency among 121 adult ESL learners. Reading strategy use was measured by the SORS, and reading proficiency was determined by the CASAS Reading Test and BEST Literacy Test. Findings of the study reveal that (a) adult ESL learners are active strategies users; (b)…

  5. Factors of Significant Impact on Proficiency Levels of Adult ESL Learners within Post-Secondary Education in Puerto Rico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perez, Ramon

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative case study seeks to identify factors that have a significant impact on the second language proficiency levels of adult English as a Second Language (ESL) learners at a four-year university in Puerto Rico. Current data indicate that a significant percentage of adult ESL learners encounter major difficulties within the process of…

  6. Contextualized Workforce Skills and ESL Learner Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vafai, Maliheh Mansuripur

    2016-01-01

    This article reports on an empirical case study centering on adult ESL learners' motivational patterns for learning English and its relevance to their career goals. It looks at past patterns of immigrant insertion within the socioeconomic context of the US and explores current trends in adult ESL curriculum development focused on the task of…

  7. Sensitizing ESL Learners to Genre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swami, Jasti Appa

    2008-01-01

    This article evaluates the efficacy of explicit genre-based instruction by sensitizing the ESL learners to the concept of genre. The main questions addressed are: How does sensitizing ESL learners to the rhetorical move structure of a genre, the communicative purposes of these moves, and linguistic features that realize these moves help them to…

  8. Testing ESL Learners' Knowledge of Collocations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonk, William J.

    This study reports on the development, administration, and analysis of a test of collocational knowledge for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners of a wide range of proficiency levels. Through native speaker item validation and pilot testing, three subtests were developed and administered to 98 ESL learners of low-intermediate to advanced…

  9. Training Using Technology in the Adult ESL Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McClanahan, Lorna

    2014-01-01

    In this article I discuss two reasons for the slow adoption of technology as an instructional tool in adult English as a Second Language (ESL) education. I outline recent facts about the relationships between today's adult ESL learners and technology, and then construct a background of theoretical support in favor of integrating technology in…

  10. ESL Instruction and Adults with Learning Disabilities. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwarz, Robin; Terrill, Lynda

    This digest reviews what is known about adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners and learning disabilities, suggests ways to identify and assess ESL adults who may have learning disabilities, and offers practical methods for both instruction and teacher training. Topics covered in some detail include identifying and diagnosing learning…

  11. Differential Effects of Focused and Unfocused Written Correction on the Accurate Use of Grammatical Forms by Adult ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheen, Younghee; Wright, David; Moldawa, Anna

    2009-01-01

    Building on Sheen's (2007) study of the effects of written corrective feedback (CF) on the acquisition of English articles, this article investigated whether direct focused CF, direct unfocused CF and writing practice alone produced differential effects on the accurate use of grammatical forms by adult ESL learners. Using six intact adult ESL…

  12. The Effects of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Instruction on Reading Performance of Adult ESL Learners with Limited English and Literacy Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Jiuhuan; Newbern, Claudia

    2012-01-01

    This article reports on a study that examines the effects of metacognitive reading strategy instruction on reading performance of adult ESL learners with limited English and literacy skills. The strategy instruction was implemented over a period of four months with a group of 18 learners who were enrolled in a high beginning literacy course in an…

  13. Using E-Portfolios and ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alawdat, Maha

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the use of e-portfolios for ESL (English as a second language) learners. The data were collected by reviewing 11 empirical studies from 2010-2012 in order to synthesize meaningful information about e-portfolios for ESL/EFL (English as a foreign language) acquisition. The studies were coded into two main categories: learning…

  14. Standards for ESL/EFL Teachers of Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    TESOL Press, 2013

    2013-01-01

    "Standards for ESL/EFL Teachers of Adult Learners" offers performance indicators, vignettes, and evaluation tools for instructors. These clearly organized components will help instructors identify the qualities and practices to pursue in their teaching. The standards in this book address planning, instructing, and assessing as the basis…

  15. The Role of Oral Reading Fluency in ESL Reading Comprehension among Learners of Different First Language Backgrounds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jiang, Xiangying

    2016-01-01

    This study discusses the construct of oral reading fluency and examines its relationship to reading comprehension among adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners of four first language (L1) backgrounds. One hundred and forty-nine adult learners of English with Arabic, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese language backgrounds participated in this…

  16. Training Adult ESL Learners in Metacognitive Reading Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Jiuhan; Nisbet, Deanna

    2012-01-01

    This article is written as a practical guide to aid teachers in metacognitive reading strategy instruction. The nature of metacognitive strategies is explored, followed by specific procedures for implementing effective metacognitive strategy instruction in the adult ESL classroom. Chamot and O'Malley's (1994) five-phase strategy instruction…

  17. Empirical Study on Learners' Self-Efficacy in ESL/EFL Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shi, Lihong

    2016-01-01

    With the popularity of learner-oriented approach in language teaching, research on learners is gaining more and more importance. This paper attempts to review the empirical researches on self-efficacy in the ESL/EFL settings during the past 10 years with the purpose of depicting the extent to which the self-efficacy research in ESL/EFL has…

  18. Designing Websites for ESL Learners: A Usability Testing Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Min; Traphagan, Tomoko; Huh, Jin; Koh, Young Ihn; Choi, Gilok; McGregor, Allison

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to report on a usability study for ESL websites conducted to gain insights from learners of English as a second language (ESL) as they interacted with specific sites. Five carefully selected ESL sites were tested by 10 different users generating a total of fifty testing sessions. Two major research questions guided the…

  19. ESL Learners' Online Research and Comprehension Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sain, Noridah; Bown, Andy; Fluck, Andrew; Kebble, Paul

    2017-01-01

    In order to enhance second language (L2) acquisition, English as a Second Language (ESL) students are encouraged to exploit the abundant information and opportunities for authentic language use afforded by the Internet. This study investigated the online research and comprehension strategies employed by ESL learners in a public university in…

  20. Changes in the Motivation of Chinese ESL Learners: A Qualitative Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Qi

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on a case study that investigated changes in the motivation of Chinese ESL learners over a three month period of residence in an English-speaking environment. The participants consisted of 11 Chinese ESL learners, who were tertiary students and taking general or academic English courses in New Zealand. They took part in the…

  1. Learner's Learning Experiences & Difficulties towards (ESL) among UKM Undergraduates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maarof, Nooreiny; Munusamy, Indira Malani A/P

    2015-01-01

    This paper aims to investigate the learners learning experiences and difficulties of ESL among the UKM undergraduates. This study will be focusing on identifying the factors behind Malaysian undergraduate's experiences and also their difficulties in the English as Second Language (ESL) classroom. This paper discusses some of the issues of English…

  2. Influence of Speech Anxiety on Oral Communication Skills among ESL/EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khan, Said Muhammad

    2015-01-01

    The realization of speech anxiety among ESL/EFL learners is important. Once understood, these feelings of fear or nervousness may be relieved and the desired objectives of learning the target language may be achieved. The study has attempted to measure the level of anxiety among ESL/EFL learners at HITEC University, Taxila, Pakistan. The current…

  3. Addressing Reticence: The Challenge of Engaging Reluctant Adult ESL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Steven J.; Henrichsen, Lynn E.

    2015-01-01

    Reticence frequently prevents adult ESL learners from learning as much as they otherwise might. The nature of second-language learning requires frequent performance that may challenge students' self-concepts, leading to reticence and self-consciousness. To reduce or prevent this problem, teachers must employ appropriate pedagogical and classroom…

  4. From Welfare to Work: Lessons for ESL Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Elaine

    This lesson plan guide is designed to be used by English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers to help their learners deal with new welfare legislation--Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)--and to prepare them for the world of work. Learners at the high beginner to low intermediate level and above will benefit from this instruction. All…

  5. Maximising Asian ESL Learners' Communicative Oral English via Drama

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gill, Chamkaur

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes that activities based on a variety of drama-based techniques could be valuable in giving Asian ESL learners opportunities to use communicative spoken English confidently and without restraint during their time in English-language-speaking countries. These learners often get anxious when in situations where they are required to…

  6. Techniques to Bring Humor and Create a Pleasant Learning Environment in Adult ESL Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vu, Phu; Vu, Lan

    2012-01-01

    According to the U.S. Department of Education (2004), more than 40% of approximately three million learners in the federally-funded adult education programs are in the area of English as a second language (ESL). These learners, the majority of whom are immigrants and refugees, represent a huge diversity of cultural backgrounds and nationalities,…

  7. Telling Stories of Violence in Adult ESL Classrooms: Disrupting Safe Spaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waterhouse, Monica

    2016-01-01

    This article develops a complex understanding of safe space in relation to adult refugee learners' oral literacy practice of telling stories of violent life experiences in English as a second language (ESL) classrooms. A rhizoanalytic approach brings theoretical and empirical elements into conversation to ask two questions. Can the exigencies of…

  8. The Impact of a Reading Intervention for Low-Literate Adult ESL Learners. NCEE 2011-4003

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Condelli, Larry; Cronen, Stephanie; Bos, Johannes; Tseng, Fannie; Altuna, Jacklyn

    2010-01-01

    To help improve research-based knowledge of effective instruction for low-literate ESL (English as a second language) learners, the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance of ED's (U.S. Department of Education's) Institute of Education Sciences contracted with the American Institutes of Research (AIR) to conduct a Study of…

  9. Trauma and the Adult English Language Learner. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isserlis, Janet

    English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) practitioners are familiar with adult learners' stories of disruption, political trauma, and mental upheaval. Until recently, however, little attention has been paid to personal trauma and domestic abuse. Acknowledgement of the prevalence of violence generally, and of that experienced by those in the adult ESL…

  10. Education for Adult English Language Learners in the United States: Trends, Research, and Promising Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schaetzel, Kirsten; Young, Sarah

    2010-01-01

    Adult English language learners comprise a substantial proportion of the adult education population in the United States. In program year 2006-2007, 46% of participants enrolled in state-administered adult education programs were in English as a second language (ESL) classes. This percentage does not include English language learners enrolled in…

  11. Interlanguage Pragmatics Study of Indirect Complaint among Japanese ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baba, Junko

    2010-01-01

    This interlanguage pragmatics study of linguistic expressions of affect focuses on how Japanese learners of English may express themselves in an affect-laden speech act of indirect complaint. The English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' data are compared with the baseline data of native speakers of Japanese (JJ) and American English (AA). The…

  12. Distribution of Articles in Written Composition among Malaysian ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahim, Mia Emily Abdul; Rahim, Emma Marini Abdul; Ning, Chia Han

    2013-01-01

    The study aimed to investigate the distribution patterns of the English grammar articles (a, an, and the) as well as the distributions of their colligation patterns in written compositions of English among Malaysian ESL learners. This paper reports the results of a corpus-based study on articles used by these learners. The method used in this…

  13. Investigating ESL Learners' Lexical Collocations: The Acquisition of Verb + Noun Collocations by Japanese Learners of English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miyakoshi, Tomoko

    2009-01-01

    Although it is widely acknowledged that collocations play an important part in second language learning, especially at intermediate-advanced levels, learners' difficulties with collocations have not been investigated in much detail so far. The present study examines ESL learners' use of verb-noun collocations, such as "take notes," "place an…

  14. Professionalism Prevails in Adult Education ESL Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Megan C.; Bywater, Kathleen

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to explore the issue of professionalism of adult education ESL educators and uncover any inequities. The arc of this exploration describes the history of adult education, the current state of adult education ESL professionals, and the direction in which ESL adult educators appear to be heading. The results illustrate…

  15. Put Reading First: Positive Effects of Direct Instruction and Scaffolding for ESL Learners Struggling with Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Staden, Annalene

    2011-01-01

    The inability of many English second-language (ESL) learners to read at desirable levels is universal, but reasons for this and solutions have not yet been addressed. Within the South African teaching context especially there is a paucity of evidence-based research findings available on the literacy challenges faced by ESL learners and the…

  16. Writing with Computers in ESL Classroom: Enhancing ESL Learners' Motivation, Confidence and Writing Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hadi, Marham Jupri

    2013-01-01

    Researcher's observation on his ESL class indicates the main issues concerning the writing skills: learners' low motivation to write, minimum interaction in writing, and poor writing skills. These limitations have led them to be less confidence to write in English. This article discusses how computers can be used for the purpose of increasing…

  17. Reaching a Culturally Diverse Immigrant Population of Adult English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Joan; Owen, Linda

    2013-01-01

    Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) is a framework to help adult English as a second language (ESL) educators renovate their practices into effective, culturally responsive programs, readily accessible to adult learners. Four CRT strategies that can be used include (a) validation through caring, (b) valuing cultural experiences, (c) creating a…

  18. The Impact of a Reading Intervention for Low-Literate Adult ESL Learners. Executive Summary. NCEE 2011-4004

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Condelli, Larry; Cronen, Stephanie; Bos, Johannes; Tseng, Fannie; Altuna, Jacklyn

    2010-01-01

    To help improve research-based knowledge of effective instruction for low-literate ESL (English as a second language) learners, the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance of ED's (U.S. Department of Education's) Institute of Education Sciences contracted with the American Institutes of Research (AIR) to conduct a Study of…

  19. Adult ESL Education in the US

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eyring, Janet L.

    2014-01-01

    This article discusses the state of the art in the field of "adult ESL" in the US. It identifies the size, characteristics, and settings of adult education and discusses relevant professional standards, assessment procedures, and teacher preparation. Three approaches to noncredit adult ESL education will be presented (Functional…

  20. The Transformational Learning Journey of a Novice ESL Teacher of Low-Literate Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeCapua, Andrea; Marshall, Helaine W.; Frydland, Nan

    2018-01-01

    This article reports on one teacher's journey, Nan's, as she struggled to provide appropriate instruction to low-literate day laborers in an English as a second language (ESL) class for adult learners. In her efforts to do so, Nan became inspired to implement alternative pedagogy based on a culturally responsive approach that resonated strongly…

  1. An Annotated Bibliography of Adult ESL Instructional Materials.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Escobar, Joanna Sculley; Daugherty, John

    This annotated bibliography of adult English as a second language (ESL) student materials, available at the Illinois ESL/Adult Basic Education (ABE) Services Center, was prepared for adult ESL administrators, coordinators, teachers, and teacher aides to provide a representative sampling of materials available and to assist in the selection of…

  2. Uses of Technology in the Instruction of Adult English Language Learners. CAELA Network Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Sarah Catherine K.

    2009-01-01

    In program year 2006-2007, 46 percent of the adults enrolled in federally funded, state-administered adult education programs in the United States were enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. These adult English language learners represent a wide range of ages, nationalities, native languages, and English proficiency levels. In…

  3. Communication Strategies of Adult ESL Learners: A Discourse Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clennell, Charles

    1995-01-01

    Examines the communication strategies used by adult second-language learners of English when performing contrasting pedagogic tasks. The article suggests that existing descriptions of communication strategies ignore the pragmatic function of such devices in interactive discourse and offers a reclassification that differentiates strategies…

  4. Automated Error Detection for Developing Grammar Proficiency of ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Hui-Hsien; Saricaoglu, Aysel; Chukharev-Hudilainen, Evgeny

    2016-01-01

    Thanks to natural language processing technologies, computer programs are actively being used not only for holistic scoring, but also for formative evaluation of writing. CyWrite is one such program that is under development. The program is built upon Second Language Acquisition theories and aims to assist ESL learners in higher education by…

  5. Orienting to "Being Ordinary": The (Re)Construction of Hegemonic Ideologies in Interactions among Adult Immigrant Learners of English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Elizabeth R.

    2009-01-01

    This article investigates the construction and maintenance of ideologies regarding the legitimacy of English as the dominant language in the United States in interactions involving adult immigrant learners of English. As both the researcher and these students' English as second language (ESL) instructor, I am a participant in the ESL classroom and…

  6. From Welfare to Work: Dynamic Lesson Plans for ESL Learners. Final Report. Fiscal Year 1998-99 [and] From Welfare to Work: Lessons for ESL Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Literacy, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

    This document combines a final project report and the resulting guidebook of 20 lesson plans for English as a second language (ESL) instructors to help learners work within the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) system and acquire effective job readiness strategies, choose a career path, and pursue employment. The report describes the…

  7. Success Structure for Accelerated Acquisition of English by Young ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Tumin, Mahani; Omar, Hamzah

    2008-01-01

    This is an investigation into the accelerated acquisition of English among young ESL learners in an International School. It employed an ethnographic case study approach where data were gathered through non-participant observations, unstructured interviews, relevant documents, students' portfolios, field notes and biographical details. The sample…

  8. ESL Participation as a Mechanism for Advancing Health Literacy in Immigrant Communities

    PubMed Central

    SANTOS, MARICEL G.; HANDLEY, MARGARET A.; OMARK, KARIN; SCHILLINGER, DEAN

    2014-01-01

    A reliance on the conceptualization of health literacy as functional skill has limited our views of the adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) context as a site for health literacy interventions. To explore the contributions of alternative views of literacy as social practice to health literacy research, we examined teacher survey data and learner outcomes data collected as part of a multi-year collaboration involving The California Diabetes Program (CDP), university researchers, and adult ESL teachers. The survey results (n=144 teachers) indicated that ESL teachers frequently model effective pedagogical practices that mediate social interaction around health content, the basis for acquiring new literacy skills and practices. In the classroom pilot, (n=116 learners), the majority of learners reported they had learned about diabetes risk factors and prevention strategies, which affirmed existing healthy behaviors or prompted revision of unhealthy ones. About two-thirds of the learners reported sharing preventive health content with members of out-of-school social networks. This study represents a first-step in research efforts to account more fully for the mechanisms by which social interaction and social support facilitate health literacy outcomes in ESL contexts, which should complement what we already know about the development of health literacy as functional skill. PMID:25315586

  9. ESL participation as a mechanism for advancing health literacy in immigrant communities.

    PubMed

    Santos, Maricel G; Handley, Margaret A; Omark, Karin; Schillinger, Dean

    2014-01-01

    A reliance on the conceptualization of health literacy as functional skill has limited researchers' views of the adult English-as-a-second-language (ESL) context as a site for health literacy interventions. To explore the contributions of alternative views of literacy as social practice to health literacy research, the authors examined teacher survey data and learner outcomes data collected as part of a multiyear collaboration involving the California Diabetes Program, university researchers, and adult ESL teachers. The survey results (n=144 teachers) indicated that ESL teachers frequently model effective pedagogical practices that mediate social interaction around health content, the basis for acquiring new literacy skills and practices. In the classroom pilot (n=116 learners), the majority of learners reported they had learned about diabetes risk factors and prevention strategies, which affirmed existing healthy behaviors or prompted revision of unhealthy ones. About two thirds of the learners reported sharing preventive health content with members of out-of-school social networks. This study represents a first step in research efforts to account more fully for the mechanisms by which social interaction and social support facilitate health literacy outcomes in ESL contexts, which should complement what is already known about the development of health literacy as functional skill.

  10. Teaching ESL Beginners Metacognitive Writing Strategies through Multimedia Software

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wei, Jing; Chen, Julian Chengchiang; Adawu, Anthony

    2014-01-01

    This case study explores how strategy-based instruction (SBI), assisted by multimedia software, can be incorporated to teach beginning-level ESL learners metacognitive writing strategies. Two beginning-level adult learners participated in a 10-session SBI on planning and organizing strategies. The Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach…

  11. An Adult ESL Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    South Carolina Literacy Resource Center, Columbia.

    This curriculum framework for adult literacy was written by 21 South Carolina adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instructors, as submitted to the South Carolina Literacy Resource Center. It is based on current theories in the fields of adult education and second language acquisition and is designed to be flexible so that it may be adapted to…

  12. Teaching ESL to Competencies: A Departure from a Traditional Curriculum for Adult Learners with Specific Needs. Adult Education Series #12. Refugee Education Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC. Language and Orientation Resource Center.

    Teaching English as a second language (ESL) to competencies requires that the instructional focus be on functional competencies and life-coping skills while developing the spoken and/or written English structures necessary to perform these skills. A step-by-step approach to develop and implement a competency-based approach to ESL for adults is…

  13. ESL Idea Book: A Bibliography of Instructor-Developed Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lane, Martha A.

    This bibliography contains annotated citations of primarily non-commercial instructional materials for adult literacy education in English as a Second Language (ESL). All are for learners at beginning to intermediate English language skill levels, and were selected for ease of use by volunteers, relevance to an urban area, overall applicability to…

  14. Discipline-Specific Reading Expectation and Challenges for ESL Learners in US Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hartshorn, K. James; Evans, Norman W.; Egbert, Jesse; Johnson, Amy

    2017-01-01

    English-medium institutions of higher education host increasing numbers of English-as-a second-language (ESL) learners in the US. English language skill is vital to their progress. Previous research examined reading challenges and expectations faculty have for their first-year students within five popular majors for international students…

  15. The Community College: Bridge or Roadblock to Higher Education for US Adult Immigrant English-Language Learners?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janis, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    While community colleges have been accessible for adult learners with an immigrant and an English Language Learning (ELL) background, there is a gap between preparation and academic success on the college level among these students. Within community colleges, older adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students have the lowest first-semester…

  16. Standards for Adult Education ESL Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    TESOL Press, 2013

    2013-01-01

    What are the components of a quality education ESL program? TESOL's "Standards for Adult Education ESL Programs" answers this question by defining quality components from a national perspective. Using program indicators in eight distinct areas, the standards can be used to review an existing program or as a guide in setting up a new…

  17. "Off from Lost": Generation 1 Learners' Transition from Adult ESL to Developmental Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suh, Emily KyungJin

    2017-01-01

    Immigrant students access community colleges with increasing frequency (Teranishi, Suarez-Orozco, & Suarez-Orozco, 2011); however, the majority of research focuses on Generation 1.5 students who completed K-12 education in the U.S. Generation 1 learners are defined in this study as adult immigrants (Rumbaut, 2004) and adult learners (Knowles,…

  18. More than a "Basic Skill": Breaking down the Complexities of Summarizing for ABE/ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ouellette-Schramm, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the complex cognitive and linguistic challenges of summarizing expository text at vocabulary, syntactic, and rhetorical levels. It then outlines activities to help ABE/ESL learners develop corresponding skills.

  19. The Invisible Multilingual Teacher: The Contribution of Language Background to Australian ESL Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellis, Elizabeth M.

    2004-01-01

    English as a second language (ESL) is taught in Australia to adult learners of mixed language backgrounds through the medium of English, and there is currently no requirement that ESL teachers speak another language. This paper reports on a study which asked what advantages there may be for ESL teachers to have proficiency in two or more…

  20. Using Music in the Adult ESL Classroom. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lems, Kristen

    Music can be used in the adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom to create a learning environment; to build listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills; to increase vocabulary; and to expand cultural knowledge. This digest looks briefly at research and offers strategies for using music in the adult ESL classroom.…

  1. Literature and Language Teaching: Exploring Literary Texts with the Language Learner and Re-Creating Literature in the ESL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazar, Gillian; Heath, Shirley Brice

    1996-01-01

    Two educators discuss the role literature plays in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. One emphasizes that literary texts are a source for classroom activities that can motivate learners. The other points out that the English writings of ESL students about their travels and friends published in newsletters and journals generate…

  2. The Relationship of Lexical Richness to the Quality of ESL Learners' Oral Narratives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lu, Xiaofei

    2012-01-01

    This study was an examination of the relationship of lexical richness to the quality of English as a second language (ESL) learners' oral narratives. A computational system was designed to automate the measurement of 3 dimensions of lexical richness, that is, lexical density, sophistication, and variation, using 25 different metrics proposed in…

  3. ESL and Content Area Teacher Responses to Discussions on English Language Learner Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pawan, Faridah; Craig, Daniel A.

    2011-01-01

    The current study compares the responses and statements of English as a second language (ESL) and content area teachers in discussions about the instruction of English language learners (ELLs). A study on how these two sets of teachers understand the field is important because commonalities and differences in their opinions may have an impact on…

  4. Pedagogical Stances of High School ESL Teachers: "Huelgas" in High School ESL Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    del Carmen Salazar, Maria

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a qualitative case study of the pedagogical stances of high school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and the subsequent responses of resistance or conformity by their English Language Learners (ELLs). The participants include three high school ESL teachers and 60 high school ESL students of Mexican origin. Findings…

  5. Adult ESL: Politics, Pedagogy, and Participation in Classroom and Community Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smoke, Trudy, Ed.

    The collection of essays on the politics of adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction includes: "The Politics of Adult ESL literacy: Becoming Politically Visible" (Pamela Ferguson); "Learning To Be Legal: Unintended Meanings for Adult Schools" (Pia Moriarty); "The Relationship Between Knowing Our Students' Real…

  6. Setting up an Adult ESL Program in the Fiji Islands.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorkelson, Myra

    1987-01-01

    The author describes an English as a Second Language (ESL) course she taught in Fiji (where English is the official language of commerce and government) for adult speakers of a Hindi dialect or Fijian. She discusses evaluation of student needs and specific exercises for adult ESL classes. (CH)

  7. Use of L1 in L2 Reading Comprehension among Tertiary ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seng, Goh Hock; Hashim, Fatimah

    2006-01-01

    This study is an attempt to provide insights into the extent of first language (L1) use while reading second language (L2) texts in a collaborative situation among tertiary ESL learners. Through the identification of reading strategies utilized by the subjects, the study is also aimed at discovering possible reasons for the use of L1 while…

  8. Improving Reading Fluency and Comprehension in Adult ESL Learners Using Bottom-Up and Top-Down Vocabulary Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliver, Rhonda; Young, Shahreen

    2016-01-01

    The current research examines the effect of two methods of vocabulary training on reading fluency and comprehension of adult English as second language (ESL) tertiary-bound students. The methods used were isolated vocabulary training (bottom-up reading) and vocabulary training in context (top-down reading). The current exploratory and…

  9. Bilingualised or Monolingual Dictionaries? Preferences and Practices of Advanced ESL Learners in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Alice Y. W.

    2011-01-01

    This article reports on the results of a questionnaire and interview survey on Cantonese ESL learners' preference for bilingualised dictionaries or monolingual dictionaries. The questionnaire survey was implemented with about 160 university English majors in Hong Kong and three focus group interviews were conducted with 14 of these participants.…

  10. Adult English as a Second Language Students in the United States: Learner Characteristics, Goals, and Academic Writing Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Olga Demin

    2009-01-01

    Adult English as a second language (ESL) students learning English outside of traditional academic settings are an understudied population of second language learners. The purpose of the research reported here is to contribute to meeting the instructional needs of these students more effectively by investigating the relationships between their…

  11. Counting Words: Successful Sentences for Beginning ESL Adult Learners Using the Product Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Susanne

    2017-01-01

    The majority of correctional students of English as a second language (ESL) in Maryland come to school with limited formal education in their first language. Education has not been prioritized, and formal writing ability is absent. It then becomes a challenge to motivate students to successful writing, as is required by the state. ESL students at…

  12. "I Understand English but Can't Write It": The Power of Native Language Instruction for Adult English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lukes, Marguerite

    2011-01-01

    This study explores the potential of native language literacy instruction for adult immigrant English language learners who have limited formal schooling or have had interruptions in their formal education. By examining 3 programs that provide native language literacy in combination with English as a second language (ESL) instruction, this study…

  13. Constructivist Pedagogy in Strategic Reading Instruction: Exploring Pathways to Learner Development in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Lawrence Jun

    2008-01-01

    The study explored English as a Second Language (ESL) learner development. In particular, it focused on investigating learners' understanding of reading and their willingness to be engaged in strategic reading in participatory classroom activities. It also examined possible effects of such pedagogy on reading performance. The context was a…

  14. The Experiences in Processing Policies and Contracts by Adult ESL Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abiog, Evalyn B.

    2017-01-01

    The present study describes the experiences of adult English as a Second Language (ESL) readers in processing legal texts prior to entering a financial agreement. A preliminary survey was conducted to determine the commonly read policies and contracts of adult ESL reader-consumers, which revealed those of banks and life-insurance companies; hence,…

  15. Beyond Integrativeness: A Validation of the L2 Self Model among Francophone Learners of ESL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Troy; Guénette, Danielle; Simard, Daphnée

    2016-01-01

    According to Dörnyei's model of second language (L2) motivation, the motivated learner aims to incorporate the L2 into his or her self-concept, known as the ideal L2 self. This study examined the internal consistency of Dörnyei's model among ESL Francophone students in Quebec (n = 68) by means of a questionnaire. Correlations were calculated…

  16. Emergent Target Language Identities among Latino English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ciriza-Lope, Maria; Shappeck, Marco; Arxer, Steven

    2016-01-01

    During 2nd language acquisition, a learner's identity is consigned, juxtaposed, coconstructed, and reified through various affective positions and mitigating linguistic behaviors. Our study of adult Latino ESL students in Dallas, Texas, shows how language socialization experiences are shaped by the learners' affective stances toward the project of…

  17. Frequency Effects on ESL Compositional Multi-Word Sequence Processing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Supasiraprapa, Sarut

    2017-01-01

    The current study investigated whether adult native English speakers and English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners exhibit sensitivity to compositional English multi-word sequences, which have a meaning derivable from word parts (e.g., don't have to worry as opposed to sequences like He left the US for good, where for good cannot be taken apart…

  18. Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brodzinski, Frederick R., Ed.; Shriberg, Arthur, Ed.

    1984-01-01

    Presents nine articles which provide a broad overview of issues and concerns related to the delivery of student services to adult learners. Specific topics include needs and interests of adult learners, marketing, special technology, adult resource centers, adult support groups, and the role of the chief student affairs officer. (JAC)

  19. Adult Hispanic ESL Students and Graded Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Liza E.

    2013-01-01

    Adult Hispanic ESL students in rural San Luis, Arizona, face a challenging situation. Since San Luis lies on the southwestern tip of Arizona and borders with Mexico, Spanish is the predominant language. English, on the other hand, is mostly heard in classrooms. This can be a predicament for adult Hispanics who need to be proficient in English in…

  20. Using Electronic Readers: Action Research in an Intermediate Adult ESL Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser, Monica; Abbott, Marilyn

    2016-01-01

    The use of portable electronic reading devices in the English as a second language (ESL) classroom has the potential to positively impact learners' reading engagement and language skill development. However, due to the lack of research, few guidelines are available to inform instructors of the benefits and challenges of using these devices in ESL…

  1. Basic ESL Literacy from a Freirian Perspective: A Curriculum Unit for Farmworker Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Faigin, Sybil Barbara

    This paper discusses the development and testing of a literacy unit in basic English as a second language (ESL) for Canadian farmworkers based on the Freirian principles of designing adult education curriculum. The Freirian approach looks at adult learners in the context of their daily reality and uses literacy as a vehicle for the students'…

  2. A Longitudinal Study of ESL Learners' Fluency and Comprehensibility Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derwing, Tracey M.; Munro, Murray J.; Thomson, Ron I.

    2008-01-01

    This longitudinal mixed-methods study compared the oral fluency of well-educated adult immigrants from Mandarin and Slavic language backgrounds (16 per group) enrolled in introductory English as a second language (ESL) classes. Speech samples were collected over a 2-year period, together with estimates of weekly English use. We also conducted…

  3. Reading-Strategy Use by English as a Second Language Learners in Online Reading Tasks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Ho-Ryong; Kim, Deoksoon

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates adult English language learners' reading-strategy use when they read online texts in hypermedia learning environments. The learners joined the online Independent English Study Group (IESG) and worked both individually and collaboratively. This qualitative case study aims (a) to assess college-level ESL learners' use of…

  4. The Use of a Monolingual Dictionary for Meaning Determination by Advanced Cantonese ESL Learners in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Alice Y. W.

    2012-01-01

    This article reports on the results of a study which investigated advanced Cantonese English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' use of a monolingual dictionary for determining the meanings of familiar English words used in less familiar contexts. Thirty-two university English majors in Hong Kong participated in a dictionary consultation task,…

  5. The Effects of Computer-Assisted Pronunciation Readings on ESL Learners' Use of Pausing, Stress, Intonation, and Overall Comprehensibility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanner, Mark W.; Landon, Melissa M.

    2009-01-01

    With research showing the benefits of pronunciation instruction aimed at suprasegmentals (Derwing, Munro, & Wiebe, 1997, 1998; Derwing & Rossiter, 2003; Hahn, 2004; McNerney and Mendelsohn, 1992), more materials are needed to provide learners opportunities for self-directed practice. A 13-week experimental study was performed with 75 ESL learners…

  6. Adult Academy Tutor Training Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isserlis, Janet; And Others

    This handbook is for volunteer tutors, student interns, and VISTA volunteers working with adult basic education (ABE) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners. The community-based handbook contains information about adult literacy and tutoring--what tutors do, who the learners are, and how the literacy learning process works. Introductory…

  7. Transfer in SLA and Creoles: The Implications of Causative Serial Verbs in the Interlanguage of Vietnamese ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Helms-Park, Rena

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents a study that attributes verb serialization in the interlanguage of Vietnamese-speaking ESL learners to language transfer and, furthermore, puts forward the view that such transfer bears a resemblance to substrate influence in creoles with serial verb constructions (SVCs). In a task that elicited English causatives through…

  8. The Garbage Crisis: Environmental Issues for Adult ESL Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heffernan, Helen

    This module on the garbage crisis is for intermediate and advanced learners of English as a Second Language. It seeks to inform learners about this issue and to give them an opportunity to direct their concerns about the environment into positive action. The guide uses the problem-posing methodology of Paulo Freire. This methodology has three…

  9. Final Thoughts on Community in Adult ESL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larrott, Clarena

    2009-01-01

    Community building is an important, if not essential, element of adult English as a second language (ESL) learning. Communities, whether civic, work, religious, or identity-based, are the contexts within which people cease to be alone and become connected with others. Language is the main tool for communicating with others in communities. For…

  10. Adult Hispanic ESL Students and Graded Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Liza E.

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the extent to which graded readers vis-à-vis scaffolded silent reading (ScSR) resulted in increased vocabulary, reading comprehension, and a positive attitude toward reading. A mixed-methods study was administered to two upper-intermediate adult ESL classes at a community college in southwestern Arizona. Both groups took The…

  11. The Conflation of Adult ESL and Literacy: The Views of Experienced Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Douglas; René, Carène Pierre; Bangou, Francis; Sarwar, Gul Shahzad

    2015-01-01

    This article explores the links between English as a second language (ESL) instruction and literacy instruction through an examination of viewpoints from eight teachers in two Canadian provinces. Four of these teachers worked in government--funded adult ESL and literacy education programs for a large urban school district in the province of…

  12. What Makes Critical Thinking Critical for Adult ESL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miekley, Joshua P.

    2014-01-01

    Critical-thinking skills help to prepare adult education students for a successful transition to college degree programs and for job advancement. Yet fostering critical thinking poses a challenge to ESL instructors. Brookfield (2012) provides a way forward for adult educators when he explains that the crux of critical thinking is to discover one's…

  13. "You Just Get a Deeper Understanding of Things by Talking:" Study Circles for Teachers of ESL Emergent Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vinogradov, Patsy

    2012-01-01

    When adult ESL (English as a Second Language) learners enter our classrooms with little or no first language literacy, their instructors teach them to read for the first time in an unfamiliar language. It is a tremendous task, and the context for teaching "adult emergent readers" is complex. This complexity is coupled with a growing, but still…

  14. The Three Little Wolves Go to College: A Picture Book Lesson for Young Adult EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Chia-Ho

    2015-01-01

    For at least three decades, scholars have discussed the rationale for using picture books with English learners of all ages. Research on how older ESL and EFL learners can benefit from picture books, however, remains scarce. This study explored 25 Taiwanese university EFL learners' engagement in a predicting-reading-confirming-integrating plus…

  15. The Use of a Computer-Based Reading Rate Development Program on Pre-University Intermediate Level ESL Learners' Reading Speeds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haupt, John

    2015-01-01

    Improving L2 learners reading fluency has been identified by leading L2 reading researchers as an important aspect of L2 reading instruction (Grabe, 2004, 2009; Nation, 2009). A number of studies have been conducted on the use of paper-based fluency development methods on ESL and EFL students reading speeds and showed positive results (Al-Homoud…

  16. Strangers and Professionals: Positioning Discourse in ESL Teachers' Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haneda, Mari; Nespor, Jan

    2013-01-01

    English Language Learners (ELLs) usually spend most of the school day with regular classroom teachers. The ability of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers to help these students, then, depends in part on their ability to influence how the classroom teachers think of ELL students and ESL itself. One way ESL teachers do this is through…

  17. Library Literacy Programs for English Language Learners. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMurrer, Eileen; Terrill, Lynda

    This digest summarizes the history of public libraries and library literacy programs; describes current delivery models; and discusses initiatives in library literacy, profiling one successful public library program that serves adult English language learners and their families. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (Author/VWL)

  18. Conceptualizing Learning Style Modalities for ESL/EFL Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wintergerst, Ann C.; DeCapua, Andrea; Verna, Marilyn Ann

    2003-01-01

    Reports results of testing a newly developed learning styles instrument on three groups of language learners: Russian English-as-a-Foreign-Language students, Russian English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students, and Asian ESL students to determine their learning style preference. Results indicate that these students learn English under three…

  19. Evaluating College English as a Second Language (ESL) Instructors of School Support and Preparation for Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmed, Abdelmonem Saad Abdelhamid

    2013-01-01

    As English language learner (ELL) students are at risk of dropping out of higher education, colleges and universities must make greater efforts to retain them. This study assessed the training quality of English as a second language (ESL) instructors in higher educational institutions in New York City to help ELL students in academics, language…

  20. Integrating health literacy and ESL: an interdisciplinary curriculum for Hispanic immigrants.

    PubMed

    Soto Mas, Francisco; Mein, Erika; Fuentes, Brenda; Thatcher, Barry; Balcázar, Héctor

    2013-03-01

    Adult Hispanic immigrants are at a greater risk of experiencing the negative outcomes related to low health literacy, as they confront cultural and language barriers to the complex and predominately monolingual English-based U.S. health system. One approach that has the potential for simultaneously addressing the health, literacy, and language needs of Hispanics is the combination of health literacy and English as a second language (ESL) instruction. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the feasibility of using ESL instruction as a medium for improving health literacy among Hispanic immigrants. Objectives included the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interdisciplinary health literacy/ESL curriculum that integrates theories of health literacy and health behavior research and practice, sociocultural theories of literacy and communication, and adult learning principles. This article describes the curriculum development process and provides preliminary qualitative data on learners' experiences with the curriculum. Results indicate that the curriculum was attractive to participants and that they were highly satisfied with both the format and content. The curriculum described here represents one example of an audience-centered approach designed to meet the specific health and literacy needs of the Hispanic population on the U.S.-Mexico border. The combination of ESL and health literacy contributed to a perceived positive learning experience among participants. Interdisciplinary approaches to health literacy are recommended.

  1. A Learning Curriculum: Toward Student-Driven Pedagogy in the Context of Adult English for Academic Purposes, English for Specific Purposes, and Workplace English Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ananyeva, Maria

    2014-01-01

    This article introduces the concept of a learning curriculum that places adult English as a second language (ESL) students' needs in the center and encourages the engagement of ESL learners in curriculum design. The study is based on contemporary research in the field of adult ESL program planning. It summarizes key components of a learning…

  2. A Pilot Study Comparing Total Physical Response Storytelling[TM] with the Grammar-Translation Teaching Strategy to Determine Their Effectiveness in Vocabulary Acquisition among English as a Second Language Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castro, Ruben

    2010-01-01

    This study evaluated the effectiveness of Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS[TM]) compared to the Grammar-Translation approach for acquiring and retaining new vocabulary in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class. The subjects were adult Hispanic learners with limited literacy. An experimental design approach was used to gather…

  3. Learners' Lives as Curriculum: Six Journeys to Immigrant Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weinstein, Gail, Ed.

    This videotape and workbook offer a framework for developing curriculum and materials that speak to the most basic and most pressing issues in English language learners' lives. They are based on the belief that English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and literacy classrooms could and should be settings where adults find opportunities to develop…

  4. Bringing Literacy to Life. Issues and Options in Adult ESL Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wrigley, Heide Spruck; Guth, Gloria J. A.

    The result of a 2-year research study funded under the National English Literacy Demonstration Program for Adults of Limited English Proficiency, this handbook on adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy education represents a synthesis of ideas derived from various sources. It is meant as a resource for teachers who have some experience…

  5. Effect of Dialogue Journal Writing through the Use of Conventional Tools and E-Mail on Writing Anxiety in the ESL Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foroutan, Maryam; Noordin, Nooreen

    2012-01-01

    ESL/EFL Anxiety has been reported as one of the foremost factors affecting ESL learners' performance. Hence, identifying methods to assist language learners to alleviate their ESL anxiety deserve to be considered by the educators. This study compared the effect of dialogue journal writing (DJW) through two different modes of learning and teaching:…

  6. Placement, Progress, and Promotion: ESL Assessment in California's Adult Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalves, Lisa

    2017-01-01

    In California adult schools, standardized language assessments are typically administered to adult English as a second language (ESL) students upon enrollment; students then take these same state-approved tests throughout the academic year to demonstrate progress. As these tests assess only listening and reading skills, schools may use their own…

  7. The role of the phonological loop in English word learning: a comparison of Chinese ESL learners and native speakers.

    PubMed

    Hamada, Megumi; Koda, Keiko

    2011-04-01

    Although the role of the phonological loop in word-retention is well documented, research in Chinese character retention suggests the involvement of non-phonological encoding. This study investigated whether the extent to which the phonological loop contributes to learning and remembering visually introduced words varies between college-level Chinese ESL learners (N = 20) and native speakers of English (N = 20). The groups performed a paired associative learning task under two conditions (control versus articulatory suppression) with two word types (regularly spelled versus irregularly spelled words) differing in degree of phonological accessibility. The results demonstrated that both groups' recall declined when the phonological loop was made less available (with irregularly spelled words and in the articulatory suppression condition), but the decline was greater for the native group. These results suggest that word learning entails phonological encoding uniformly across learners, but the contribution of phonology varies among learners with diverse linguistic backgrounds.

  8. Prosody as a Tool for Assessing Reading Fluency of Adult ESL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sinambela, Seftirina Evina

    2017-01-01

    The prosodic features in reading aloud assignment has been associated with the students' decoding skill. The goal of the present study is to determine the reliability of prosody for assessing reading fluency of adult ESL students in Indonesia context. The participants were all Indonesian natives, undergraduate students, adult females and males who…

  9. ESL Students' Perceptions of Their English Writing Proficiency and the Effects of Peer Review Training among Three Types of Students in a Community College ESL Composition Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldburg, Maxine E.

    2012-01-01

    Learner-centered methodology like peer review is problematic in the pluralism of the ESL classroom when teaching academic English composition. A distinct complication is the form writing instruction should take given the interaction and variations between ESL students' L1 background, experiences, schema, and the meaning of academic literacy in…

  10. The Presence or Absence of Definiteness in the Native Language and Its Impact on ESL Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abu-Melhim Abdel-Rahman

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if first language interference does play a significant role in the use of articles in English by native speakers of Arabic as compared to other ESL learners. An error analysis was conducted on the use of English articles in essays taken from two groups of advanced ESL learners. The essays were composed by…

  11. Arab ESL Secondary School Students' Spelling Errors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Sobhi, Bandar Mohammad Saeed; Rashid, Sabariah Md; Abdullah, Ain Nadzimah; Darmi, Ramiza

    2017-01-01

    English spelling has always been described by many language researchers and teachers as a daunting task especially for learners whose first language is not English. Accordingly, Arab ESL learners commit serious errors when they spell out English words. The primary objective of this paper is to determine the types as well as the causes of spelling…

  12. Vocabulary Acquisition in an Academic Discipline: ESL Learners and Theology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lessard-Clouston, Michael

    A study investigated and compared the acquisition of specialized vocabulary among English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) and native English-speaking (NES) graduate students in theology. Research was undertaken in an anglophone city in central Canada. Subjects were 12 students (5 Chinese ESLs, 7 NESs) enrolled in an introductory core theology course. A…

  13. Strategies Used by Cantonese Speakers in Pronouncing English Initial Consonant Clusters: Insights into the Interlanguage Phonology of Cantonese ESL Learners in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Alice Y. W.

    2006-01-01

    This article discusses the strategies used by Cantonese ESL learners to cope with their problems in pronouncing English initial consonant clusters. A small-scale research study was carried out with six secondary and six university students in Hong Kong, who were asked to perform four speech tasks: the reading of a word list, the description of a…

  14. Advising Adult Learners. NACADA Task Force Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polson, Cheryl; And Others

    A study examined the scope of existing services for adult learners attending universities and colleges. Survey instruments designed to gather data on institutional support for adult learner services, special target groups identified by individual institutions, and institutional barriers confronted by adult learners on campus were mailed to a…

  15. Relationship between Bilingual Instruction and Learners' Performance in English as Second Language Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khan, Huma Imran

    2015-01-01

    The prime purpose of this study was to explore a correlation between bilingual instruction in an ESL class and the class performance of the ESL learners at the secondary level. Quantitative research method was used to evaluate the test performance of 60 ESL learners divided into two groups: One was the controlled group (which was given…

  16. Promoting Learner Engagement when Working with Adult English Language Learners. CAELA Network Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Susan Finn

    2010-01-01

    Teachers of adults learning English often compete with many demands on learners' attention. Concerns about family, jobs, money, and transportation; fatigue; and negative past experiences with education are some of the factors that might inhibit an adult learner's full engagement in class. In a study of learner engagement in adult literacy…

  17. Adult Language Learners: Context and Innovation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Ann F. V., Ed.; Strong, Gregory, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    "Adult Language Learners: Context and Innovation" presents instructional practices that are particularly successful with adults. Adult language learners are goal oriented and direct their learning to fulfill particular needs or demands: to advance their studies, to progress up the career ladder, to follow business opportunities, to pass…

  18. The Adult Learner: Some Things We Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fogarty, Robin J.; Pete, Brian M.

    2007-01-01

    This book addresses the "warrior" who rises to the challenge of teaching the adult learner. The discussion is designed as a catalyst for dialogue about the adult learner and to uncover the complexities of teaching this rare and riveting species. This book is organized around three interlocking themes: some things we know about the adult learner;…

  19. Correlation Study of Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Education (ABE) Reading Tests. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garreton, Rodrigo; Terdy, Dennis

    In a study prompted by the need to standardize the reporting of educational progress of adult language minority students in Illinois, a commonly used adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) reading test was compared with two frequently used Adult Basic Education (ABE) reading tests. The testing instruments used were the ELSA (English Language…

  20. Digital Storytelling in ESL Instruction: Identity Negotiation through a Pedagogy of Multiliteracies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vinogradova, Polina

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative descriptive exploratory study investigated how a pedagogy of multiliteracies can be introduced to the ESL curriculum using digital stories and explored the ways ESL learners negotiate their identities through the multimodality of this narrative genre. The study was based on the premise that in language education it is crucial to…

  1. Transforming English Language Learners' Work Readiness: Case Studies in Explicit, Work-Specific Vocabulary Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madrigal-Hopes, Diana L.; Villavicencio, Edna; Foote, Martha M.; Green, Chris

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study examined the impact of a six-step framework for work-specific vocabulary instruction in adult English language learners (ELLs). Guided by research in English as a second language (ESL) methodology and the transactional theory, the researchers sought to unveil how these processes supported the acquisition and application of…

  2. The Health Literacy and ESL study: a community-based intervention for Spanish-speaking adults.

    PubMed

    Soto Mas, Francisco; Ji, Ming; Fuentes, Brenda O; Tinajero, Josefina

    2015-04-01

    Although Hispanics have a documented high risk of limited health literacy, there is a scarcity of research with this population group, and particularly with Hispanic immigrants who generally confront language barriers that have been related to low health literacy. The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy identified community-based English-language instruction as a strategy that can facilitate a health literate society. However, the literature lacks discussion on this type of intervention. This randomized control trial aimed to test the feasibility of using conventional English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction for improving health literacy among Spanish-speaking adults. Objectives included the development, implementation, and evaluation of a health literacy/ESL curriculum. The Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) in English was used to assess health literacy levels. Analyses included independent sample t test, chi-square, and multiple linear regression. A total of 155 people participated. Results showed a significantly higher increase in the TOFHLA posttest score in the intervention group (p = .01), and noticeable differences in health literacy levels between groups. Results indicate that ESL constitutes a promising venue for improving health literacy among Spanish-speaking adults. Incorporating health literacy-related content may provide additional benefits.

  3. The Health Literacy and ESL Study: A Community-Based Intervention for Spanish-Speaking Adults

    PubMed Central

    MAS, FRANCISCO SOTO; JI, MING; FUENTES, BRENDA O.; TINAJERO, JOSEFINA

    2015-01-01

    Although Hispanics have a documented high risk of limited health literacy, there is a scarcity of research with this population group, and particularly with Hispanic immigrants who generally confront language barriers that have been related to low health literacy. The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy identified community-based English-language instruction as a strategy that can facilitate a health literate society. However, the literature lacks discussion on this type of intervention. This randomized control trial aimed to test the feasibility of using conventional English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction for improving health literacy among Spanish-speaking adults. Objectives included the development, implementation, and evaluation of a health literacy/ESL curriculum. The Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) in English was used to assess health literacy levels. Analyses included independent sample t test, chi-square, and multiple linear regression. A total of 155 people participated. Results showed a significantly higher increase in the TOFHLA posttest score in the intervention group (p = .01), and noticeable differences in health literacy levels between groups. Results indicate that ESL constitutes a promising venue for improving health literacy among Spanish-speaking adults. Incorporating health literacy-related content may provide additional benefits. PMID:25602615

  4. Principled Eclecticism: Approach and Application in Teaching Writing to ESL/EFL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alharbi, Sultan H.

    2017-01-01

    The principal purpose of this paper is to critically examine and evaluate the efficacy of the principled eclectic approach to teaching English as second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) writing to undergraduate students. The paper illustrates that this new method adapts mainstream writing pedagogies to individual needs of learners of ESL/EFL in order to…

  5. 44+ Ways To Integrate Telephone Messages in an Adult ESL Curriculum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bello, Tom

    An approach to adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teaching that incorporates everyday telephone use skills is described, and a series of related class activities is outlined. The discussion begins with a method and form for assessing student needs and learning styles. Subsequent sections present specific activities in several categories:…

  6. ESL Technologies: The Universal Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waters, John K.

    2007-01-01

    The number of immigrant students in US schools has more than doubled in the past 15 years. In response, teachers are broadening their ESL programs with the one tool that translates in all dialects--computer technology. Students who are learning English for the first time, better known as English language learners (ELL), make up a greater…

  7. "That Is Not Very American": A Microethnographic Discourse Analysis of a Chinese ESL Learner's Appropriation of Cultural Values at an Art Exhibition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee-Johnson, Yin Lam

    2017-01-01

    This article is based on part of the discourse data collected from a 5-month ethnographic study about how first-year learners of English as a second language (ESL) socially interact with their native-speaking peers in a college town in the U.S. Midwest. The data were collected from participant observation at an art exhibition at the research site.…

  8. Life Skills Curriculum for Senior Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leon County Schools, Tallahassee, FL.

    This life skills curriculum helps adult basic educators meet the needs of senior adult learners. An introduction contains the following sections: purpose statement; description of the senior adult learner; tips to remember on teaching senior adults; physiology of aging; teaching the hearing impaired; and teaching the visually impaired. The life…

  9. Dealing with Disruptive Behavior of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dobmeier, Robert; Moran, Joseph

    2008-01-01

    The adult education literature on disruptive behavior of adult learners was reviewed and a survey on disruptive behavior of adult learners was conducted with adult educators. The findings are synthesized in a conceptual framework for understanding the types and causes of disruptive behavior, which fall into the categories of inattention,…

  10. The Adult Learner in the Online Writing Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoy, Cheryl A.

    2010-01-01

    Because a gap in scholarly literature exists concerning the adult learner in the online writing course, I researched the effects of the online learning environment on adult learners in an online intermediate writing course offered through the Adult Learner Services Program at Bowling Green State University. This dissertation argues that online…

  11. Working toward Literacy in Correctional Education ESL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Susanne

    2014-01-01

    Correctional Education English as a Second Language (ESL) literacy programs vary from state to state, region to region. Some states enroll their correctional ESL students in adult basic education (ABE) classes; other states have separate classes and programs. At the Maryland Correctional Institution in Jessup, the ESL class is a self-contained…

  12. Cybernetics: A Model for Feedback in the ESL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zamel, Vivian

    1981-01-01

    Examines cybernetics as a model which provides framework with which to view communicators and the communications in the ESL classroom because it implies the kind of feedback the learner can assimilate and act upon. (Author/BK)

  13. Culture and Interculturality in the Adult ESL Context in Urban Quebec: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dytynyshyn, Nancy; Collins, Laura

    2012-01-01

    This article examines the treatment of culture and the development of interculturality in the transcripts of a complete 36-hour ESL course organized by a community center in Montreal. The adult participants came from a variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The adult second-language class has been identified as a potentially rich context…

  14. Cultural Competence in Alberta Schools: Perceptions of ESL Families in Four Major School Boards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngo, Hieu V.

    2012-01-01

    Complex linguistic, acculturative, and social needs of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners challenge the K-12 education system to develop cultural competence in working with culturally diverse families. This study surveyed 242 self-identified ESL students and their parents from four of Alberta's major school boards. Results of the survey…

  15. The SIMs Meet ESL Incorporating Authentic Computer Simulation Games into the Language Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Megan; Hegelheimer, Volker

    2006-01-01

    Despite their motivational appeal to learners, innovative and technologically advanced computer simulation games targeting native English speakers frequently remain beyond the competence of ESL learners as independent didactic tools. Guided by Chapelle's (2001) criteria for determining CALL task appropriateness, this paper illustrates how the…

  16. Factors Inhibiting ESL Learners from Passing California High School Exit Examination: A Narrative Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puente, Belinda

    2017-01-01

    The problem was that Hispanic English Second Language (ESL) students enrolled in the ESL program had consistently failed the California High School Exit Examination (CASHEE) in greater numbers than their cohorts. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the life stories of Hispanic ESL students in identifying the factors…

  17. Self-Esteem among Adult Literacy Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lipnevich, Anastasiya; Beder, Hal

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate adult literacy education learners' self-esteem and to examine the relationship between self-esteem and measures of achievement in reading and math. The rationale for the present study stemmed from the lack of research into adult literacy students' self-esteem levels. More than 200 learners enrolled in…

  18. Participatory Legitimacy in ESL Practice and the Use of Coping Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeh, Ling-Miao

    2014-01-01

    This study looked at ESL adult speakers' use of coping strategies in their conversations with native speakers in the United States, as a counter-discourse. More specifically, the discursive negotiation strategies used by 6 ESL adult speakers of varied ethnicities and linguistic backgrounds were analyzed, both inside and outside ESL classrooms. The…

  19. The Perceptions of Japanese Students toward Academic English Reading: Implications for Effective ESL Reading Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iwai, Yuko

    2008-01-01

    The population of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners has increased significantly in higher education settings in the United States today. It has been reported that Japanese ESL students are generally unsuccessful when studying in English speaking countries. The typical way of reading in English for Japanese students is the…

  20. The Impact of a Computer-Mediated Shadowing Activity on ESL Speaking Skill Development: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mishima, Masakazu; Cheng, Lixia

    2017-01-01

    This pilot study explored the instructional value and potential of a computer-mediated shadowing activity for improving English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' speech intelligibility. Prospective International Teaching Assistants (ITAs), who were enrolled in an ESL classroom communication class at a large public university, completed a…

  1. Interaction of African American Learners Online: An Adult Education Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Haijun; Yang, Yang

    2016-01-01

    This study examines how various life factors and personal attributes affect African American adult learners' use of the three types of learning interaction-learner-content, learner-instructor, and learner-learner. Multivariate multiple regression analyses were used. The aggregate effect of life factors on African American adult learners' use of…

  2. Barriers to Education for the Marginalized Adult Learner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flynn, Sarah; Brown, Jason; Johnson, Andrew; Rodger, Susan

    2011-01-01

    This qualitative study examines barriers to adult education by the marginalized adult learner. We adopted an inclusive approach by interviewing potential adult learners who had not participated in adult education programs due to illiteracy. Five overlapping themes related to barriers emerged and were categorized as: family values and…

  3. Biting off More than They Can Chew? The Impact of Pedagogical Application of Corpus on Vocabulary Ability of Intermediate-Level ESL Learners in Mainland China: A Quasi-Experimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shi, Jing

    2017-01-01

    The pedagogical values of corpora for ELT have been widely acknowledged and exploited, but their direct application in classroom teaching has entailed many difficulties. This project aims to investigate the impact of the pedagogical application of corpora on the vocabulary ability of intermediate-level ESL learners in mainland China. This…

  4. A Taste of English: Nutrition Workbook for Adult ESL Students. Teacher's Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of Farmworker Opportunity Program, Arlington, VA.

    This workbook introduces basic concepts of nutrition and health to beginning adult students of English as a Second Language (ESL). The text may also be adapted for use with new readers. It is intended as a supplement to existing instructional materials. An introductory section offers teachers suggestions for use of the text and notes on the design…

  5. National Adult Learners Satisfaction-Priorities Report. Research Report, 2011

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noel-Levitz, Inc, 2011

    2011-01-01

    The 2011 National Adult Learners Satisfaction-Priorities Report presents the responses to the Adult Learner Inventory[TM] (ALI) of 29,679 students from 61 four-year private and public as well as 4,749 students from 18 two-year community and technical colleges. The results include adult learner responses over a three-year time period, from fall of…

  6. Supporting and Supervising Teachers Working With Adults Learning English. CAELA Network Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Sarah

    2009-01-01

    This brief provides an overview of the knowledge and skills that administrators need in order to support and supervise teachers of adult English language learners. It begins with a review of resources and literature related to teacher supervision in general and to adult ESL education. It continues with information on the background and…

  7. Adult ESL Literacy Programs and Practices. A Report on a National Research Study. Technical Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guth, Gloria J. A.; Wrigley, Heide Spruck

    The background and major activities of a 2-year study on adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs and practices are reported. Descriptions are provided of the nomination process for programs that teach literacy to adults not fully proficient in English, and the study site selection and case studies of nine programs are described. The…

  8. Mainstream Teacher Candidates' Perspectives on ESL Writing: The Effects of Writer Identity and Rater Background

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Hyun-Sook; Veitch, Hillary

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the extent to which the ethnic identity of a writer and the background (gender and area of teaching) of a rater can influence mainstream teacher candidates' evaluation of English as a second language (ESL) writing, using a matched-guise method. A one-page essay was elicited from an ESL learner enrolled in an intensive English…

  9. Libraries and Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Josey, E. J., Ed.

    1982-01-01

    Of the 13 essays presented in this special issue on libraries and adult education, 8 focus on programs and services from the public library for adult learners. These essays provide information on: (1) an Education Information Centers Program (EIC) designed to complement employment skills training provided under the Comprehensive Employment and…

  10. Shopping [for] Power: How Adult Literacy Learners Negotiate the Marketplace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozanne, Julie L.; Adkins, Natalie Ross; Sandlin, Jennifer A.

    2005-01-01

    Little empirical evidence exists on how adult literacy learners act as consumers. Yet, adult literacy programs often employ a "functional" approach to consumer education and assume that adult learners are deficient in consumer skills. Data from a qualitative study of the consumer behaviors of adult literacy learners are used to explore how adult…

  11. Teaching ESL in a Multilevel Classroom. Adult Education Series #13. Refugee Education Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC. Language and Orientation Resource Center.

    Adult refugee English as a second language (ESL) programs are often mandated to serve all who sign up for instruction, a requirement that results in multilevel classes. This guide describes and discusses this and other factors which contribute to the existence of multilevel and/or heterogeneous classes, and provides some practical approaches and…

  12. Rich Environments for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bentham, Renee

    2008-01-01

    Unaware of the messages a bare adult learning environment sends and its effect on adult learners, a trainer attends an intensive Reggio Emilia course and learns that the physical environment is the "third teacher"--for adults as well as for children. Using principles of Reggio, she offers suggestions for enhancing adult learning spaces and…

  13. Pairing the Adult Learner and Boutique Wineries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holyoke, Laura; Heath-Simpson, Delta

    2013-01-01

    This study explored connections between adult learners and their experiences in the context of small boutique wineries operating in the start-up phase of the organizational life cycle. The research objective was to gain insight regarding the pairing of adult learners with the entering of a specialty industry. Fourteen individuals from four…

  14. Adult Learning and Learners. PREL Briefing Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timarong, Alvina; Temaungil, Marianne; Sukrad, Wilma

    A survey of literature on adult learning and learners conducted for Palau Community College (PCC), Koror, Palau, found a lack of literature specific to the United States-affiliated Pacific region. Background information was compiled on development of formal education in Palau. A survey was administered in fall 2001 to adult learners working toward…

  15. Effects of a Multimodal Approach on ESL/EFL University Students' Attitudes towards Poetry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freyn, Amy L.

    2017-01-01

    Poetry is a specific genre of literature that has been long argued as being too difficult for ESL/EFL learners. However, poetry is considered a valuable and authentic material for teaching language learners and teaching poetry in the language classroom can lead to a meaningful language learning experience. This study examined the implementation of…

  16. The Spiritual Journey: Black Female Adult Learners in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones Tinner, LaShanta Y.

    2013-01-01

    This study explored the experience of Black female adult learners and how spirituality influenced their academic journeys. Research concerning Black female adult learners in higher education is ostensibly partial. These data offered an extended understanding of Black female adult learners' academic experiences, while also investigating common…

  17. Adult Part-Time Learners in the Eighties.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eliason, N. Carol

    Numerous issues and questions related to the adult, part-time student are addressed in this research review, especially as they pertain to the community college. The paper begins by comparing the demographic characteristics of adult learners and non-learners and then points to several sub-populations which might be better served by the community…

  18. Delivering Instruction to Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cantor, Jeffrey A.

    This guide to working with adult learners approaches the job of the instructor from a threefold perspective that focuses on the role of the instructor as a professional, the needs of the learner, and the instructional process and related technology. Chapter 1 examines the role of an effective instructor as a behavior model and change agent.…

  19. The Power of Story in the ESL Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicholas, Bonnie J.; Rossiter, Marian J.; Abbott, Marilyn L.

    2011-01-01

    Although considerable research has examined the use of literature in the second language (L2) classroom, there has been less investigation into the integration of learners' personal stories in the English as a second language (ESL) classroom. Following Wajnryb's (2003) categorizations of story as language learning, genre, and the creation of what…

  20. Facilitating Creativity in Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsai, Kuan Chen

    2013-01-01

    Creativity in education research has received increasing attention, although the major focus of this research has been on children. Despite pleas by several adult educators for promoting creativity, very few studies have focused on adult learners, leaving to it to be explored what approaches are useful for adult educators to facilitate creativity…

  1. Placement of English as a Second Language (ESL) Student Learners in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Banegas, Michael R.

    2013-01-01

    Immigration into the U.S. will continue to increase in the coming years, thereby increasing the postsecondary enrollment of ESL students. Yet there is still a limited amount of research designed to evaluate which ESL placement programs are most effective. This study was designed to determine if the use of correct testing instruments would ensure…

  2. Indicators of Program Quality, Measures of Performance & Standards. Adult Basic Education and ESL Programs in NJ. Summary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merkel-Keller, Claudia; Streeter-Scrupski, Sandra

    In 1992, adult education staff and adult literacy volunteer organizations developed 8 indicators of program quality to be used for evaluating adult basic education and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in New Jersey. Performance standards were developed to match the standards. An evaluation was conducted to determine how the indicators…

  3. Preservice Teachers' Developing Conceptions of Teaching English Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Laura Beth

    2018-01-01

    In this study, 12 preservice teachers in a community college English as a second language (ESL) K-12 teacher education program drew pictures and wrote descriptions of teachers teaching English language learners (ELLs) at the beginning and end of an ESL methods course. Using content analysis, the researcher analyzed the drawings and descriptions…

  4. Teaching Multilevel Adult ESL Classes. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shank, Cathy C.; Terrill, Lynda R.

    Teachers in multilevel adult English-as-a-Second-Language classes are challenged to use a variety of materials, activities, and techniques to engage the interest of the learners and assist them in their educational goals. This digest recommends ways to choose and organize content for multilevel classes, explains grouping strategies, discusses a…

  5. Authenticity in the Language Classroom and Beyond: Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rilling, Sarah, Ed.; Dantas-Whitney, Maria, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    Adult language learners have specific learning goals that reflect their lives within a global society, and adults negotiate multiple and changing identities throughout their personal, academic, and professional lives. Chapters in "Authenticity in the Language Classroom and Beyond: Adult Learners" highlight how teachers have the ability…

  6. Supporting Academic Persistence in Low-Skilled Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neill, Susan; Thomson, Margareta Maria

    2013-01-01

    The current literature review explores the factors that contribute to academic persistence for adult learners. The aim of the study is to identify current research-based strategies aimed at supporting learner persistence, particularly for low-skilled adults. Elements of three theoretical frameworks, namely, expectancy-value theory (EVT), goal…

  7. They're Not Just Big Kids: Motivating Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thoms, Karen Jarrett

    This paper discusses motivation of adult learners. The first section discusses the adult learner, including the concepts of andragogy and pedagogy, as well as student-centered learning. The second section summarizes changing student demographics and predictions. The third section presents principles of adult learning. The fourth section covers…

  8. Cottage Crafts Final Report. ESL Cottage Industry Education and Employment Program. July 1, 1982 - June 30, 1983. A 310 Adult Education Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Jean; And Others

    The ESL (English as a second language) Cottage Industry Education and Employment Program was developed to provide ESL and life skills instruction to homebound and elderly refugees while, at the same time, fostering the continuation of native crafts and folklife. The program was the cooperative effort of local adult education staff, leaders and…

  9. The Awareness of Morphemic Knowledge for Young Adults' Vocabulary Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varatharajoo, Chandrakala; Asmawi, Adelina Binti; Abdallah, Nabeel; Abedalaziz, Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    The study explored the awareness of morphemic knowledge among young adult learners in the ESL context. Morphological Relatedness Test and Morphological Structure Test (adapted from Curinga, 2014) were two important tools used to assess the students' morphemic knowledge in this study. The tests measured the students' ability to reflect and…

  10. ESL Literacy: What's Working, Why and How--Family Literacy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isserlis, Janet

    Experiences with family and intergenerational programs in English Second Language (ESL) literacy are reviewed, and factors that contribute to their success are discussed. It is suggested that as the notion of literacy expands, conceptual boundaries of the population of learners must expand also. While there is much to be learned from existing…

  11. Finding and Evaluating Adult ESL Resources on the World Wide Web. ERIC Q & A.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florez, MaryAnn Cunningham

    One of the challenges often mentioned by users of the World Wide Web is creating and implementing successful searches on topics of interest. This article provides background information about adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) resources available on the Web. It describes various search tools, explains how to create search strategies and how…

  12. We're All Adults Here: Clarifying and Maintaining Boundaries with Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Booth, Melanie; Schwartz, Harriet L.

    2012-01-01

    Working with adult learners presents a unique set of interpersonal boundary questions. In this chapter, the authors discuss the characteristics of working with adult learners that have led them to explore questions about boundaries between them and their students. They then identify how they might define, set, maintain, adjust, and work close to…

  13. Explicit Instruction, Bilingualism, and the Older Adult Learner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cox, Jessica G.

    2017-01-01

    Little is known about older adult language learners and effects of aging on L2 learning. This study investigated learning in older age through interactions of learner-internal and -external variables; specifically, late-learned L2 (bilingualism) and provision of grammar explanation (explicit instruction, EI). Forty-three older adults (age 60+) who…

  14. Helping the Older Adult to Succeed in the ESL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hedge, Dick; And Others

    Special problems of adult language learners aged 50 and older studying English as a second language include physical, social, and psychological factors. Physical factors related to aging include vision and hearing problems that adults may not be willing to admit to. Older adults may also be more sensitive to room temperature and lighting, and may…

  15. Achievement goals in adult learners: evidence from distance education.

    PubMed

    Remedios, Richard; Richardson, John T E

    2013-12-01

    There is evidence that learners may adopt different kinds of achievement goals: mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach, and performance avoidance. In higher education, this evidence has mainly come from young people who have recently gone straight from secondary education to higher education. However, higher education is increasingly populated by older students, and it has been theorised that the relationship between goals and achievement might be very different for adult learners. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the relationships between achievement, drop-out rate, and goal orientation observed for non-adult populations are mirrored in adult learners. The Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ) was administered to adult learners taking courses by distance learning. Respondents were 195 men and 586 women between the ages of 19 and 87. The results confirmed the reliability of the 2 × 2 version of the AGQ for this distinctive population. As in previous studies of younger students, mastery-approach goals were unrelated to attainment, performance-approach goals tended to facilitate attainment, and performance-avoidance goals tended to impair attainment. In addition, mastery-avoidance goals tended to impair students' attainment and also increased the likelihood that they would drop out of their course altogether. The achievement-goal framework is as appropriate for understanding influences on attainment in adult learners as it is in younger students. Adult learners may be more sensitive to the deleterious effects of adopting mastery-avoidance achievement goals. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

  16. Anxiety and Academic Reading Performance among Malay ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohd. Zin, Zuhana; Rafik-Galea, Shameem

    2010-01-01

    Research into the factors that contribute to reading performance decrement in L2 reading among ESL university students is still being extensively researched in the context of ELT. This is because successful academic performance is highly dependent on good reading ability. While it is widely accepted that poor reading performance is due to lack of…

  17. Adult Learners' Week in Russia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Litvinova, Nina

    2002-01-01

    In Russia International Adult Learners Week highlights the democratization process the country is undergoing. Government attention to rural development and training and agrarian policy is needed. (SK)

  18. Oral Communication in ESL through Improvisations, Playwriting and Rehearsals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gill, Chamkaur

    2013-01-01

    The application of drama strategies which focus more on meaning than on form can provide an impetus for ESL learners to be more confident about speaking, thereby increasing the quantity of their spoken English. This paper discusses existing research and the author's own experiences in an attempt to highlight the positive effects of improvisations,…

  19. English as a Second Language for Adults: A Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Selman, Mary; And Others

    To help improve English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for adult learners, this curriculum guide provides informative materials for the teacher and 30 sections of lessons suitable for adaptation by the teacher. Teacher information includes materials on language teaching and learning, use of the guide, needs assessment, adapting lesson plans,…

  20. A Model to Manage EFL Learners with ADHD and Dyslexia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akbasli, Sait; Sahin, Mehmet; Gürel, Merve

    2017-01-01

    In EFL or ESL classrooms there may be those learners labeled as "slow learners" who struggle to concentrate and thus experience failure inevitably. In this study, we deal with dyslexia and inattention (ADHD) because current research suggests behind the slowness of such learners may lie a disorder that can be controlled. We am going to…

  1. Full-Time Instructional Staffing and Outcomes of Advanced Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Margaret Becker

    2016-01-01

    Two core adult education outcomes for advanced adult learners in U.S. states under the National Reporting System are learning gains in adult secondary education and entry into postsecondary education (PSE). Advanced learner outcomes are associated with key functions in an adult education programming framework, as well as with adequate…

  2. A Cross-Cultural Study of Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) Students: Cultural Differences and Instructional Strategy Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tan, Fujuan

    2010-01-01

    Adult education literature generally acknowledges the appropriateness of the incorporation of instructional strategies that stress students' prior experience. Whether this appropriateness applies to students from diverse cultural backgrounds, such as adult students in ESL programs, is not clear. Based on the assumption that students from different…

  3. Complexity and Community: Finding What Works in Workplace ESL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Ann K.

    2009-01-01

    This chapter addresses the complexity of providing workplace ESL by identifying patterns of "best practices" in the related fields of human resource management, adult education, and training and development, all of which have a stake in workplace ESL and the integration of immigrant workers.

  4. Through the Lens of Good Language Learners: What Are Their Strategies?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nazri, Nurhuda Mohamad; Yunus, Melor Md; Nazri, Nur Dalila Mohamad

    2016-01-01

    Often times, many English as Second Language (ESL) facilitators speculate why some learners learn faster than other learners. Provided the students were exposed with the same amount of years in the formal education system in Malaysia, the language instructors curious about the variety of performance in the English language among the learners. This…

  5. Teaching Culture and Language through the Multiple Intelligences Film Teaching Model in the ESL/EFL Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeh, Ellen

    2014-01-01

    This paper will demonstrate how to enhance second language (L2) learners' linguistic and cultural competencies through the use of the Multiple Intelligences Film Teaching (MIFT) model. The paper will introduce two ideas to teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). First, the paper shows how L2 learners learn linguistic and…

  6. Building a Dynamic Online Learning Community among Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Minjuan; Sierra, Christina; Folger, Terre

    2003-01-01

    Examines the nature of learning communities constructed among a diverse group of adult learners in an international online graduate-level course. Discusses independent work, team tasks, the variety of computer-mediated communication tools used, and implications for promoting adult learners' active participation in online learning and instructional…

  7. Challenging Inquiry and Building Community: Analyzing ESL and Bilingual Teachers' Narratives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musanti, Sandra I.

    2017-01-01

    The study explores English as a second language (ESL) and bilingual teachers' narratives within a learning community as they collectively engage in reflecting on practices to more effectively support English learners. This longitudinal qualitative study integrates narrative inquiry approach and critical incident methodology. Participants were…

  8. American Language Review, 2001.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ward, Ben, Ed.

    2001-01-01

    These eight journals include articles on such topics as the following: adult literacy; incorporating song lyrics and music into the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom; using poetry with adult ESL learners; reading "Time" and "Newsweek" in ESL classrooms; teaching intuitively; teacher-created materials; New England…

  9. Information Literacy and Adult Learners: Using Authentic Assessment to Determine Skill Gaps

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rapchak, Marcia E.; Lewis, Leslie A.; Motyka, Julie K.; Balmert, Margaret

    2015-01-01

    Information literacy (IL) skills are essential for adult learners in higher education, especially those unfamiliar with information systems. Citing a lack of literature assessing such skills in adult learners, this article examines the IL abilities of adult learners in an IL course. Using a rubric and annotated bibliographies from study…

  10. Learner Outcomes as Articulated in Adult Education Literature: An Annotated Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brewer, Patricia

    This annotated bibliography contains 14 citations of books, papers, and videotapes that pertain to learner outcomes in adult education. The following are cited: "Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning" (S. Brookfield); "Self-Direction for Lifelong Learning" (P. Candy); "Helping Adults Learn Workshop" (A. Chickering); "Adults as Learners"…

  11. Providing Deep Learning through Active Engagement of Adult Learners in Blended Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDonough, Darlene

    2014-01-01

    Malcolm Knowles (2011) indicates that adult learners are most likely to be actively engaged in learning when they are given some choice and control over the learning process. When the curriculum relates to the adult learner's interests, is individualized, and authentic; the adult learner becomes actively engaged in the process by making a…

  12. Prereferral Process with Latino English Language Learners with Specific Learning Disabilities: Perceptions of English-as-a-Second-Language Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferlis, Emily; Xu, Yaoying

    2016-01-01

    This study explored perceptions of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers on the prereferral process for Latino English language learners (ELLs). Using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews with four ESL teachers. Analyses of the data indicated that the ESL teachers used research-based…

  13. Adult Learners' Week in Australia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, John

    2002-01-01

    Promotional materials and activities for Australia's Adult Learners Week, which are shaped by a variety of stakeholders , include media strategies and a website. Activities are evaluated using a market research company and website and telephone hotline statistics. (SK)

  14. An Assessment of the Adult Learners' Needs at Gateway Community-Technical College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luna, Wilson

    A study was conducted to assess the needs of adult learners at Gateway Community-Technical College (GCTC), in North Haven, Connecticut. An extended literature review resulted the choice of the three-part Adult Learner Needs Assessment Survey (ALNAS). In spring 1993, the ALNAS was administered to adult learners in classes at GCTC, resulting in 400…

  15. A Community of Learners: Cambodians in an Adult ESL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardman, Joel C.

    1999-01-01

    Focuses on the English literacy development of Cambodian adults in the United States. Describes how Cambodian adults, literate in Khmer, participate in each other's English literacy development; how Cambodian children, fluent but not literate in Khmer participate in their parents' English literacy development; and how a Cambodian teacher…

  16. Adult Learners: The University of Maryland Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolvin, Andrew D.

    1991-01-01

    Discusses the need to approach adult education differently from the teaching of children. Reminds educators that adult learners possess a wealth of experiences and distinctive job-related skills and needs. Describes the University of Maryland's adult education program, which includes a separate campus, courses at military installations, and…

  17. Educational Needs and Learning Conditions of Adult Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davie, Lynn; And Others

    A review of research in the past ten years documents adult learners' perceptions of their educational needs and their patterns of participation in adult educational activities. The populations studied include older adults, women, immigrants, native Canadians, undereducated adults, and handicapped adults. Each population is studied separately with…

  18. Guidelines for Tutoring Adult ESL Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frank, Marcella

    This document is a copy of a talk regularly given to new volunteers of English in Action, a community-based organization that provides conversation practice to non-native English speakers. The volunteer tutors typically have no formal English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) training. This packet is designed to help these volunteers be effective ESL…

  19. The Adult Learner: From a Narrative Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnett, Jennifer A.

    2013-01-01

    Each year there seems to be an increase in the number of mature students enrolled in my Bachelor of Education (BEd) classes. These mature learners experience stress. As there is a need to better comprehend the experiences of the adult learner enrolled in a one-year intensive tertiary education programme, I enrolled in university as a student, and…

  20. ESL for Parents of School-Age Children. Special Project, 1980-1981.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Elizabeth A.

    This packet contains both teacher's guides and learners' materials for a course on English as a Second Language (ESL) for parents of schoolaged children. Developed for use in the DuPage High School District (Villa Park, Illinois), the materials can be used with adaptations by other continuing education programs. The packet contains 14 lessons. For…

  1. Diversity among Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners: Profiles of Early Literacy Skills in Kindergarten

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ford, Karen L.; Cabell, Sonia Q.; Konold, Timothy R.; Invernizzi, Marcia; Gartland, Lauren B.

    2013-01-01

    This study explored heterogeneity in literacy development among 2,300 Hispanic children receiving English as a Second Language (ESL) services at the start of kindergarten. Two research questions guided this work: (1) Do Spanish-speaking English language learners receiving ESL services in the fall of kindergarten demonstrate homogeneous early…

  2. The Experience of Adult Learners in Academic Service Learning Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finley, Amy E.

    2017-01-01

    Adult learners represent a significant, and growing, portion of enrollment at higher education institutions. Despite their growing enrollment, adult learners are not retained at nearly the rate of their "traditional" peers, leaving colleges and universities with the need to identify programs and services that specifically address the…

  3. The Delivery and Content of Training for Adult Education Teachers and Volunteer Instructors. Study of ABE/ESL Instructor Training Approaches.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tibbetts, John; And Others

    The delivery and content of training for teachers and volunteer instructors in adult basic education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) were documented in a study. Two sources of information were the research literature and extant data from states on training activities. Findings indicated that training for adult education teachers and…

  4. New Beginnings: Ensuring Quality Bilingual/ESL Instruction in New York City Public Schools. Executive Summary [and] Report of the Chancellor's Bilingual/ESL Education Practitioners' Workgroup and Policy/Research Panels.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Bilingual Education.

    The report presents a conceptual framework and related strategies designed to help policymakers and practitioners re-examine, and when necessary, rework the basic assumptions and practices defining the educational experiences of bilingual/English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners in New York City (New York) public schools. The report consists of…

  5. Transcultural Education Model. A Guide for Developing Transitional ESL/LEP and Bilingual Programs Kindergarten through Adult Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donaldson, Judy P.

    The Transcultural Education Model presents a unified working model for teaching limited English proficient, English-as-Second-Language (ESL), or English-as-Second-Language transcultural (ESLT) students to read, write, and speak English. The model is designed for students and teachers in elementary, secondary, and adult schools. The model is…

  6. Can a "Shouting" Digital Game Help Learners Develop Oral Fluency in a Second Language?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grimshaw, Jennica; Cardoso, Walcir; Waddington, David

    2016-01-01

    This study examines the development of oral fluency in a Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) environment that uses a "shouting" digital game as a pedagogical tool: Spaceteam ESL4. Spaceteam ESL is a game for mobile devices that involves time-sensitive aural exchanges among players (English learners), with great potential to promote…

  7. Technology in Teaching English Language Learners: The Case of Three Middle School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrei, Elena

    2017-01-01

    This study looks at how three middle school teachers of English as a second language (ESL) use technology in the classroom. Technology use in the ESL classroom has the potential of supporting the English and content learning of English language learners, but the availability of technology does not necessarily lead to technology integration that…

  8. Adult Learners' Emotions in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zembylas, Michalinos

    2008-01-01

    The aim of the research study reported in this article was to investigate how adult learners talk about their emotions in the context of a year-long online course, the first online course these adults take, as part of a distance education program. The theoretical and methodological approach focused on formulating an account of how emotion…

  9. Career Development and Professional Attrition of Novice ESL Teachers of Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valeo, Antonella; Faez. Farahnaz

    2013-01-01

    Research and development in language teacher education and, more recently, teacher accreditation has had enormous impact on the professional lives of ESL teachers in Canada. There has been less interest, however, in examining the career development and employment experiences of accredited ESL teachers as they transition from TESL programs to ESL…

  10. Designing a Topic-Based Syllabus for Young Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourke, James M.

    2006-01-01

    In recent years there has been a good deal of debate on the teaching of English to young learners. Although the article looks at the teaching of English to lower primary children in an ESL context in Southeast Asia, it is not specific to one region. The young learners in question are aged 6 to 8 years. The main focus of the article is how best to…

  11. Transformative Vocational Education: Bridging Transitions of Underserved Urban Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adkisson, Anthony C.; Monaghan, Catherine H.

    2014-01-01

    How our culture thinks about particular events as linear, normal, and expected does not always fit with the experiences of every learner, particularly underserved urban adult learners. As adult educators in this context, are there ways we might improve or change our pedagogy of instruction by developing a better understanding of transitional life…

  12. L2 (IM)Politeness in the Synchronous Chat of Elementary School Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard, Craig D.; Do, Jaewoo

    2017-01-01

    Participation in interactive games, especially those in immersive environments, is often employed in learning contexts to stochastically develop L2 learners' language ability. However, typical measures of language ability often do not reflect pragmatic competencies. This study juxtaposes two elementary school ESL learners' language ability, and…

  13. Developing an English Mobile Learning Attitude Scale for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Tzu-Ying

    2017-01-01

    In recent years, with the rapid development of mobile devices, mobile learning (m-learning) has becoming another popular topic. There is a strong need for both researchers and educators to be aware of adult learners' attitudes toward English mobile learning, yet relevant studies on mobile learning to promote English learning for adult learners are…

  14. Teaching Pronunciation to Adult English Language Learners. CAELA Network Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schaetzel, Kirsten; Low, Ee Ling

    2009-01-01

    Adult English language learners in the United States approach the learning of English pronunciation from a wide variety of native language backgrounds. They may speak languages with sound systems that vary a great deal from that of English. The pronunciation goals and needs of adult English language learners are diverse. These goals and needs…

  15. Online Collaborative Writing for ESL Learners Using Blogs and Feedback Checklists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grami, Grami Mohammad A.

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on the experience of seven Saudi female ESL students who worked collaboratively in an interactive online writing environment over a period of four weeks. It chronicles their experiences with online writing tasks, documents their responses to online feedback, and examines their attempts to cope with different settings and…

  16. Making the Connection: Some People, Programs and Ideas Highlighted by Adult Learners Week 2001.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, John; Della, Jennie

    This document profiles selected people, programs, and ideas highlighted by Australia's Adult Learners Week 2001 and begins with these papers: "Adult Learners Week: A National Celebration" (Ned Dennis); "A Message from the Adult Learners Week Patron" (Peter Hollingworth); "A Message of Support from the Prime Minister of…

  17. Conflicting Ideologies and Language Policy in Adult ESL: Complexities of Language Socialization in a Majority-L1 Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mori, Miki

    2014-01-01

    This study looks at how language ideologies affect and are revealed in language socialization practices in a majority-L1 adult ESL classroom, particularly looking at language use and policy. It draws on recent theories and critiques of language socialization (Bayley & Langman, 2011; Bronson & Watson-Gegeo, 2008; Garrett &…

  18. Motivational Profiles of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rothes, Ana; Lemos, Marina S.; Gonçalves, Teresa

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated profiles of autonomous and controlled motivation and their effects in a sample of 188 adult learners from two Portuguese urban areas. Using a person-centered approach, results of cluster analysis and multivariate analysis of covariance revealed four motivational groups with different effects in self-efficacy, engagement,…

  19. Commonalities and Differences in Word Identification Skills among Learners of English as a Second Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Min; Koda, Keiko

    2007-01-01

    This study examined word identification skills between two groups of college students with different first language (L1) backgrounds (Chinese and Korean) learning to read English as a second language (ESL). Word identification skills were tested in a naming experiment and an auditory category judgment task. Both groups of ESL learners demonstrated…

  20. Assessing Adult Learner's Numeracy as Related to Gender and Performance in Arithmetic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Awofala, Adeneye O. A.; Anyikwa, Blessing E.

    2014-01-01

    The study investigated adult learner numeracy as related to gender and performance in arithmetic among 32 Nigerian adult learners from one government accredited adult literacy centre in Lagos State using the quantitative research method within the blueprint of descriptive survey design. Data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics…

  1. Up Close and Personal: A Case Study of Three University-Level Second Language Learners' Vocabulary Learning Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cornell, Rebecca; Dean, Julie; Tomaš, Zuzana

    2016-01-01

    This study examines vocabulary-learning experiences of three advanced-level, university English as a second language (ESL) students. Through a case study approach, the researchers explore these second language learners' experiences with completing vocabulary-specific requirements for their ESL courses, focusing on their independent study outside…

  2. Strategy Instruction in Writing for Adult Literacy Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacArthur, Charles A.; Lembo, Leah

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the effectiveness of cognitive strategy instruction in writing with adult literacy learners. Three middle-aged African-American adults participating in adult education with the goal of passing the GED received tutoring in a strategy for planning, writing, and revising persuasive essays along with self-regulation strategies.…

  3. Loans for Adult Learners: A Postsecondary Education Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arbeiter, Solomon

    1979-01-01

    Policy modifications by postsecondary, business, and banking institutions are suggested to make small loans readily available to adult learners for higher education. The author focuses on middle-income adult students with an interest in career mobility in examining existing student loan programs, deferred tuition plans, and adult repayment rates.…

  4. Adult English Language Learners with Limited Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bigelow, Martha; Schwarz, Robin Lovrien

    2010-01-01

    Adult English language learners who lack print literacy or experience with formal education encounter a unique set of challenges in their lives and their efforts to learn English. Educators and policymakers are similarly challenged by how best to help these adults acquire English literacy. This paper reviews a variety of research, including that…

  5. Adult Learners: Considerations for Education and Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kistler, Mark J.

    2011-01-01

    As more and more adults seek out education and training programs to help them become more competitive in the job market, it provides an opportunity for career and technical education. Those who teach adult learners should take into consideration their particular learning traits. This article highlights a framework of core principles to be…

  6. Motivation Management of Project-Based Learning for Business English Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Xiaoqin

    2016-01-01

    The paper finds out poor engagement in business English training program prevents adult learners at College of Continuing Education of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies from improving their communication skills. PBL (Project-Based Learning) is proposed to motivate adult learners to get involved with learning a lot. Based on the perspective…

  7. Adult Learners' Preferred Methods of Learning Preventative Heart Disease Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alavi, Nasim

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred method of learning about heart disease by adult learners. This research study also investigated if there was a statistically significant difference between race/ethnicity, age, and gender of adult learners and their preferred method of learning preventative heart disease care. This…

  8. Derivational Morphology in Reading Comprehension of Chinese-Speaking Learners of English: A Longitudinal Structural Equation Modeling Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Dongbo

    2017-01-01

    This longitudinal study examined the contribution of morphological awareness to English as a Second Language (ESL) reading comprehension. Young Chinese-speaking ESL learners completed twice with a one-year interval the same set of tasks that measured derivational awareness, vocabulary breadth, fluency of reading derived words, and passage…

  9. Assessing the Literacy Skills of Adult Immigrants and Adult English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wrigley, Heide Spruck; Chen, Jing; White, Sheida; Soroui, Jaleh

    2009-01-01

    This chapter examines the characteristics and performance of adult immigrants and adult English language learners on the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. These factors are related to key social outcomes such as involvement in the labor force, income, and welfare participation, and the data reported can be used in making decisions about…

  10. Corrective Feedback and Second Language Acquisition: Differential Contributions of Implicit and Explicit Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ebadi, Mandana Rohollahzadeh; Saad, Mohd Rashid Mohd; Abedalaziz, Nabil

    2014-01-01

    The issue of error correction remains controversial in recent years due to the different positions of interface toward implicit and explicit knowledge of ESL learners. This study looks at the impacts of implicit corrective feedback in the form of recast on implicit and explicit knowledge of adult ESL learners. In an experimental study,…

  11. The adult learner: is it necessary to understand for teaching in anesthesiology.

    PubMed

    Gaiser, Robert R

    2010-01-01

    Educators came to realize what internists and pediatricians have known all along: adults and children are not the same. They differ in physiology, pharmacology, and learning. To approach teaching of the adult learner as one would a child is likely to fail. To effectively design and execute a curriculum for the adult, the teacher must consider the role of personal experience, learning preparedness, learning orientation, and motivation to learn. Although these principles may seem novel, they represent good judgment when teaching the adult. The key factor for the educator is to determine the needs of the adult (which is typically based upon personal experience) and then design and implement a curriculum based upon these needs. This approach is backward from the approach used in children in which the curriculum is established without any input from the learner. One other means to improve success is to foster personal reflection upon the teaching by the adult learner. This reflection may develop from carefully phrased questions, from activities in applying the knowledge, or from within the learner. By helping the learner to reflect, the true goals of the teaching may be achieved and the teacher is rewarded by having a more knowledgeable provider, who is able to use and to question the new knowledge. The cycle of adult learning is completed but also starts again.

  12. Reflections from Graduate Adult Learners about Service Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alston, Geleana Drew; Clegg, T. E.; Clodfelter, Roy J., Jr.; Drye, Kimberly C.; Farrer, J. V.; Gould, Derek; Mohsin, Nidhal M.; Rankin, Tomiko N.; Ray, Sherri L.

    2016-01-01

    Adult education is grounded in responding to the needs of others, and the field places emphasis on adult learning theories such as transformative learning and experiential learning. Service learning is an educational approach that balances formal instruction and direction with the opportunity for adult learners to serve in the community as a…

  13. Adults as Learners. Increasing Participation and Facilitating Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, K. Patricia

    The literature on adult learners is reviewed, and two models of adult learning are developed. Demographic, social, and technological trends that stimulate the increasing demand for learning opportunities are examined, and the views of those who see dangers in new pressures on adults to participate in organized learning activities are considered.…

  14. Exploring Pedagogical Strategies to Integrate a Holistic Approach to Education into ESL Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiu, Yiching Jean

    2009-01-01

    Holistic education is a popular trend in the midst of various educational reforms, yet little systematic research has been done to consider its application in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) for Asian Chinese learners. According to the New Zealand Ministry of Education, holistic education…

  15. Planning Effective Educational Programs for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shi, Hong

    2017-01-01

    Educational program planning is a complex ongoing process and planners should reflect on and consider for all of the involved factors, context, and people. The purpose of this study is to analyze how to plan effective educational programs for adult learners. Adult education is a developmental process and interacts with broad social events. Adult…

  16. Motivational Factors in Continuing Education an Academic Achievement of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Pei Ling; Pang, Vincent

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between motivational factors in continuing education and academic achievement of adult learners. The study is conducted due to a lack of research pertaining to academic achievement among adult learners particularly in Malaysia. Methodology: A random sample of 150 part-time adult…

  17. The Effect of Phonological Variation on Adult Learner Comprehension.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eisenstein, Miriam; Berkowitz, Diana

    1981-01-01

    Reports on a study of the relationship of English phonological variation to intelligibility for adult second language learners of English. Indicates that learners tested on their ability to understand working-class (New Yorkese), educated (Standard English), and Foreign-accented speakers of English found the standard more intelligible than the…

  18. Tensions in Prioritizing Adult English Language Learners' Literacy Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haworth, Penny

    2014-01-01

    Despite increasing ethnic diversity globally, there has been little research into meeting the further education needs of these learners (Bidgood, Saebi, & May, 2006). In particular, the international literature provides scant understanding of how organizations go about meeting the literacy needs of adult English language learners (ELLs). It is…

  19. Cross Context Role of Language Proficiency in Learners' Use of Language Learning Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamalizad, Jalal; Samuel, Moses

    2015-01-01

    Responding to the controversies in the results of past studies regarding the impact of language proficiency on learners' use of language learning strategies, this article reports the effect of language proficiency on the strategy use of Iranian English learners across two different settings, namely ESL Malaysia, and EFL Iran. Some 157 Iranian…

  20. Building Schema for English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Navarro, Ann M.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Many classrooms today have ESL students who do not speak English and are completely lost. How can teachers help these students comprehend what they are learning in English? Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify effective reading strategies to build schema for English language learners (ELLs) to help them comprehend.…

  1. Building Community through Mentoring Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plante, Jarrad; Truitt, Joshua

    2016-01-01

    The Volunteer UCF Community Connectors and Community Builders Program provides a connection between students and their community. The goal is to develop meaningful service opportunities for UCF students that contribute measurable results and systemic change through capacity building among adult learners. The ongoing, sustainable service experience…

  2. Reading Component Skills of Learners in Adult Basic Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacArthur, Charles A.; Konold, Timothy R.; Glutting, Joseph J.; Alamprese, Judith A.

    2010-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to investigate the reliability and construct validity of measures of reading component skills with a sample of adult basic education (ABE) learners, including both native and nonnative English speakers, and to describe the performance of those learners on the measures. Investigation of measures of reading components…

  3. A Comparative Study of the Complaint Strategies among Iranian EFL and ESL Students--The Study of the Effect of Length of Residence and the Amount of Contact

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mofidi, Marzieh; Shoushtari, Zohreh Gooniband

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the pragmatic transfer Iranian EFL and ESL learners of English showed when complaining in English. The study aimed to find out if there exists any relationship between the amount of contact with English and pragmatic competence of both EFL and ESL groups as well as the relationship between the duration…

  4. Barriers to Sustainability in Mature-Age Adult Learners: Working toward Identity Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Akilah R.; Chen, Joseph C.

    2016-01-01

    While research on K-12 environmental education (EE) has been quite robust, there has been less focus on effective approaches for mature-age adult learners. This qualitative study examined perceptions of barriers to sustainability in American, mature-age adult learners. Results revealed two interacting, superordinate themes: personal relevance and…

  5. Reimagining Student Engagement: How Nontraditional Adult Learners Engage in Traditional Postsecondary Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rabourn, Karyn E.; BrckaLorenz, Allison; Shoup, Rick

    2018-01-01

    Adult learners are a growing population in U.S. postsecondary education who experience distinct barriers to academic success. However, higher education institutions continue to create and adhere to policies that favor traditional college students. Thus, adult learner experiences must be better understood to ensure this population is supported.…

  6. Models of Re-Engaging Adult Learners with Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Sullivan, Ciaran; Robinson, Paul; Keogh, John; O'Neill, John

    2017-01-01

    So-called "Mathematics-anxiety" can be a key inhibitor for some adult learners considering higher education. The Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITT) in Dublin hosts the "Centre of Expertise for Adult Numeracy/Mathematics Education" mathematics research group which is a hub of EPISTEM, formerly known as the "National…

  7. Becoming Adult Learners: Principles and Practices for Effective Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drago-Severson, Eleanor

    2004-01-01

    This book offers a new and promising way to support adults in Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) programs specifically, and learners in adult education, in general. Applying renowned Harvard University psychologist Robert Kegan's constructive-development theory, Drago-Severson depicts an in-depth…

  8. Language Awareness and Comprehension through Puns among ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucas, Teresa

    2005-01-01

    The focus in studies of language awareness in L2 learning generally has been on the efficacy of teacher-generated attention to discrete elements of the forms of language through the manipulation of texts or corrective feedback. The study reported in this paper engaged learners in a collaborative task that involved learner-generated attention to…

  9. Advising Experiences and Needs of Online, Cohort, and Classroom Adult Graduate Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schroeder, Shawnda M.; Terras, Katherine L.

    2015-01-01

    Although a majority of graduate students fall under the definition of adult learners (over age 24 years), many traditional institutions do not offer advising specific to them, nor do they recognize advising needs of these older students in online, classroom, or cohort situations. In this phenomenological study, 9 adult graduate learners were…

  10. Online English-English Learner Dictionaries Boost Word Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nurmukhamedov, Ulugbek

    2012-01-01

    Learners of English might be familiar with several online monolingual dictionaries that are not necessarily the best choices for the English as Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) context. Although these monolingual online dictionaries contain definitions, pronunciation guides, and other elements normally found in general-use dictionaries, they are…

  11. Algebra for All and Its Relationship to English Language Learner's Opportunity-to-Learn and Algebra I Success Rates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Veith, Velma

    2013-01-01

    English as a Second Language (ESL) learners' access and achievement in Algebra I was examined to determine whether ESL students continue to be denied equal opportunity-to-learn (OTL) as a result of unnecessary tracking practices. In this quasi-experiment, a pre-post retrospective comparison group design was used to determine the effects of the…

  12. Irish Adult Learners' Perceptions of Classroom Environment: Some Empirical Findings.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O Fathaigh, Mairtin

    1997-01-01

    Adult learners (n=532) at University College Cork (Ireland) identified the following features of a positive affective learning environment: teacher's key role in class organization and pace, healthy interpersonal interaction among students, and focused cognitive environment. Older learners were particularly sensitive to six of seven dimensions of…

  13. Changes in the Expertise of ESL Professionals: Knowledge and Action in an Era of New Standards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valdés, Guadalupe; Kibler, Amanda; Walqui, Aída

    2014-01-01

    This professional paper builds on the work of TESOL's issue briefs, "Implementing the Common Core State Standards for English Learners: The Changing Role of the ESL Teacher" (February 2013) and Overview of the Common Core State Standards Initiatives for ELLs (March, 2013). It discusses the shifting landscape surrounding the new Common…

  14. Becoming a Content-ESL Teacher: A Dialogic Journey of a Science Teacher and Teacher Educator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welsh, Lori C.; Newman, Karen L.

    2010-01-01

    This dialogical narrative describes the observations and changes in instruction of an 8th-grade science teacher in an English language learner (ELL) sheltered science class before and after receiving instruction in ESL methods, and the backdrop for the teacher's growth, as narrated by the second language teacher educator who directed the teacher's…

  15. Teachers' Stories: Expanding the Boundaries with the Participatory Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hewitt, Lee; And Others

    Compiled by a group of teachers new to the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) field, this volume contains writing samples from teachers involved in the participatory approach to ESL classroom instruction. Introductory notes by Lee Hewitt cite the participatory approach as the most compelling method for teaching ESL adult learners. The…

  16. Northampton Community College Adult Learner Competencies Implementation. Final Report, 1998-1999 [and] Adult Learner Competencies Implementation Manual for Workshops #1 and #2 and NCC Competencies-Based Lesson Plan "Mini-Bank".

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Judy

    A project provided training and guidance to Northampton Community College (NCC) staff in implementing the "new" adult learner skill competencies. Two workshops were held to serve 29 staff in Monroe, Wayne, and Pike counties in Pennsylvania. Among the topics covered were defining and introducing portfolios to adult learners, individualizing…

  17. Crossword Puzzles and Conversation: An Approach to Teaching Pre-Employment and On-the-Job Communication Skills to Adult (Refugee) ESL Students. Special Experimental Demonstration Project--Adult Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larsen, R. Ann

    This curriculum guide is intended to help high school and adult refugees master the preemployment and on-the-job English as a Second Language (ESL) communication skills that are essential to survival in the workplace. The following topics are covered in the individual lessons: job application, occupations and duties, help wanted ads, job…

  18. An Autoethnographic Exchange: Exploring the Dynamics of Selves as Adult Learners and Adult Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plakhotnik, Maria S.; Delgado, Antonio; Seepersad, Rehana

    2015-01-01

    This article explores four former doctoral students' perceptions about their selves as adult learners and adult educators through the use of autoethnography and reflective dialogue. The dynamics between the two selves were explored to identify emerging themes and implications for practice in adult education. The duality of their roles as learners…

  19. Practitioner Toolkit: Working with Adult English Language Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lieshoff, Sylvia Cobos; Aguilar, Noemi; McShane, Susan; Burt, Miriam; Peyton, Joy Kreeft; Terrill, Lynda; Van Duzer, Carol

    2004-01-01

    This document is designed to give support to adult education and family literacy instructors who are new to serving adult English language learners and their families in rural, urban, and faith- and community-based programs. The Toolkit is designed to have a positive impact on the teaching and learning in these programs. The results of two…

  20. Beginning with the Learner: Strategies To Individualize Adult Literacy Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shepherd, R.

    The basis for all computer-assisted instruction at the Continuing Education Learning Center at Jackson State University is the instructional techniques necessary for the success of at-risk adult learners who find traditional methods inadequate. Each learner is pretested for reading level for placement, and skill assessments are made to diagnose…

  1. A Comparison of the Personality Characteristics of Adult Learners and Traditional Age Freshmen.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuh, George D.; Ardaiolo, Frank P.

    1979-01-01

    The Omnibus Personality Inventory (OPI) was administered to first year adult learners and to traditional age freshmen from the same multicampus university. Older students exhibited more intellectual and social-emotional maturity. Personality functioning of adult learners at the commuter campus was more like that of younger students. (Author)

  2. Is WIOA Good for Adult Learners? A Response to Amy Pickard's Forum Essay

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bragg, Debra D.

    2016-01-01

    According to Debra Bragg, Amy Pickard's article "WIOA: Implications for Low-Scoring Adult Learners" (EJ1125478) offers a provocative analysis of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that is important for any educator to read, especially educators who work with adult learners in postsecondary education. Pickard's…

  3. Learner-Centered Teaching Style: Comparing Face-to-Face and Online Adult Educators' Commitment Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Shanda E.

    2013-01-01

    For at least 50 years, prominent adult learning theorists have recommended that adult educators commit to a learner-centered teaching approach. Extensive teaching styles research has been conducted on face-to-face and online adult educators, albeit separately, to examine their commitment levels to the learner-centered style. In addition, there has…

  4. Math Anxiety, Math Self-Concept, and Math Self-Efficacy in Adult Learners Compared to Traditional Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jameson, Molly M.; Fusco, Brooke R.

    2014-01-01

    Adult learners comprise a significant portion of current undergraduate populations, and projections indicate steady or growing numbers of adult learners in the future. Previous research has suggested that adult learners possess lower self-confidence than and face barriers not experienced by traditional undergraduate students. These constructs have…

  5. Corrective Feedback, Learner Uptake, and Feedback Perception in a Chinese as a Foreign Language Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fu, Tingfeng; Nassaji, Hossein

    2016-01-01

    The role of corrective feedback in second language classrooms has received considerable research attention in the past few decades. However, most of this research has been conducted in English-teaching settings, either ESL or EFL. This study examined teacher feedback, learner uptake as well as learner and teacher perception of feedback in an adult…

  6. Health Care Self-Advocacy and Adult ESL Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singleton, Kate

    This paper describes how to teach speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL) to advocate for themselves regarding their health. It offers two stories about young immigrants who appear to be having a negative physical and emotional response to their lives in the United States. It presents a list of questions to determine students' comprehension…

  7. Grammatical Accuracy and Learner Autonomy in Advanced Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vickers, Caroline H.; Ene, Estela

    2006-01-01

    This paper aims to explore advanced ESL learners' ability to make improvements in grammatical accuracy by autonomously noticing and correcting their own grammatical errors. In the recent literature in SLA, it is suggested that classroom tasks can be used to foster autonomous language learning habits (cf. Dam 2001). Therefore, it is important to…

  8. A Descriptive-Comparative Analysis of Apology Strategies: The Case of Iranian EFL and Malaysian ESL University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farashaiyan, Atieh; Amirkhiz, Seyed Yasin Yazdi

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on a study that was carried out to describe and compare the apology strategies utilized by Iranian EFL and Malaysian ESL learners in confronting identical apology situations. For this purpose, data were elicited from 15 Iranian and 15 Malaysian students through a "Discourse completion tasks" questionnaire. The…

  9. An Exploration of the Experiences of Undergraduate Adult Learners in an Adult Degree Program from the Theoretical Framework of Self-Authorship

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernandez, Rocio Duran

    2013-01-01

    This study applies Baxter Magolda's theory of self-authorship (2001) from the literature of student development theory to examine the experiences of undergraduate adult learners. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of undergraduate adult learners enrolled in an adult degree program and whether their experiences were influenced…

  10. The Effects of an Instructional Method on Adult Learners' Perceptions of Self-Efficacy: A Quantitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Croasmun, James T.

    2010-01-01

    The adult student undergraduate population is growing at the fastest rate on campuses in the United States and many undergraduates are still developing adult learning characteristics. Historically, college courses are generally not designed to meet the needs of adult learner or foster adult learning characteristics in developing adult learners. Is…

  11. Prewriting Tasks for Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leopold, Lisa

    2012-01-01

    Although it is a well-known fact that students' preferred learning styles vary, many instructors teach in the way that reflects their own learning style preferences despite the fact that mismatches in teacher-learner styles may result in lower student achievement. In a traditional ESL or EAP writing class, students who prefer to learn by reading…

  12. A New Approach: Making Ethical Decisions regarding Adult Learner Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Missey, Jeanne T.

    Many new student affairs professionals have had little or no experience in applying such codes to different learners. How to address issues where codes are insufficient and how to make student affairs professionals sensitive to the moral and ethical issues of adult learners are addressed in this paper. It is not meant as a guide, but as a tool for…

  13. Integrating Health Literacy and ESL: An Interdisciplinary Curriculum for Hispanic Immigrants

    PubMed Central

    Mas, Francisco Soto; Mein, Erika; Fuentes, Brenda; Thatcher, Barry; Balcázar, Héctor

    2013-01-01

    Adult Hispanic immigrants are at a greater risk of experiencing the negative outcomes related to low health literacy, as they confront cultural and language barriers to the complex and predominately monolingual English-based U.S. health system. One approach that has the potential for simultaneously addressing the health, literacy, and language needs of Hispanics is the combination of health literacy and English as a second language (ESL) instruction. The purpose of the project was to evaluate the feasibility of using ESL instruction as a medium for improving health literacy among Hispanic immigrants. Objectives included the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interdisciplinary health literacy/ESL curriculum that integrates theories of health literacy and health behavior research and practice, sociocultural theories of literacy and communication, and adult learning principles. This article describes the curriculum development process and provides preliminary qualitative data on learners’ experiences with the curriculum. Results indicate that the curriculum was attractive to participants and that they were highly satisfied with both the format and content. The curriculum described here represents one example of an audience-centered approach designed to meet the specific health and literacy needs of the Hispanic population on the U.S.–Mexico border. The combination of ESL and health literacy contributed to a perceived positive learning experience among participants. Interdisciplinary approaches to health literacy are recommended. PMID:22982707

  14. The Multicultural Café: Enhancing Authentic Interaction for Adult English Language Learners through Service Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riley, Tracy; Douglas, Scott Roy

    2016-01-01

    While service learning platforms hold great potential for adult learners of English as an additional language (EAL), there has been little research to date related to the impact of these programs on adult newcomers' linguistic and social development. The Multicultural Café was a food service learning platform for adult EAL learners operated over a…

  15. Elementary ESL and General Education Co-Teachers' Perceptions of Their Co-Teaching Roles: A Mixed Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norton, Jennifer Christenson

    2013-01-01

    This research investigates grades kindergarten - 5 English as a Second Language (ESL) and General Education (GE) co-teachers' perceptions of one another's roles, strengths, and areas for improvement in co-teaching academic language and content to English language learners (ELLs) in the GE classroom. Theories of social constructivism and…

  16. ESL Magazine: The Information Source for ESL/EFL Professionals, 1998.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ESL Magazine, 1998

    1998-01-01

    This document consists of the six issues of "ESL Magazine" published during 1998. This journal for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) professionals includes the following articles during this period: "The Internet in the Classroom" (Christine Meloni); "Trippingly on the Tongue: Putting Serious, Speech/Pronunciation…

  17. Vocabulary Use by Low, Moderate, and High ASL-Proficient Writers Compared to Hearing ESL and Monolingual Speakers.

    PubMed

    Singleton, Jenny L; Morgan, Dianne; DiGello, Elizabeth; Wiles, Jill; Rivers, Rachel

    2004-01-01

    The written English vocabulary of 72 deaf elementary school students of various proficiency levels in American Sign Language (ASL) was compared with the performance of 60 hearing English-as-a-second-language (ESL) speakers and 61 hearing monolingual speakers of English, all of similar age. Students were asked to retell "The Tortoise and the Hare" story (previously viewed on video) in a writing activity. Writing samples were later scored for total number of words, use of words known to be highly frequent in children's writing, redundancy in writing, and use of English function words. All deaf writers showed significantly lower use of function words as compared to their hearing peers. Low-ASL-proficient students demonstrated a highly formulaic writing style, drawing mostly on high-frequency words and repetitive use of a limited range of function words. The moderate- and high-ASL-proficient deaf students' writing was not formulaic and incorporated novel, low-frequency vocabulary to communicate their thoughts. The moderate- and high-ASL students' performance revealed a departure from findings one might expect based on previous studies with deaf writers and their vocabulary use. The writing of the deaf writers also differed from the writing of hearing ESL speakers. Implications for deaf education and literacy instruction are discussed, with special attention to the fact that ASL-proficient, deaf second-language learners of English may be approaching English vocabulary acquisition in ways that are different from hearing ESL learners.

  18. Self-Access and the Adult Language Learner.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esch, Edith, Ed.

    The immediate stimulus for this collection of papers was a conference, Self-Access and the Adult Language Learner, organized by the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT) and the Language Centre of the University of Cambridge in December 1992 at Queen's College, Cambridge. Several 1-day conferences on the same theme were…

  19. Measuring Voice in Poetry Written by Second Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanauer, David I.

    2015-01-01

    There is increasing usage of creative writing in the ESL/EFL classroom based on the argument that this pedagogy develops writer's voice, emotional engagement, and ownership. Within the context of teaching poetry writing to second language learners, the current article develops a scientific approach to ways in which voice can be measured and then…

  20. Effects of Comic Strips on L2 Learners' Reading Comprehension

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Jun

    2004-01-01

    This article reports the results of an experiment investigating the role of comic strips on ESL learners' reading comprehension. The students' proficiency levels were estimated, and students were organized into a low intermediate-level proficiency group (low-level students) and a high intermediate-level proficiency group (high-level students).…

  1. Pedagogical strategies for teaching literacy to ESL immigrant students: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Adesope, Olusola O; Lavin, Tracy; Thompson, Terri; Ungerleider, Charles

    2011-12-01

    Many countries rely on immigrants for population growth and to maintain a skilled workforce. However, many such immigrants face literacy-related barriers to success in education and in the labour force. This meta-analysis reviews experimental and quasi-experimental studies to examine strategies for teaching English literacy to immigrant students. Following an exhaustive and systematic search for studies meeting pre-determined inclusion criteria, two researchers independently extracted data from 26 English as a Second Language (ESL) studies involving 3,150 participants. These participants consisted of ESL immigrant students in kindergarten through grade 6 who were exposed to English literacy instructional interventions. Measured outcomes were reading and writing. Mean effect sizes vary from small to large, depending on instructional interventions and outcome constructs. Across several different grade levels, settings, and methodological features, pedagogical strategies used in teaching ESL to immigrant students are associated with increased competence in reading and writing. Collaborative reading interventions, in which peers engage in oral interaction and cooperatively negotiate meaning and a shared understanding of texts, produced larger effects than systematic phonics instruction and multimedia-assisted reading interventions. The results show that the pedagogical strategies examined in this meta-analysis produced statistically significant benefits for students in all grade levels. The findings also show that students from low socio-economic status (SES) background benefit from ESL literacy interventions. However, significant heterogeneity was found in each subset. Educators and policy makers are encouraged to consider specific school contexts when making decisions about optimal pedagogical strategies. It is possible that contextual factors as well as ESL learner characteristics may influence the effectiveness of these strategies. To ensure literacy acquisition

  2. Measuring Self-Directed Learning: A Diagnostic Tool for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khiat, Henry

    2015-01-01

    Self-directed learning is an important form of adult learning (Caffarella, 1993; Knowles, 1975; Knowles, Holton & Swanson, 2005; Merriam, 2001; Merriam & Caffarella, 1999). The strategies of self-directed learning allow adult learners to cope better with their studies while fulfilling family, work and other commitments. This study…

  3. Meaningful Reading Gains by Adult Literacy Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scarborough, Hollis S.; Sabatini, John P.; Shore, Jane; Cutting, Laurie E.; Pugh, Kenneth; Katz, Leonard

    2013-01-01

    To obtain a fuller picture of the efficacy of reading instruction programs for adult literacy learners, gains by individual students were examined in a sample (n = 148) in which weak to moderate gains at the group level had been obtained in response to tutoring interventions that focused on strengthening basic decoding and fluency skills of low…

  4. Short-Duration Mindfulness Training with Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crumley, Gene; Schutz, Howard

    2011-01-01

    The adult learner is typically a motivated student who comes to class prepared to pay attention. They also come with cognitive and emotional stimuli not related to the course's content, which can be distracting especially at the start of a class or following a break. Ways of dealing with the problem of start-of-class attention, and for that…

  5. An Adult Learner's Learning Style Should Inform but Not Limit Educational Choices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barry, Margot; Egan, Arlene

    2018-01-01

    Adult learners are attracted to learning opportunities (e.g. course offers) which seem promising in terms of allowing them to match their choices to their own perceived predispositions. To find out more about their personal learning style, some adult learners may fill in a questionnaire designed by researchers who aim (and claim) to enable both…

  6. Effects of Dicto-Comp and Dictation on the Writing Skill of Female Adult Iranian EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adel, Rahil; Hashemian, Mahmood

    2015-01-01

    This study was an attempt to clarify and remind L2 learners/teachers of 2 kinds of writing: dicto-comp and dictation. We explored the effect of controlled writing on the accuracy of the writing of adult Iranian EFL learners. Prior to the study, the homogeneity of 30 adult EFL learners was checked through an OPT test. Thirty participants were…

  7. Learner Characteristics, Learner Achievement and Time Investment in Online Courses for Dutch L2 in Adult Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Paepe, Liesbeth; Zhu, Chang; Depryck, Koen

    2018-01-01

    For the growing group of adult migrants, flexible solutions for second language (L2) acquisition are increasingly important, while concerns about the efficacy of online language learning abound. This study on the L2 situation in Flanders has 4 key aims: analyzing adult learner profiles in fully online Dutch beginners' courses; comparing learner…

  8. Understanding Sources of Financial Support for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dougherty, B. Christopher; Woodland, Richard

    2009-01-01

    Understanding the dynamics of financial support for continuing higher education students requires an understanding of the numerous programs that support adult learners. These include basic and family literacy programs, workforce education programs, programs administered under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Title IV…

  9. Exploring Service Logic in ESL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, John

    2013-01-01

    ESL is both a professional educational service and, particularly in post-compulsory contexts, a commercial activity. The effective management of ESL programs can secure quality outcomes for practitioners and students. Nevertheless, writings on ESL management do not figure prominently in the literature. In particular, the association between…

  10. Merging the Forces of Asynchronous Tutoring and Synchronous Conferencing: A Qualitative Study of Arab ESL Academic Writers Using E-Tutoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alqadoumi, Omar Mohamed

    2012-01-01

    Previous studies in the field of e-tutoring dealt either with asynchronous tutoring or synchronous conferencing as modes for providing e-tutoring services to English learners. This qualitative research study reports the experiences of Arab ESL tutees with both asynchronous tutoring and synchronous conferencing. It also reports the experiences of…

  11. Adult Enrichment Learners in St. Cloud, Minnesota: Motivational Reasons for Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallner, Scott David

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to identify reasons and motivation of adult stakeholders that influence participation in adult community education enrichment classes in the St. Cloud Public School District, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The study also examined the perceptions about adult learners held by leaders, planners, and facilitators of these programs,…

  12. Making a Difference in Learners' Lives: Results of a Study Based on Adult Literacy Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terry, Marion

    2006-01-01

    Using qualitative methods, the author explores how adult learners' lives are affected by participating in adult literacy programs in Manitoba, Canada. After a description of research methods, changes in six major areas of learners' lives are discussed: general attitudes toward life, levels of interpersonal awareness, self-esteem, academic…

  13. Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of Young English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paquette, Kelli R.; Rieg, Sue A.

    2008-01-01

    Integrating experiences with music in the early childhood classroom supports English language learners' literacy development (Peregoy and Boyle, "Reading, writing, and learning in ESL." Pearson, Boston, 2008; Saricoban and Metin, "Songs, verse and games for teaching grammar." Internet "TESL J," 2000). This article describes the benefits of…

  14. The Intelligibility of Social Dialects for Working-Class Adult Learners of English.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eisenstein, Miriam; Verdi, Gail

    1985-01-01

    Describes a study of the intelligibility of three dialects--standard English, New Yorkese, and Black English--for working-class adult English learners. Results showed that comprehension was significantly affected by dialect and that learner judgments of the speakers in terms of job status, friendliness, and appearance paralleled the…

  15. Iraqi EFL Learners' Problems in Using Conjunctions as Cohesive Devices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darweesh, Abbas Deygan; Kadhim, Susan Abdul Hady

    2016-01-01

    Writing has been assumed to be the most problematic language skill for ESL/EFL learners (Ting, 2003; Ong, 2011) and even for native speakers (Norrish, 1983). Apparently, Prommas and Sinwongsuwat (2011:77) stated that writing is more challenging than speaking since in written communication there is no extra means of help in terms of nonverbal…

  16. The Writing Development of English Language Learners from Two Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Xun

    2012-01-01

    The current study is a qualitative case study that investigated the writing development of seven Chinese-speaking English language learners (ELLs) from kindergarten and 3rd-grade ESL classes in an elementary school in the Midwest and intended to discover the factors that affect students' English writing development in a one-year period. Guided by…

  17. Exploring Education Major Focused Adult Learners' Perspectives and Practices of Web-Based Distance Education in Sixteen Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Jing

    2009-01-01

    Distance education is not a new concept for all kinds of learners in the modern societies. Many researchers have studied traditional distance education programs for adult learners in the past, but little research has been done on Web-based distance education (WBDE) for adult learners. There are also many popular online universities in the U.S. or…

  18. Error Analysis of Present Simple Tense in the Interlanguage of Adult Arab English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muftah, Muneera; Rafik-Galea, Shameem

    2013-01-01

    The present study analyses errors on present simple tense among adult Arab English language learners. It focuses on the error on 3sg "-s" (the third person singular present tense agreement morpheme "-s"). The learners are undergraduate adult Arabic speakers learning English as a foreign language. The study gathered data from…

  19. ESL Teachers' Perceptions about English Learners' Reading Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Protacio, Maria Selena; Jang, Bong Gee

    2016-01-01

    The role of motivation in engaging students in reading activities and thus improving their reading achievement has been widely reported for the past decades. However, despite the increasing numbers of English learners (ELs) in the United States, little is known about how teachers perceive their motivation to read. Focus group methodology was used…

  20. Academic Librarians' Practices and Perceptions on Web-Based Instruction for Academic Library Patrons as Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Deborah Michelle

    2016-01-01

    Academic librarians are encouraged to provide library services, resources, and instruction to all patrons, including the adult learner. Statistics reported that worldwide, adults are a growing student population in colleges and universities; however, the adult learner as an academic library patron is often neglected. Academic libraries can…

  1. A Public Health Approach to Improving the Lives of Adult Learners: Introduction to the Special Issue on Adult Literacy Interventions

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Brett; Esposito, Layla; McCardle, Peggy

    2013-01-01

    Addressing the literacy needs of adult basic and secondary education learners must form a core part of a broader public health effort to increase educational and health outcomes for these individuals and their families. Adult learners constitute a significant proportion of the overall adult U.S. population and a proportion that impacts, directly and indirectly, on the physical and economic health of millions of families and society writ large. Enhancing the literacy skills of low literate adults has proven difficult, hampered by the relative dearth of research data on struggling adult learners and effective intervention approaches, the contextual challenges of delivering intensive interventions, limited personal and systemic resources, and competing demands on learners’ time. We propose a systems level view of adult low-literacy as one that holds promise and provides a basic framework for providing coordinated, comprehensive, and integrated services, but that requires additional research to support. Informed and coordinated efforts with the pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade education system and health and labor services sectors is needed if we are to improve the lives of these adults and their families. PMID:24288581

  2. Using Concept Maps to Engage Adult Learners in Critical Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yelich Biniecki, Susan M.; Conceição, Simone C. O.

    2016-01-01

    An understanding of learning theories can help adult educators become more effective practitioners and meet the needs of the learners they serve. Adult educators who understand how individuals learn can be better prepared to use effective strategies during the learning process. This article addresses the use of concept maps as a strategy to engage…

  3. Literacy Development and Language Expression for Adult Learners in Transition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larrotta, Clarena; Moon, Ji Yoon Christine

    2016-01-01

    This chapter provides examples of transitions that learners face connected to their participation in adult education and English literacy instruction. It describes their efforts to attain relevant language expression skills.

  4. Effects of Redundancy and Modality on the Situational Interest of Adult Learners in Multimedia Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dousay, Tonia A.

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of two design principles as prescribed by the cognitive theory of multimedia learning on the situational interest of adult learners in a multimedia-based continuing education training program. One hundred and two adult learners employed by an emergency medical service were randomly assigned to one of three…

  5. Mathematics for ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arrowood, Janet C.

    2004-01-01

    Practical examples from everyday life, spanning personal financial matters to traveling and even cooking conversions are the lessons offered in this useful guide. The vast majority of older students and adults who come to America come from countries that use the metric system. Learning a new system for measuring, telling time, and so forth is…

  6. Demographic Characteristics of Successful English Language Learners in Rural Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murley, Colleen A.

    2017-01-01

    As the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to grow in our country, schools are looking for ways to better identify and to help those who need English as a Second Language (ESL) services (Mossaad, 2016). ELLs present a unique challenge to school districts as some perceive that the federal guidelines are vague, but require school…

  7. New Wine in Old Skins: Changing Patterns in the Governing of the Adult Learner in Sweden

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fejes, Andreas

    2005-01-01

    This paper explores the ways in which the adult learner has been governed in recent years and whether the techniques for doing this have changed over the last 50 years. The focus is first on which adult subject (adult learner) is constructed in the material analysed. What kinds of subjects are governed? This is followed by an analysis of what…

  8. Toward a Learner-Centered System for Adult Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hermans, Henry; Kalz, Marco; Koper, Rob

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present an e-learning system that integrates the use of concepts of virtual learning environments, personal learning environments, and social network sites. The system is based on a learning model which comprises and integrates three learning contexts for the adult learner: the formal, instructional…

  9. Adult MOOC Learners as Self-Directed: Perceptions of Motivation, Success, and Completion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loizzo, Jamie; Ertmer, Peggy A.; Watson, William R.; Watson, Sunnie Lee

    2017-01-01

    Despite the increased attention given to MOOCs over the last four years, learners' voices have been noticeably absent. This virtual ethnographic study was designed to examine the experiences of 12 adult learners with bachelors' and masters' degrees, enrolled in a four-week MOOC on the topic of human trafficking. Through the lenses of self-directed…

  10. English Language Learners in Canadian Schools: Emerging Directions for School-Based Policies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cummins, Jim; Mirza, Rania; Stille, Saskia

    2012-01-01

    This article attempts to provide ESL teachers, school administrators, and policymakers with a concise overview of what matters in promoting academic success among learners of English in Canadian schools. We review research focused on bilingual and biliteracy development, the nature of academic language, and the roles of societal power relations…

  11. Enhancing English Learners' Willingness to Communicate through Debate and Philosophy Inquiry Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shamsudin, Mardziah; Othman, Moomala; Jahedi, Maryam; Aralas, Dalia

    2017-01-01

    The present study investigated the impact of two instructional methods, Debate and Philosophy Inquiry (PI), in enhancing Willingness to Communicate (WTC) among two groups of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners who were randomly selected. In each group there were sixteen participants. The researchers used independent samples t-test and…

  12. The Influence of Biographical Factors on Adult Learner Self-Directedness in an Open Distance Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Botha, Jo-Anne; Coetzee, Mariette

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between self-directedness (as measured by the Adult Learner Self-Directedness Scale) and biographical factors such as age, race, and gender of adult learners enrolled at a South African open distance learning (ODL) higher education institution. Correlational and inferential statistical analyses were used. A…

  13. The Social-Interaction Learning Styles of Irish Adult Learners: Some Empirical Findings.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O Fathaigh, Mairtin

    An action research project was conducted to understand the learning style profile of Irish adult learners better and to integrate the findings into development seminars for adult education teachers and tutors. The Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Styles Scale (GRSLSS) was chosen as the research instrument to explore Irish adults' learning styles…

  14. Current Trends in Adult Degree Programs: How Public Universities Respond to the Needs of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gast, Angela

    2013-01-01

    Although many adult students turn to online degree programs due to their flexibility and convenience, a majority of prospective adult learners prefer to take classes on traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. This chapter examines how public research universities create pathways to degree attainment and boost degree completion rates among adult…

  15. Meeting the Challenge: Teaching Strategies for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goddu, Kevin

    2012-01-01

    This article begins with a scenario that reflects a growing concern for both teacher and adult learner in today's college history classroom. A student in his sixties remembers his experience as a young man growing up during this time period in American history, while the professor knows only what others have told him plus the scholarly works he…

  16. Visual Arts and Older Adult Learners in Retirement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunt, Irma

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the role of visual arts and its impact on successful aging and older adult learners in retirement. Retirement is one of the most important economic, psychological, and social transitions in most people's lives. Longevity has increased in the last sixty years such that in 2010, the average person can…

  17. The Educational and Personal Needs of Adult Learners in Higher Education: A Quantitative Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moison, Lisa M.

    2013-01-01

    In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in determining the personal and educational needs of adult learners in higher education. This may be due to the rise in the number of students age 25 and over who have been returning to college (NCES, 2012). The purpose of this study was to survey adult learners on their personal and…

  18. Engaging Online Adult Learners in Higher Education: Motivational Factors Impacted by Gender, Age, and Prior Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yoo, Sun Joo; Huang, Wenhao David

    2013-01-01

    As the number of online degree programs continues to grow among higher education institutions in the United States, engaging online adult learners to online degree programs is getting more difficult than before. Therefore, this study, situated in a land grant university, investigated the motivational factors that contribute to adult learners'…

  19. Low Proficiency Learners in Synchronous Computer-Assisted and Face-to-Face Interactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tam, Shu Sim; Kan, Ngat Har; Ng, Lee Luan

    2010-01-01

    This experimental study offers empirical evidence of the effect of the computer-mediated environment on the linguistic output of low proficiency learners. The subjects were 32 female undergraduates with high and low proficiency in ESL. A within-subject repeated measures concurrent nested QUAN-qual (Creswell, 2003) mixed methods approach was used.…

  20. ESL Students in California Public Higher Education. ICAS ESL Task Force Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Online Submission, 2006

    2006-01-01

    The enclosed English as a Second Language (ESL) Task Force Report represents a response to questions raised by some educators and legislators about ESL programs, practices, and support services across the three California postsecondary systems: the California Community Colleges (CCCs), the California State Universities (CSUs), and the University…

  1. Online Text Processing: A Study of Iranian EFL Learners' Vocabulary Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahangar, Abbas Ali; Izadi, Mehri

    2015-01-01

    The internet has developed into an important source of knowledge in recent times. It is used not just for engaging and entertaining users, but also for promoting language learning, especially for English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL and EFL) learners spending long hours using internet, 85% of all web pages are in English. This experimental…

  2. ESL Placement and Schools

    PubMed Central

    Callahan, Rebecca; Wilkinson, Lindsey; Muller, Chandra; Frisco, Michelle

    2010-01-01

    In this study, the authors explore English as a Second Language (ESL) placement as a measure of how schools label and process immigrant students. Using propensity score matching and data from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the authors estimate the effect of ESL placement on immigrant achievement. In schools with more immigrant students, the authors find that ESL placement results in higher levels of academic performance; in schools with few immigrant students, the effect reverses. This is not to suggest a one-size-fits-all policy; many immigrant students, regardless of school composition, generational status, or ESL placement, struggle to achieve at levels sufficient for acceptance to a 4-year university. This study offers several factors to be taken into consideration as schools develop policies and practices to provide immigrant students opportunities to learn. PMID:20617111

  3. Using Wiki to Teach Part-Time Adult Learners in a Blended Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basar, Siti Mariam Muhammad Abdul; Yusop, Farrah Dina

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of 31 part-time adult learners who participated in an online collaborative writing experience. Situated in the context of a blended learning environment of an advanced English learning course, this study looked into learners' perceptions with respect to the benefits of collaborative writing using…

  4. Adult Learners and Spiritual Formation: Exploring Outcomes at Christ-Centered Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barkley, Heather R.

    2017-01-01

    The limited research on adult learners and spiritual formation has created a knowledge gap regarding whether bachelor's degree-completion students value the faith aspects of their education at Christian colleges. As this population grows, so does the need to better understand if the spiritual components of adult programs are having an impact and…

  5. Engaging Teachers as Learners: Modeling Professional Development for Adult Literacy Providers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanna, Mary Barbara; Salzman, James A.; Reynolds, Sharon L.; Fergus, Katherine B.

    2010-01-01

    As professional developers for the Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) system in Ohio, the authors have focused their efforts over the last several years on more actively engaging adult basic education teachers as learners in the professional development they offer. By creating activities that engage teachers in active learning with their adult…

  6. Teaching a High-Level Contextualized Mathematics Curriculum to Adult Basic Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Showalter, Daniel A.; Wollett, Chelsie; Reynolds, Sharon

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on the implementation of a high level contextualized mathematics curriculum by 12 adult basic instructors in a midwestern state. The 10-week pilot curriculum embedded high level mathematics in contexts that were familiar to adult learners. Instructors' weekly online posts were coded, and the following themes emerged: (a)…

  7. Adult Literacy Education: Program Evaluation and Learner Assessment. Information Series No. 338.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lytle, Susan L.; Wolfe, Marcie

    Adult literacy programs need reliable information about program quality and effectiveness for accountability, improvement of practice, and expansion of knowledge. Evaluation and assessment reflect fundamental beliefs about adult learners, concepts of literacy, and educational settings. Resources for planning program evaluations include surveys,…

  8. ESL Student Bias in Instructional Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wennerstrom, Ann K.; Heiser, Patty

    1992-01-01

    Reports on a statistical analysis of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) student evaluations of teachers in two large programs. Results indicated a systematic bias occurs in ESL student evaluations, raising issues of fairness in the use of student evaluations of ESL teachers for purposes of personnel decisions. (21 references) (GLR)

  9. A Functional-Notional Syllabus for Adult Learners of Irish.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Little, David, Comp.; And Others

    The first functional-notional syllabus for adult learners of Irish, written in Irish and English, is presented. The syllabus begins with an introductory section about functional-notional syllabi, their definitions and implications, and the characteristics of this syllabus. The second section provides the general aims and specific behavioral…

  10. ESL Parents and Teachers: Towards Dialogue?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gou, Yan; Mohan, Bernard

    2008-01-01

    Conflict and miscommunication between English as a Second Language (ESL) parents and teachers has had a major impact on educational policy, but few empirical studies examine it as discourse. This study examines communication between ESL parents and high school ESL teachers in a "Parents' Night" (PN) event organised to increase understanding of the…

  11. Transforming Marginalised Adult Learners' Views of Themselves: Access to Higher Education Courses in England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Busher, Hugh; James, Nalita; Piela, Anna; Palmer, Anna-Marie

    2014-01-01

    Adult learners on Access to Higher Education courses struggled with institutional and social structures to attend their courses, but transformed their identities as learners through them. Although asymmetrical power relationships dominated the intentional learning communities of their courses, their work was facilitated by collaborative cultures…

  12. Participatory Photography: Can It Help Adult Learners Develop Agency?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Kyung-Hwa

    2014-01-01

    This article draws on a participatory photography project conducted with 10 socioeconomically disadvantaged adult learners for six weeks within the framework of production pedagogy. Throughout the project, the participants took photographs about their lives in response to three prompts that I gave: (1) take photographs of people that are important…

  13. Information Technology and Adult Learners at Empire State College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lefor, Patricia J.; Benke, Meg; Ting, Evelyn

    2003-01-01

    Successful introduction of technology-delivered education to adult students can be enhanced by attention to program development, reliance on easy-to-use technology readily available to a wide range of students, and the parallel development of online learner supports and student services. This chapter describes how one institution has succeeded in…

  14. Decoding the Neoliberal Subjectivity in Self-Helping Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Moosung

    2017-01-01

    This article explores and explains the subjectivity of self-helping adult learners, as depicted in contemporary, best-selling self-help books. It interrogates how those self-help texts embody particular features of self-helping subjectivity by appropriating neoliberalist perspectives on self and the world. It illuminates four salient features of…

  15. Challenging Representations: Constructing the Adult Literacy Learner over 30 Years of Policy and Practice in the United Kingdom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamilton, Mary; Pitt, Kathy

    2011-01-01

    This article addresses the question, How do changes in policy discourses shape public representations of literacy learners and the goals of adult literacy education? It examines specifically how the agency of adult literacy learners is constructed. We carry out a critical discourse analysis of two key adult literacy policy documents from the U.K.:…

  16. Transition to Community College: The Journey of Adult Basic Education English Learners from Non-Credit to Credit Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Csepelyi, Tunde

    2012-01-01

    This phenomenological study examined the transition of a group of adult English language learners from an Adult Basic Education program to a community college. The purpose of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of the driving forces of Adult Basic Education English language learners who had successfully transitioned from a non-credit…

  17. A Culture of Collaboration: Meeting the Instructional Needs of Adolescent English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, Felice Atesoglu

    2012-01-01

    This article details a study that focused on the supports that enabled an English language learner (ELL) facilitator to contribute to a culture of collaboration between the English as a Second Language (ESL) and Language Arts Departments to more effectively meet the instructional needs of ELLs in one culturally and linguistically diverse high…

  18. Developing Learners' Second Language Communicative Competence through Active Learning: Clickers or Communicative Approach?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agbatogun, Alaba Olaoluwakotansibe

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of clickers, the communicative approach and the lecture method on the communicative competence development of learners who were taught English a second language (ESL). Ninety nine pupils from three primary schools participated in the study. Quasi-experimental non-randomised pre-test posttest…

  19. Feasibility of Explicit Instruction in Adult Basic Education: Instructor-Learner Interaction Patterns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mellard, Daryl; Scanlon, David

    2006-01-01

    A strategic instruction model introduced into adult basic education classrooms yields insight into the feasibility of using direct and explicit instruction with adults with learning disabilities or other cognitive barriers to learning. Ecobehavioral assessment was used to describe and compare instructor-learner interaction patterns during learning…

  20. Analysis of Teacher Beliefs and Efficacy for Teaching Writing to Weak Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mohar, Tunku Mohani Tunku; Singh, Charajit Kaur Swaran; Kepol, Napisah; Ahmad, Ahmad Zainuri Loap; Moneyam, Sasigaran

    2017-01-01

    The present study investigated the beliefs and efficacy of a teacher teaching English to students who were weak at the language. The objective of the study was mainly to investigate the beliefs and efficacy of the ESL teacher for teaching writing to weak learners. The research was a case study of the English Language teacher teaching Form Three…

  1. A Quantitative Investigation of ESL Teacher Knowledge in Australian Adult Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yazdanpanah, Lilly K.

    2015-01-01

    English as a second language (ESL) teaching is partly a thinking process in which teacher knowledge plays a pivotal role in making instructional choices (Breen, Hird, Milton, Oliver, & Thwaite, 2001). The present study contributes to understandings of teacher knowledge by exploring the types of knowledge, which practicing teachers value in…

  2. Effective learner-centered strategies for teaching adults: using visual media to engage the adult learner.

    PubMed

    Myers, Dennis R; Sykes, Catherine; Myers, Scott

    2008-01-01

    This article offers practical guidance for educators as they prepare specialists to enhance the lives and communities of older persons through the strategic use of visual media in age-related courses. Advantages and disadvantages of this learning innovation are provided as well as seven approaches for enriching instruction. Resources are included for locating effective visual media, matching course content with video resources, determining fair use of copyrighted media, and inserting video clips into PowerPoint presentations. Strategies for accessing assistive services for implementing visual media in the classroom are also addressed. This article promotes the use of visual media for the purpose of enriching gerontological and geriatrics instruction for the adult learner.

  3. Adult Learners' Funds of Knowledge: The Case of an English Class for Parents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larrotta, Clarena; Serrano, Arlene

    2012-01-01

    This research is rooted in an approach that sees English learning and teaching as practices shaped by adults' funds of knowledge and adult-learning principles. We investigate how English-literacy instruction can build on the funds of knowledge (life experiences, knowledge, skills, and learning habits) that adult learners bring with them. In…

  4. Morphological Awareness Intervention: Improving Spelling, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension for Adult Learners.

    PubMed

    Bangs, Kathryn E; Binder, Katherine S

    2016-01-01

    Adult Basic Education programs are under pressure to develop and deliver instruction that promotes rapid and sustained literacy development. We describe a novel approach to a literacy intervention that focuses on morphemes, which are the smallest meaningful units contained in words. We argue that if you teach learners that big words are comprised of smaller components (i.e., morphemes), you will provide those students with the skills to figure out the meanings of new words. Research with children has demonstrated that teaching them about morphemes improves word recognition, spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension (Bowers & Kirby, 2009; Kirk & Gillon, 2009; Nunes, Bryant, & Olsson, 2003). Our hope is that this type of intervention will be successful with adult learners, too.

  5. Materials for Serving Homeless Adult Learners. A Resource Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. Div. of Adult Education and Literacy.

    This guide is intended to assist in linking service providers to existing resources and models and to build awareness of the body of innovative work that has been developed to respond to needs of homeless adult learners. It describes materials for instruction, outreach, and program management that were primarily developed in projects funded under…

  6. Implications of Increased Enrollment of Adult Learners in Colleges and Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowden, S. Dianne; Heritage, Jeannette

    A study was done of adult students at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1991 to gather information on the characteristics of this population. A survey instrument defined the non-traditional student or adult learner as any student over the age of 24 attending MTSU. A total of 1,200 surveys were sent to full-time students, and 300…

  7. Implementing Communication Strategy Instruction in the ESL Oral Classroom: What Do Low-Proficiency Learners Tell Us?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Wendy Y. K.

    2010-01-01

    This article reports findings from a strategy intervention study involving a treatment class (N=20) and a comparison class (N=20) in an ESL oral setting. Oral communication strategies were taught to the treatment class. A data-collection method comprising stimulated recall interviews that aimed to investigate respectively the learning process…

  8. Developing an Automated Writing Placement System for ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yannakoudakis, Helen; Andersen, Øistein E.; Geranpayeh, Ardeshir; Briscoe, Ted; Nicholls, Diane

    2018-01-01

    There are quite a few challenges in the development of an automated writing placement model for non-native English learners, among them the fact that exams that encompass the full range of language proficiency exhibited at different stages of learning are hard to design. However, acquisition of appropriate training data that are relevant to the…

  9. Development of an Evidence-Based Reading Fluency Program for Adult Literacy Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shore, Jane; Sabatini, John; Lentini, Jennifer; Holtzman, Steven; McNeil, Adjua

    2015-01-01

    Fluency is an essential part of skilled reading that has only recently begun to receive its deserved attention. However, programs that meaningfully engage adult learners in fluency training have not been widely explored in research. In this article, the authors describe an evidence-based adult Guided Repeated Reading program developed for…

  10. Adult Learners Understanding in Learning Islam Using the Andragogy Approach in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kadir, Mohd Amin Bin

    2016-01-01

    This study describes adult learners understanding in learning Islam using the andragogy approach in Singapore comprising multicultural and multi-religious society. Singapore is a secular state where freedom of religion is encrypted in the constitution and Malay/Muslim comprises 13.3% of the population. Adults learn Islam to deepen their…

  11. An adult learner's learning style should inform but not limit educational choices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barry, Margot; Egan, Arlene

    2017-12-01

    Adult learners are attracted to learning opportunities (e.g. course offers) which seem promising in terms of allowing them to match their choices to their own perceived predispositions. To find out more about their personal learning style, some adult learners may fill in a questionnaire designed by researchers who aim (and claim) to enable both course providers and learners to optimise learning outcomes. The evaluation of these questionnaires measures learning styles using indicators developed for this purpose, but the results are not conclusive and their utility is therefore questionable. This narrative review critically examines some of the research which explores the usefulness of considering students' learning styles in adult education. The authors present a discussion - which remains hypothetical - on why the use of learning styles measures continues to be popular despite the absence of rigorous research findings to support this practice. Factors discussed by the authors include confirmation bias (making choices which confirm our prejudices) and user qualification (limiting availability to trained users, e.g. psychologists) as well as limited resources and skills in evaluating research, paired with educators' quest to implement evidence-focused techniques. The authors conclude that while learning styles assessments can be useful for the purpose of reflection on strengths and weaknesses, they should play a limited role in educational choices.

  12. An adult learner's learning style should inform but not limit educational choices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barry, Margot; Egan, Arlene

    2018-02-01

    Adult learners are attracted to learning opportunities (e.g. course offers) which seem promising in terms of allowing them to match their choices to their own perceived predispositions. To find out more about their personal learning style, some adult learners may fill in a questionnaire designed by researchers who aim (and claim) to enable both course providers and learners to optimise learning outcomes. The evaluation of these questionnaires measures learning styles using indicators developed for this purpose, but the results are not conclusive and their utility is therefore questionable. This narrative review critically examines some of the research which explores the usefulness of considering students' learning styles in adult education. The authors present a discussion - which remains hypothetical - on why the use of learning styles measures continues to be popular despite the absence of rigorous research findings to support this practice. Factors discussed by the authors include confirmation bias (making choices which confirm our prejudices) and user qualification (limiting availability to trained users, e.g. psychologists) as well as limited resources and skills in evaluating research, paired with educators' quest to implement evidence-focused techniques. The authors conclude that while learning styles assessments can be useful for the purpose of reflection on strengths and weaknesses, they should play a limited role in educational choices.

  13. Making Maths Useful: How Two Teachers Prepare Adult Learners to Apply Their Numeracy Skills in Their Lives outside the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Carolyn

    2015-01-01

    This pilot case study of two teachers and their learner groups from Adult and Community settings, investigates how numeracy teachers, working with adult learners in discrete numeracy classes, motivate and enable learners to build on their informal skills and apply new learning to their own real-life contexts. Teachers used a range of abstract and…

  14. Lurking and L2 Learners on a Facebook Group: The Voices of the Invisibles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shafie, Latisha Asmaak; Yaacob, Aizan; Singh, Paramjit Kaur Karpal

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative research investigates the practice of lurking among English as a second language (ESL) learners in a Facebook group discussion. Lurking is a term used to describe the activity of following and observing any online discussions or activities without contributing to the discussions. Lurkers are often accused of being invisible and…

  15. Framework for Quality Professional Development for Practitioners Working With Adult English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, 2008

    2008-01-01

    As a result of a growing immigrant population in the United States, many adult education programs are working with new populations of adult learners who need to learn English. There is a need for a strong workforce of trained and knowledgeable practitioners who can work effectively with adults learning English and facilitate transitions to…

  16. Examining English Language Learning Motivation of Adult International Learners Studying Abroad in the US

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weger, Heather D.

    2013-01-01

    The present study reports on the motivations of adult, international learners of English, studying English 20 hours a week in a US-based Intensive English Program (IEP). Though often used as participants in language acquisition studies, there are few studies of these learners' motivational profiles. In the current study, a questionnaire designed…

  17. The Usefulness of Pictorial Aids in Developing Female Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners' Speaking Proficiency

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Afraz, Shahram; Taghizade, Leila; Taghinezhad, Ali

    2018-01-01

    Speaking is a crucial form of communication in language learning settings. Through speaking skill, ESL/EFL language learners can communicate and convey information. Pictorial aids have been deployed as efficacious mediatory tools in teaching various disciplines such as language teaching. Still, to the best of the researchers' knowledge, a direct…

  18. Helping Children to Learn at Home: A Family Project to Support Young English-Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jasinski, Mary-Anne

    2012-01-01

    The Coalition for Equal Access to Education (CEAE) is a Calgary-based nonprofit organization committed to working with community, education, and government stakeholders to promote access to quality, equitable education and services for K-12 English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners. CEAE is active in developing innovative projects, research…

  19. The Impact of Cooperative Listening Materials Adaptation on Listening Comprehension Performance of Iranian EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ghassemi, Mojtaba

    2013-01-01

    Listening comprehension has gained more prominence in EFL/ESL classes. Due to this prominence, scholars have tried to shed light on different ways of improving learners' listening comprehension. One of these ways is using listening strategies. There is still a controversy over the effective role of these strategies in improving listening…

  20. Closed Captioned TV: A Resource for ESL Literacy Education. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Carolyn

    Recent technological, pedagogical, and regulatory developments have heightened awareness and appreciation of the utility of closed captioned television (CCTV) for adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and literacy instruction. A federal mandate that most televisions provide a closed caption decoder, increased captioning of all program types,…

  1. ESL VI Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flander, Leonard

    This curriculum guide for English as a Second Language (ESL) Level VI is the sixth of six in a Guam Community College ESL project series. The other five guides, a companion teacher's guide and pre- and post-tests are available separately (see note). The entire project centers around the Peabody Kits P, Level P, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and the…

  2. ESL V Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flander, Leonard

    This curriculum guide for English as a Second Language (ESL) Level V is the fifth of six in the Guam Community College ESL project series. The other five guides, a companion teacher's guide, and pre- and post-tests are available separately (see note). The entire project centers around the Peabody Kits P, Level P, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and the…

  3. Investigating the Reading Engagement of English Language Learners: A Case Study of Four Middle School ELLs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Protacio, Maria Selena O.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigates the reading engagement of four middle school English Language Learners (ELLs) in their English or English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. Engaged readers are those who address the four components of reading engagement--motivation, strategic knowledge, constructing meaning from texts, and social interactions. In this…

  4. Argument-Adjunct Asymmetry in the Acquisition of Inversion in "Wh"-Questions by Korean Learners of English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Sun-Young

    2008-01-01

    This article investigates an argument-adjunct asymmetry in English as a second language (ESL) learners' acquisition of inversion in "wh"-questions. A generative approach (DeVilliers, 1991; Stromswold, 1990) claims that inversion is acquired earlier in argument "wh"-questions than in adjunct "wh"-questions, the asymmetry resulting from their…

  5. The Effect of an Educator's Teaching Style on the Math Anxiety of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hosch, Mary L.

    2014-01-01

    Many adults are obstructed from specialized professions based on their anxiety of math. Math anxiety has been extensively researched for over 3 decades. Scholars have attempted to define its origins as well as the means to eliminate its often-debilitating effect on learners. Research indicates that learners with math anxiety often give up career…

  6. Influencing Factors in OER Usage of Adult Learners in Korea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Byoung Wook; Lee, Won Gyu; Lee, Byeong Rae; Shon, Jin Gon

    2015-01-01

    Open Educational Resources (OER) is terminology that refers to educational resources (content and software) distributed through the Internet, free of charge and freely accessible, expanding learning opportunities for adult learners. This terminology first appeared around 2002, although its roots can be traced to the open architecture of the…

  7. Student Personnel Administration and the Adult Learner: An Unresolved Issue.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Rollin J.

    The role of college student personnel administration in serving adult learners is considered. Historical trends in the student personnel function and the philosophy that student personnel workers are educators who create programs that contribute to the student's overall educational growth are examined. Changes for the student development personnel…

  8. Training Mentors as Educational Advisors for Adult Learners. Process Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singer, Elizabeth W.

    Materials used by the director of a project designed to assist key personnel in businesses, industries, and agencies with the educational counseling of their employees are presented. The objectives of the project, "Training Mentors as Educational Advisors of Adult Learners," were to: (1) provide two training sessions in educational…

  9. An Exploratory Study of Adult Learners' Perceptions of Online Learning: Minority Students in Continuing Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuo, Yu-Chun; Belland, Brian R.

    2016-01-01

    The study was an investigation of online adult learners' perceptions of interaction, satisfaction, and performance within an online course using the Blackboard platform. Interaction included learners' interaction with the instructor, content, and the classmates. The effect of student background variables and course-related variables on interaction…

  10. Hybrid Program Design: What Works for Adult Learners in a Professional Degree Program?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevens, Christine Rowader

    2017-01-01

    Working adults planning to pursue higher education programs to advance their careers often face conflicting demands. Colleges and universities are challenged to offer non-traditional programs with more scheduling flexibility, allowing adult learners to manage multiple work, family, and other obligations while attending school (Dana, 2013;…

  11. Migrant Adult Learners and Digital Literacy: Using DBR to Support Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vanek, Jenifer B.

    2017-01-01

    This research explores the difficulties faced by many migrant, refugee, and immigrant adults confronted with technological ubiquity in economically developed countries. Preparing migrant adult learners for the digital world by building digital literacy skills can help to maintain home language proficiency, support English language learning, and…

  12. Framework for Quality Professional Development for Practitioners Working with Adult English Language Learners. Revised

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, 2010

    2010-01-01

    The Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) Network, under contract with the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), has created a framework that can be used to plan, implement, and evaluate professional development for practitioners working with adult English language learners at the state, regional, and program levels. The…

  13. Developing College English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orlova, Irina A.; Kennedy, Jelane A.

    2009-01-01

    This article examines available literature on college English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. The literature available on college ESL programs falls into three categories: (1) research reports and articles, (2) recent theoretical discussions on ESL teaching, and (3) thought pieces discussing college ESL curriculum development and assessment…

  14. The Use of Humourous Texts in Improving ESL Learners' Vocabulary Comprehension and Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zabidin, Nursyafiqah Binti

    2015-01-01

    Successful language acquisition requires extensive word knowledge. However, learners are reportedly unable to increase their word knowledge due to insufficient meaningful input in the language classrooms. This paper intended to present another tool to encourage learners' vocabulary development. It examined the effect(s) of using short narrative…

  15. A Cardiovascular Health Intervention for Spanish Speakers: The Health Literacy and ESL Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Soto Mas, Francisco; Schmitt, Cheryl L; Jacobson, Holly E; Myers, Orrin B

    2018-02-10

    Spanish speakers in the United States are in need of effective interventions that address both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and health literacy. However, the literature lacks interventions that have used and evaluated a strategies that focus on both, particularly at the community level. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of a health literacy curriculum on cardiovascular health behavior among Spanish speaking adults. It used a randomized controlled pre-posttest design. Participants included Hispanic adults with a low-to-intermediate level of English proficiency. The intervention group received the health literacy and English as a second language (ESL) Curriculum with CVD specific content, while the control group received a conventional ESL curriculum. Tools included the Spanish Cardiovascular Health Questionnaire (CSC), the test of functional health literacy in adults (TOFHLA), and the Combined English Language Skills Assessment. Analysis of change scores included independent sample t test and multiple linear regression. A total of 155 participants completed the study. There was a significant greater improvement for the intervention group in change of CSC score from pretest to posttest (P = 0.049) compared to controls. The study also found significantly improved TOFHLA (P = 0.011), however it did not find a relationship between changes in CVD behavior and health literacy or English proficiency. The Health Literacy and ESL Curriculum constitutes a valuable resource for addressing the cardiovascular health, literacy, and language needs of Spanish-speaking adults. Interventions that take a multilevel education and health approach may be more effective in addressing the needs of immigrants. Research should further explore the interactions between CVD behavior, health literacy, and English proficiency.

  16. Eliminating Fear of the Blank Page: A Thematic Approach, aka Squeezing the California Department of Education's 1992 ESL Model Standards for Adult Education Programs into One Tidy Package.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DesRoches, Diane

    An approach to teaching integrated language skills in adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction is described. The technique uses a combination of classroom drama and role-playing, writing about the event, revision, publication, and follow-up activities to develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Eight stages are defined…

  17. "How Was Your Weekend?": Developing the Interactional Competence in Managing Routine Inquiries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waring, Hansun Zhang

    2013-01-01

    Given the cross-cultural differences underlying interactional routines such as "How are you?" or "How was your weekend?", managing such routine inquiries can be problematic for second language learners. Based on data from an adult ESL (English as a second language) class, this conversation analytic study shows how learners develop their competence…

  18. An Optimality Theoretic Account of Hungarian ESL Learners' Acquisition of /[epsilon]/ and /[ash]/

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bunta, Ferenc; Major, Roy C.

    2004-01-01

    This paper provides an Optimality Theoretic account of how Hungarian learners of English acquire /[epsilon]/ and /[ash]/. It is hypothesized that as the learners' pronunciation becomes more nativelike, L1 transfer substitutions will diminish; non-transfer substitutions will be especially prevalent in the intermediate stages, and that all learners…

  19. Building Vocabulary for Language Learning: Approach for ESL Learners to Study New Vocabulary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alharbi, Adel M.

    2015-01-01

    This project investigated Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) English Language Learners used; and strategies they thought were effective to them in terms of language proficiency. Using an online survey, 121 participants responded to statements regarding their usage of VLSs. Participants have been divided into two groups: (1) learners with low…

  20. Computer Simulation and ESL Reading.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Mary A.

    It is noted that although two approaches to second language instruction--the communicative approach emphasizing genuine language use and computer assisted instruction--have come together in the form of some lower level reading instruction materials for English as a second language (ESL), advanced level ESL reading materials using computer…

  1. ESL Distance Learners' Participation in an Online Forum: The Interplay of Contextual Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nair-Prakash, Sadhna; Stapa, Siti Hamin

    2013-01-01

    This paper highlights the findings of a study examining the contextual factors that mediated distance learners' participation in an online forum (OLF). Contextual factors are elements that emerge as a result of distance learners' interaction with their social environment. The study drew on a sociocultural perspective that encompassed the concepts…

  2. Overcoming Computer Anxiety: A Three-Step Process for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sivakumaran, Thillainatarajan; Lux, Allison C.

    2011-01-01

    Many adult learners returning to school later in life have discovered that technology is heavily embedded in the learning environment. Learning both course contents and technology in unison can be a daunting task for students who feel intimidated by technology. Computer anxiety is a term that describes resistance, fear or anxieties towards…

  3. Letters from Home: An Exhibit-Building Project for the ESL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Postal Museum, Washington, DC. Education Dept.

    This curriculum is designed to be a flexible enrichment project for adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education by harnessing the dynamic power of letters for language learning purposes. The goals of the project are to help teachers assisting students in developing communication skills, encourage social interaction as a means of building…

  4. Reasons for the Slow Completion of Masters and Doctoral Degrees by Adult Learners in a South African Township

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Motseke, Masilonyana

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate the reasons why adult learners took longer than required to complete their Master's and Doctoral degrees. A questionnaire and focus group interviews were used to collect data. Twenty adult learners who registered for the Master's and Doctoral degrees at one township campus of a university were targeted, and…

  5. Promoting Discussions in ESL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Navarro, Ann

    2010-01-01

    Background: Teachers who work with English as a Second Language (ESL) students, struggle with promoting discussion during guided reading. When ESL students are asked comprehension questions during group discussions and throughout the reading of a book, often teachers receive minimal feedback. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify…

  6. Can Adult Low-Skilled Literacy Learners Assess and Discuss Their Own Spelling Knowledge?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Viise, Neva M.; Austin, Ottilie F.

    2005-01-01

    This qualitative study investigates the ability of adult low-skilled readers to talk about the thought processes and phonetic strategies they use to make decisions about their spelling. Four adult learners, all exhibiting word knowledge at a second-grade level or below, participated in individual 45-minute audiotaped interviews. Selected portions…

  7. The Lexico-Syntactic Marking of Chronological Order: Insights from Vietnamese Learners of ESL.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tickoo, Asha

    1998-01-01

    This study of the use of "then"/"after that" by Vietnamese English-as-a-Second-Language learners suggests that the temporal adverbial poses a significant learning challenge similar to morphological means of temporal reference. Learner usage is monitored by a looser notion of salience, which emerges from the transference of a salience-marking…

  8. Individual Variables, Literacy History, and ESL Progress Among Kurdish and Bosnian Immigrants.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Sheena; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Examines the relationship between individual variables and the progress in English as a Second Language (ESL) among Kurdish and Bosnian adult immigrants living in Canada. Findings reveal significant correlations between the dependent variables of oral and written progress and the independent variables of literacy level, years of schooling, and…

  9. In Pursuit of Critical Literacy: Understanding Experiences of Exclusion for Adult Literacy Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard, Margaret; Logan, Anna

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores exclusion and equality through critical theory, in the context of adult literacy provision in Ireland, by investigating the sites of exclusion that exist for a group of five male adult literacy learners. A summary review of literacy theories, exclusion and equality is provided framing the reporting of data from this…

  10. Barriers to Persistence in Adult Basic Education: The Experiences of African American Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Simone

    2011-01-01

    One of the most pervasive issues facing educators and administrators in Adult Basic Education (ABE) is student persistence. The purposes of this qualitative study were 1) to identify the experiences that African American adult learners associated with their decisions to leave ABE programs; 2) to ascertain the impact of participants'…

  11. Big Books for Little Readers: Works in the ESL Classroom Too.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nambiar, Mohana K.

    Big books, magnified or enlarged versions of children's books, are recommended for use in the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classroom. The big book approach is based on the idea that shared reading and enlarged texts support joint adult-child participation in the reading process and emphasizes reading for meaning and enjoyment rather than…

  12. Andragogy for Teen and Young Adult Learners with Intellectual Disabilities: Learning, Independence, and Best Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowman, Stephanie L.; Plourde, Lee A.

    2012-01-01

    Teens and young adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) meet the criteria of teen and adult learners chronologically, but may be deficient in many other areas of teen and adult learning. The spectrum of intellectual and adaptive capabilities among teens and adults with ID is vast, with each individual being unique. There are specific teaching…

  13. Relevant ESL for the Teenager.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wheatley, Iris Alicia Velez

    This guide was prepared for the ESL teacher to help bilingual students learn the English reading and writing skills necessary to acquire a summer job. These lessons are relevant to students' needs, an important factor in generating interest and motivation. General objectives are: to design a relevant ESL program for teenagers; to help monolingual…

  14. Twelve Plates of the Applesauce: ESL and TESL Students' Perspectives of Communication Partnerships.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Martha W.; Holmes, Vicki L.

    1997-01-01

    Focuses on student perspectives of communication partnerships--paired interaction--between 92 adult ESL students and TESL students, describing a tutorial experience during summer sessions at a mid-sized Southwestern university. The description includes course information, tutorial goals and guides, analyses of student-journal and tutorial…

  15. The Role of "Is" in the Acquisition of Finiteness by Adult Turkish Learners of Dutch

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van de Craats, Ineke

    2009-01-01

    This article deals with the interlanguage of adult second language (L2) learners acquiring finiteness. Due to the inaccessibility of bound inflectional morphology, learners use free morphology to mark a syntactic relationship as well as person and number features separately from the thematic verb, expressed by a pattern like "the man is go".…

  16. Learner Characteristics and Writing Performance in a Community College English as a Second Language Course: Some Unexpected Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Olga D.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates the relationships between individual learner characteristics and gain in writing performance as measured by a standardized writing assessment in a sample of community college academic English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the United States. The ethnically and linguistically diverse convenience sample included 76…

  17. Effective instruction for English learners.

    PubMed

    Calderón, Margarita; Slavin, Robert; Sánchez, Marta

    2011-01-01

    The fastest-growing student population in U.S. schools today is children of immigrants, half of whom do not speak English fluently and are thus labeled English learners. Although the federal government requires school districts to provide services to English learners, it offers states no policies to follow in identifying, assessing, placing, or instructing them. Margarita Calderón, Robert Slavin, and Marta Sánchez identify the elements of effective instruction and review a variety of successful program models. During 2007-08, more than 5.3 million English learners made up 10.6 percent of the nation's K-12 public school enrollment. Wide and persistent achievement disparities between these English learners and English-proficient students show clearly, say the authors, that schools must address the language, literacy, and academic needs of English learners more effectively. Researchers have fiercely debated the merits of bilingual and English-only reading instruction. In elementary schools, English learners commonly receive thirty minutes of English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction but attend general education classes for the rest of the day, usually with teachers who are unprepared to teach them. Though English learners have strikingly diverse levels of skills, in high school they are typically lumped together, with one teacher to address their widely varying needs. These in-school factors contribute to the achievement disparities. Based on the studies presented here, Calderón, Slavin, and Sánchez assert that the quality of instruction is what matters most in educating English learners. They highlight comprehensive reform models, as well as individual components of these models: school structures and leadership; language and literacy instruction; integration of language, literacy, and content instruction in secondary schools; cooperative learning; professional development; parent and family support teams; tutoring; and monitoring implementation and outcomes

  18. Yes I Need Help! A Day in the Journey of Adult Learners Pursuing Higher Education: A Caribbean Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunter-Johnson, Yvonne; Smith, Sharlene

    2015-01-01

    Within more recent years, there has been a gravitation of non-traditional adult learners to higher education. Despite the motivational factors associated with this decision, it is evident that compared to the traditional learner, the non-traditional learner journey in higher education is equipped with numerous barriers. Such barriers can hinder or…

  19. Science Education and ESL Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Heather; Park, Soonhye

    2011-01-01

    The number of students who learn English as a second language (ESL) in U.S. schools has grown significantly in the past decade. This segment of the student population increased by 56% between the 1994-95 and 2004-05 school years (NCLR 2007). As the ESL student population increases, many science teachers struggle to tailor instructional materials,…

  20. Listening Instruction and Practice for Advanced ESL Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Godfrey, Dennis

    This paper attempts to enact Rivers' (1971 and 1972) urgings to base ESL listening instruction on both psychological and linguistic findings and contends that advanced ESL students' listening needs call for improvement in processing spoken English discourse. Psychological data on memory span is cited to demonstrate that advanced ESL students…

  1. The Effect of Authentic versus Non-Authentic Texts on Upper Intermediate Iranian EFL Learners' Vocabulary Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nematollahi, Shirin; Maghsoudi, Mojtaba

    2015-01-01

    In this current study the researchers have tried to investigate the possible effect of authentic and non-authentic texts on Iranian EFL learners' vocabulary retention. Despite the great deal of studies conducted in the area of EFL/ESL learning, the effect of authentic versus non-authentic texts have almost gained little attention and been…

  2. Collaborative Digital Literacy Practices among Adult Learners: Levels of Confidence and Perceptions of Importance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharp, Laurie A.

    2018-01-01

    Technology has transformed learning at the postsecondary level and significantly increased the prevalence of digital learning environments. As adult educators approach instructional design, they must consider how to apply research-based practices that preserve the quality of instruction and provide adult learners with technology-based instruction…

  3. Learner Councils in South African Schools: Adult Involvement and Learners' Rights

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunt, Frances

    2014-01-01

    Each secondary school in South Africa is legally obliged to establish a representative council of learners, a democratically elected, learner-only council. This article looks at how the representative councils of learners are realised in practice in four secondary schools. Three research questions focus on the practice of representative councils…

  4. Balancing Act: A Phenomenological Study of Female Adult Learners Who Successfully Persisted in Graduate Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shepherd, Jeff; Nelson, Barbara Mullins

    2012-01-01

    A study was conducted utilizing Cross' (1981) barriers to adult learning as a framework to better understand how adults successfully complete their graduate studies. Participants in the study were solicited via Facebook and LinkedIn. Three female adult learners who persisted in their graduate studies while balancing demands outside academics…

  5. Teaching Adult Vocational Education Learners. Annotated and Selected Bibliography. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warner, Larry S.; Humburg, Renae

    This selected annotated bibliography contains eighty-three entries (includes books, reports, guides, papers, and articles) relevant to teaching adult vocational education learners. The citations are organized alphabetically by author and each one includes some or all of the following: source, title, sponsoring agency, publisher, city, state, date,…

  6. The Lure of Non-Credit Studio Art Classes for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Gina C.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the motivation and satisfaction of adult learners who participated in non-credit studio art classes. Leisure motivation has been researched by educators, philosophers, psychologists, and social scientists (Candy, 1991; Brookfield, 2005: Dewey, 1980; Knowles, 1998; Maslow, 1970; Rogers, 1961, Stebbins,…

  7. The Influence of Social Media on Adult Learners' Knowledge Construction and Democratic Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldman, Eric M.

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides a resource on the impact of social media on adult learners' construction of knowledge, particularly as it pertains to adult education's role in fostering a robust democratic society. There has been an increase in the literature in recent years that explores the various aspects of social media use, such as the incivility of…

  8. Faculty Perspectives and Needs in Supporting Adult English Learners: Linking Measurement to Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shore, Jane; Lentini, Jennifer; Molloy, Hillary; Steinberg, Jonathan; Holtzman, Steven

    2015-01-01

    Results from a survey of 227 adult English learner (EL) faculty in community and technical colleges in the United States reveal a clear desire to better serve adult ELs, but a lack of resources specifically designed to do so. Faculty want and need more resources to support the teaching and learning process, in the form of thoughtful assessments,…

  9. Closing the Gap: Opportunities for Distance Education to Benefit Adult Learners in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlsen, A.; Holmberg, C.; Neghina, C.; Owusu-Boampong, A.

    2016-01-01

    Distance education in higher education is a fast-growing and widespread phenomenon. As many adults are unable to participate in on-campus education, distance education offers flexible learning paths that greatly enhance accessibility to higher education. Exploring distance education's potential to increase the participation of adult learners in…

  10. Why Do Learners Choose Online Learning: The Learners' Voices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ilgaz, Hale; Gulbahar, Yasemin

    2017-01-01

    Offering many advantages to adult learners, e-Learning is now being recognized--and preferred--by more and more people, resulting in an increased number of distance learners in recent years. Numerous research studies focus on learner preferences for online learning, with most converging around the individual characteristics and differences, if not…

  11. An Examination of Instructors' Perceptions of Older Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levaque, Susan F.

    2012-01-01

    The number of U.S. citizens ages 65 years and older is steadily increasing, and members of this cohort are redefining what it means to be an older adult. As members of the Baby Boom generation reach older adulthood, many of them are seeking educational opportunities to help them to meet their needs and desires as lifelong learners. Several factors…

  12. Adult Learners as Graduate Students: Underlying Motivation in Completing Graduate Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hegarty, Niall

    2011-01-01

    The majority of graduate part-time programs are fueled by adult learners seeking to enhance their human capital and advance professional careers. In contrast, degree-granting programs seek to impart knowledge and advance learning in a particular discipline. At this intersection lies the individual student's motivation to satisfy their personal…

  13. Fostering Multicultural and Identity Development in Adult Learners through Study Tours

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ribeiro, Michele D.

    2005-01-01

    The author qualitatively examined adult learners' experiences on a study tour to South Africa and assessed the effectiveness of the tour as a tool for enhanced multicultural awareness. The findings may be of interest to counselors/educators who teach about multicultural issues or wish to enhance their personal growth in multiculturalism.

  14. Examining Interpersonal Dynamics among Adult Learners through the Lens of Place

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prins, Esther

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to analyze interpersonal problems among adult learners in three family literacy programs and to identify how these tensions were connected to place or distinctive community contexts. Drawing on the critical geography literature, the article argues that interpersonal problems must be understood in light of…

  15. The Year in Review: Reports of Research Conducted by Adult Education Practitioners-Researchers in Virginia. Volume 5: 1995-1996.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virginia Adult Educators Research Network, Dayton.

    This report contains four separate articles of interest to adult English-as-a-second-language (ESL) educators. "Learning Disabilities in Adult ESL: Case Studies and Directions" (Dorothy Almanza, Kate Singleton, Lynda Terrill) looks at three case studies of adult ESL students whom teachers have identified as possibly learning disabled.…

  16. Educating Adult Learners: Twelve Tips for Teaching Business Professionals. Reflection on Theory and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kisamore, Jennifer L.; Aldridge, Dayle; Alexander, Evangeline; White, Dana Leann

    2008-01-01

    The goal of this paper is to provide specific suggestions for teaching adult business professionals. The suggestions we present are based on our combined experiences as instructors of business professionals who have returned to school for continuing education and as adult learners ourselves. In this article, we discuss the unique characteristics…

  17. Helping Elementary English as a Second Language Students To Become Independent Learners by Improving Their Reading Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaminsky, Debra E.

    This practicum was designed to address the need for the intermediate and upper grade level English as a Second Language (ESL) students to become independent learners in the literacy process. The subjects, 13 boys and 3 girls from Pakistan, Philippines, Jordan, Israel, Korea, Turkey, and Thailand were dependent on the teacher when they had…

  18. Adult English Language Learners' Perceptions of Audience Response Systems (Clickers) as Communication Aides: A Q-Methodology Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez, Lisa Ann; Shepard, MaryFriend

    2013-01-01

    This study explored the perceptions of adult English language learners about audience response systems (clickers) as tools to facilitate communication. According to second language acquisition theory, learners' receptive capabilities in the early stages of second language acquisition surpass expressive capabilities, often rendering them silent in…

  19. Healthy eating for life: rationale and development of an English as a second language (ESL) curriculum for promoting healthy nutrition.

    PubMed

    Martinez, Josefa L; Rivers, Susan E; Duncan, Lindsay R; Bertoli, Michelle; Domingo, Samantha; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E; Salovey, Peter

    2013-12-01

    Low health literacy contributes significantly to cancer health disparities disadvantaging minorities and the medically underserved. Immigrants to the United States constitute a particularly vulnerable subgroup of the medically underserved, and because many are non-native English speakers, they are pre-disposed to encounter language and literacy barriers across the cancer continuum. Healthy Eating for Life (HE4L) is an English as a second language (ESL) curriculum designed to teach English language and health literacy while promoting fruit and vegetable consumption for cancer prevention. This article describes the rationale, design, and content of HE4L. HE4L is a content-based adult ESL curriculum grounded in the health action process approach to behavior change. The curriculum package includes a soap opera-like storyline, an interactive student workbook, a teacher's manual, and audio files. HE4L is the first teacher-administered, multimedia nutrition-education curriculum designed to reduce cancer risk among beginning-level ESL students. HE4L is unique because it combines adult ESL principles, health education content, and behavioral theory. HE4L provides a case study of how evidence-based, health promotion practices can be implemented into real-life settings and serves as a timely, useful, and accessible nutrition-education resource for health educators.

  20. Adult Learners, Tutors and the Challenge of Assessment at a Distance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stephens, Simon; O'Donnell, David; McCusker, Paul

    2007-01-01

    This article explores the experiences of adult learners and tutors on a particular externally assessed distance-learning degree programme. On this programme, assignments are set, reviewed and graded independently of the on-site tutor by the external awarding body. An analysis of eight interviews with four tutors and four graduates from one such…

  1. Helping English Language Learners Succeed in Middle and High Schools. Collaborative Partnerships between ESL and Classroom Teachers Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pawan, Faridah, Ed.; Sietman, Ginger, Ed.

    2007-01-01

    This volume of Collaborative Partnerships between ESL and Classroom Teachers gives emphasis to collaborative partnerships in the middle and high school levels. Editors Faridah Pawan and Ginger Sietman gather expert authors who present us with models of classroom-based and school-based collaborative partnerships from middle and high schools across…

  2. The Effect of Formal Instruction on the Pidginized Speech of One Second Language Learner.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruzzese, Giannina

    The effect of formal instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL) on the pidginized speech of a second language learner was studied. The subject was a 76-year-old Italian woman residing in the United States since the age of 37. Four one-hour tapes were made of the subject's speech in April of 1976, and during the last five months of a…

  3. Exploring Part-Time Teacher Professional Development and Best Practices on Adult Learners' Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Sandra K.

    2017-01-01

    The issue of limited part-time teacher professional development and its effect on adult learners' success at an adult education center in the northeast United States was addressed in this study. At the research site, almost 50% of the teaching staff are adjuncts. Professional development opportunities have been limited, with only 1 opportunity…

  4. The Effect of English Verbal Songs on Connected Speech Aspects of Adult English Learners' Speech Production

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashtiani, Farshid Tayari; Zafarghandi, Amir Mahdavi

    2015-01-01

    The present study was an attempt to investigate the impact of English verbal songs on connected speech aspects of adult English learners' speech production. 40 participants were selected based on the results of their performance in a piloted and validated version of NELSON test given to 60 intermediate English learners in a language institute in…

  5. Alphabetic and Nonalphabetic L1 Effects in English Word Identification: A Comparison of Korean and Chinese English L2 Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Min; Koda, Keiko; Perfetti, Charles A.

    2003-01-01

    Examined Korean and Chinese college-level ESL learners for relative reliance on phonological and orthographic processing in English word identification. Found that Korean, but not Chinese, students made more false positive errors in judging stimuli that were homophones to category exemplars than in judging spelling controls. Chinese students made…

  6. Investigating the Impact of Professional Development on Teachers' Instructional Time and English Learners' Language Development: A Multilevel Cross-Classified Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tong, Fuhui; Luo, Wen; Irby, Beverly J.; Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Rivera, Hector

    2017-01-01

    We examined the direct impact of an ongoing, intensive, and structured professional development (PD) within an English-as-second-language (ESL) instructional intervention on (a) teachers' time allocation in cognitive--academic language proficiency (CALP) and (b) Spanish-speaking English language learners' (ELLs) CALP development from the second to…

  7. Adult Learners' Satisfaction and Its Relation to Characteristics of the Individual and the Educational Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boeren, Ellen; Nicaise, Ides; Baert, Herman

    2012-01-01

    This article explores satisfactory learning experiences of adult learners in Flemish formal adult education. Satisfaction is an important issue in motivational psychology. We used the Comprehensive Lifelong Learning Participation Model of Boeren, Nicaise and Baert and explored whether satisfactory experiences relate to characteristics of the…

  8. Immigrant Success Stories in ESL Textbooks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gulliver, Trevor

    2010-01-01

    Immigrant success stories found in English as a second language (ESL) textbooks used in government-funded language instruction in Canada imagine Canada as a redeemer of immigrant newcomers. Through a critical discourse analysis of ESL textbooks used in Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada classes in Ontario, I identify two primary…

  9. Advanced ESL Students' Prior EFL Education and Their Perceptions of Oral Corrective Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Eun Jeong

    2016-01-01

    The author in this study examines how advanced-level adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students' previous English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom experiences influence their perceptions of their teachers' oral corrective feedback (CF). It uses in-depth qualitative data to characterize the participants' prior English learning, and to…

  10. Adult Learners' Use of Flexible Online Resources in a Blended Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cornelius, Sarah; Gordon, Carole

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a case study of a blended programme for adults and discusses findings from a mixed-methods investigative study of learners' and tutors' experiences of the programme. The programme employs a set of flexible online resources, which are activity-based and designed to provide choice in study routes and modes of learning. Our…

  11. Professionalization and Exclusion in ESL Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breshears, Sherry

    2004-01-01

    As ESL/EFL teachers, how do we fit into the spectrum between unskilled workers and highly trained professionals? This article examines three features of the traditional professions and applies them to the ESL/EFL context. It considers problems with the lack of mandatory standardized certification, critically assesses attachment to the university,…

  12. Using Whole Language Materials in the Adult ESOL Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schiffer, Edward W.

    A practicum explored the use of instructional materials based on the whole language approach to second language learning in adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. The approach was implemented in a beginning ESL classroom at an adult education center that had previously used publisher textbooks, which were not thought to provide…

  13. The Mediation of Technology in ESL Writing and Its Implications for Writing Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Jiang

    2006-01-01

    The present study investigated the influence of word processing on the writing of students of English as a second language (ESL) and on writing assessment as well. Twenty-one adult Mandarin-Chinese speakers with advanced English proficiency living in Toronto participated in the study. Each participant wrote two comparable writing tasks under…

  14. Increasing Writing Self-Efficacy of Adult Learners: Different Approaches, Different Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plakhotnik, Maria S.; Rocco, Tonette S.

    2016-01-01

    To help graduate students with academic writing, a college of education at a large university implemented a new service, Writing Support Circles. Based on the results of the first series of this service, we changed its design. The purpose of this article is to share how changes in the design affected these adult learners' writing self-efficacy and…

  15. Listening to Learners.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ravenhall, Mark

    This booklet looks at the role of learner feedback in the quality improvement process. It suggests how adult and community learning (ACL) providers can adapt and improve their practice to meet the needs of learners in the changed policy context. Chapter 1 explores why providers should listen to learners and finds that listening to learners…

  16. Reading Strategies That Motivate English as a Second Language Learners: An Examination of English as a Second Language Teacher Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howell, Kristine Nicole

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine teachers' perceptions of motivational literacy instructional strategies for use with English as a second language learners (ESLs). Self-determination theory's basic psychological needs theory and organismic integration theory acted as the lens through which this topic was explored. A Likert-type…

  17. Canada's Golden Horseshoe: An ESL/Geography Module (Teacher's Guide).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Patrick; Howard, Joan

    A teacher's guide to an English as a second language (ESL) and geography module entitled "Canada's Golden Horseshoe" is presented. ESL modules are multimedia kits designed to integrate the study of ESL and communication skills in specific subject areas of the curriculum. This module deals with a geographical region, important both to…

  18. Summary report for the Engineering Script Language (ESL)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    The following subject areas are covered: ESL methodology concept; ESL specification; user interface description; engineering scripting language command statements specification; and recommendations for further research and development.

  19. Compensation Still Matters: Language Learning Strategies in Third Millennium ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shakarami, Alireza; Hajhashemi, Karim; Caltabiano, Nerina J.

    2017-01-01

    Digital media play enormous roles in much of the learning, communication, socializing, and ways of working for "Net-Generation" learners who are growing up in a wired world. Living in this digital era may require different ways of communicating, thinking, approaching learning, prioritizing strategies, interpersonally communicating, and…

  20. Process for Considering Special Exit Criteria from Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) Services under 19 TAC §89.1225(k). School Year: 2013-2014, Grades 1-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Education Agency, 2014

    2014-01-01

    Under Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §89.1225(h), districts are required to use the exit criteria represented in the chart titled "2013-2014 English Proficiency Exit Criteria Chart" found at (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=4098) to exit English language learners (ELLs) from bilingual/ESL programs. The exit criteria under TAC…

  1. A Program for Counseling and Campus Support Services for African American and Latino Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gary, Juneau Mahan; Kling, Beverly; Dodd, Betty N.

    2004-01-01

    This study describes counseling and support services for African American and Latino adult learners that reduce barriers to graduation. Procedures adapted traditional counseling by (a) using faculty counselors and (b) including gender-, culture-, and adult-based perspectives in individual and group counseling and peer support. Support relevant to…

  2. Learning From a Distance: U-Maine & ESL Go Electronic.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berube, Barney

    Most teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) in Maine live over 30 miles from the nearest University of Maine campus. While the Maine Department of Education has been offering intensive ESL teacher training courses, a lack of qualified ESL teachers persists. The advent of microwave transmission means more opportunities for teacher training…

  3. Redesigning nursing tutorials for ESL students: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    San Miguel, Caroline; Townsend, Lisa; Waters, Cheryl

    2013-04-01

    Increased enrolments of Bachelor of Nursing (BN) students who speak English as a second language (ESL) can help create a multilingual and culturally diverse workforce that is better prepared to meet the needs of increasingly diverse health populations. However, although ESL enrolments are increasing, attrition rates for ESL students tend to be higher than those of native speakers of English, partly due to academic failure. At the same time, concerns have been expressed in some quarters about the low levels of English language of entering students. As it is unlikely that language entry levels to university will be raised, sustainable programmes that help ESL students better meet the academic challenges they may face need to be developed. So far, models of ESL support have been mostly an adjunct to their degree, voluntary and not well attended. This paper discusses a model using tutorials integrated into the first year nursing curriculum that were specifically designed for ESL students with low levels of English language proficiency. The paper also examines students' perceptions of such tutorials, which they found beneficial to their learning.

  4. University ESL Learners' Cross-Cultural Transitions through Web-Based Project Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kang, Migyu; Bruna, Katherine Richardson

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to account for East Asian learners' cross-cultural transitions to US university Intensive English classroom culture within a technology-mediated language teaching approach, PrOCALL (Project-Oriented Computer Assisted Language Learning). It explored the influence of this approach on classroom interaction patterns acquired in the…

  5. Removing Barriers to the Adult Learner: Through Marketing, Management, and Programming. NUCEA Region VI Conference (Las Vegas, Nevada, October 10-13, 1982).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conter, Robert V., Ed.; Porcelli, Winifred A., Ed.

    These proceedings contain the texts of nine presentations delivered at a conference on removing barriers to the adult learner through marketing, management, and programing. Included in the volume are the following papers: "Faculty Perceptions of Adult Learners, Off-Campus Credit Programs, and Teaching Strategies," by Diane…

  6. Thermophysical Property Measurements in the MSFC ESL

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hyers, R. W.; Rogers, J. R.; Robinson, M. B.; Rathz, T. J.; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Electrostatic Levitation (ESL) is an advanced technique for containerless processing of metals, ceramics, and semiconductors. Because no container is required, there is no contamination from reaction with a crucible, allowing processing of high temperature, highly reactive melts. The high vacuum processing environment further reduces possible contamination of the samples. Finally, there is no container to provide heterogeneous nucleation sites, so the undercooled range is also accessible for many materials. For these reasons, ESL provides a unique environment for measuring thermophysical properties of liquid materials. The properties that can be measured in ESL include density, surface tension, viscosity, electrical and thermal conductivity, specific heat, phase diagram, TTT- and CCT- curves, and other thermodynamic properties. In this paper, we present data on surface tension and viscosity, measured by the oscillating drop technique, and density, measured by an automated photographic technique, measured in the ESL at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

  7. Innovation in Doctoral Degrees Designed for Adult Learners: A Hybrid Model in Personal Financial Planning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grable, John E.

    2011-01-01

    Innovation in doctoral degree program development and delivery provides an effective counterpoint to the expert-apprentice model established in the Middle Ages. The author outlines the importance of innovation in reaching adult learners and describes an innovative hybrid PhD program designed to allow aspiring doctoral adult-age students to pursue…

  8. Constructing Proxy Variables to Measure Adult Learners' Time Management Strategies in LMS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jo, Il-Hyun; Kim, Dongho; Yoon, Meehyun

    2015-01-01

    This study describes the process of constructing proxy variables from recorded log data within a Learning Management System (LMS), which represents adult learners' time management strategies in an online course. Based on previous research, three variables of total login time, login frequency, and regularity of login interval were selected as…

  9. Developing a New Course for Adult Learners. TESOL Language Curriculum Development Series

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snow, Marguerite Ann, Ed.; Kamhi-Stein, Lia, Ed.

    2006-01-01

    Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL), introduces "Developing a New Course for Adult Learners," edited by Marguerite Ann Snow and Lia Kamhi-Stein. This volume in TESOL's Language Curriculum Development Series presents the stories of teachers, curriculum developers, and administrators from all over the world who…

  10. Collaboration Model for ESL and Content Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Broer, Kathleen

    2013-01-01

    This study will examine strategies that ESL teachers and content teachers can use to help middle school ESL students acquire science vocabulary and meta-cognitive strategies for writing skills in non-fiction text forms. Two appendixes are included. (Contains 3 figures and 2 footnotes.)

  11. College Persistence and Engagement in Light of a Mature English Language Learner (ELL) Student's Voice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Almon, Cate

    2015-01-01

    An interview study at a community college in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States reveals factors in the persistence of English language learners (ELLs) starting from their courses in English as a second language (ESL) through to their graduation or transfer to 4-year institutions. The results form a narrative of a day in the life of a…

  12. Adult English Language Learners Constructing and Sharing Their Stories and Experiences: The Cultural and Linguistic Autobiography Writing Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Gloria

    2011-01-01

    This article is the culmination of the Cultural and Linguistic Autobiography (CLA) writing project, which details narrative descriptions of adult English language learners' (ELLs') cultural and linguistic experiences and how those experiences may have influenced the ways in which these learners constructed and reconstructed their identities.…

  13. Using Oral Language Skills to Build on the Emerging Literacy of Adult English Learners. CAELA Network Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vinogradov, Patsy; Bigelow, Martha

    2010-01-01

    In addition to learning to read and write for the first time, adult English language learners with limited or emerging literacy skills must acquire oral English. Often, learners with limited print literacy in their first language have oral skills in English that exceed their English literacy skills (Geva & Zadeh, 2006). While this mismatch of oral…

  14. The Processing Behaviours of Adult Second Language Learners and Their Relationship to Second Language Proficiency.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mangubhai, Francis

    1991-01-01

    Investigated the behaviors for processing language input demonstrated by five adults beginning to learn Hindi as a second language through the Total Physical Response method. The study suggests that, when adult learners are provided with comprehensive input, they engage in a variety of behaviors to extract meaning from it. (73 references) (GLR)

  15. The Acquisition of English Restrictive Relative Clauses by Arab Adult EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alroudhan, Hayat Eid

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the challenges faced by Arab adult learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in acquiring English restrictive relative clauses (RRCs), as well as the factors that affect the process of acquisition. This issue has received considerable attention in second language (L2) research. The present study discusses the…

  16. Morphological Awareness Intervention: Improving Spelling, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension for Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bangs, Kathryn E.; Binder, Katherine S.

    2016-01-01

    Adult Basic Education programs are under pressure to develop and deliver instruction that promotes rapid and sustained literacy development. We describe a novel approach to a literacy intervention that focuses on morphemes, which are the smallest meaningful units contained in words. We argue that if you teach learners that big words are comprised…

  17. Subgroups of Adult Basic Education Learners with Different Profiles of Reading Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacArthur, Charles A.; Konold, Timothy R.; Glutting, Joseph J.; Alamprese, Judith A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of adult basic education (ABE) learners with different profiles of skills in the core reading components of decoding, word recognition, spelling, fluency, and comprehension. The analysis uses factor scores of those 5 reading components from on a prior investigation of the reliability and…

  18. A Study of Career Development, Learning Motivation, and Learning Satisfaction of Adult Learners in Unconventional Scheduling Graduate Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chu, Hui-Chin; Hsieh, Mei-Chi; Chang, Shan-Chih

    2007-01-01

    The study aimed at investigating the relationships among career development, learning motivation, and learning satisfaction of adult learners in master's programs at S University. Questionnaires were distributed with 211 valid returns (71%). The results indicated that some of the demographics are factors affecting both of the learners' learning…

  19. Remembering Differently: Use of Memory Strategies among Net-Generation ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shakarami, Alireza; Mardziah, H. Abdullah; Faiz, S. Abdullah; Tan, Bee Hoon

    2011-01-01

    Net-generation learners are growing up in an era when much of the learning, communication, socializing and ways of working take place through digital means. Living in this digital era may result in different ways of thinking, ways of approaching learning, strategies, and priorities. The Net-Geners therefore, need new skills and new strategies to…

  20. State Strategies to Facilitate Adult Learners' Transitions to Postsecondary Opportunities. REL 2017-223

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hector-Mason, Anestine; Narlock, Jason; Muhisani, Helen; Bhatt, Monica P.

    2017-01-01

    Prior research has classified strategies to facilitate adult learners' transitions to postsecondary opportunities into five broad categories: advising, General Educational Development-plus (GED-plus), English as a second language, career pathways, and college preparatory (Zafft, Kallenbach, & Spohn, 2006). This two-part study relied on…

  1. A Phenomenological Study: The Impacts of Developing Phonetic Awareness through Technological Resources on English Language Learners' (ELL) Communicative Competences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabre-Merchán, Paolo; Torres-Jara, Gabriela; Andrade-Dominguez, Francisco; Ortiz-Zurita, Ma. José; Alvarez-Muñoz, Patricio

    2017-01-01

    Throughout our experience within the English Language Teaching (ELT) field and while acquiring a second language in English a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) settings, we have noticed that one of the main perceived challenges for English Language Learners (ELLs) is to effectively communicate. Most of the time, this…

  2. Adult Learners' Experiences in Accelerated Degree-Completion Programs at Christian Colleges: Transactions and Transformations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Decker, Allyn

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the lived experiences of adult learners at 4 Christian colleges in Indiana who desired to pursue bachelor and associate degrees in accelerated programs. The growing trend of accelerated programming exists to meet the needs of a growing number of adults who believe that earning an academic…

  3. The Perfect Pairing: The Adult Learner and the Boutique Winery in the Start-Up Phase

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heath-Simpson, Delta F.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and describe the lived experiences of adult learners who are owners and managers of small winery businesses operating in the start-up phase of the organizational life cycle. The study explored and identified the meaning of adult learning in the entrepreneurial context and its affect on…

  4. Identification of Early Predictors of Adult Learners' Academic Performance in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yin, Sylvia Chong Nguik

    2016-01-01

    Universities are inundated with detailed applicant and enrolment data from a variety of sources. However, for these data to be useful there is a need to convert them into strategic knowledge and information for decision-making processes. This study uses predictive modelling to identify at-risk adult learners in their first semester at SIM…

  5. The Predisposition of Adult ESOL Learners in a FE College Towards Autonomy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ade-ojo, Gordon O.

    2005-01-01

    The paper reports a small-scale research on the predisposition of adult ESOL learners in a further education college to the components of autonomous learning. The research is based on the perception that there is an untested assumption that all students will react positively to the concept of autonomous learning and by implication are positively…

  6. Teaching Grammar to Adult English Language Learners: Focus on Form. CAELA Network Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallup Rodriguez, Amber

    2009-01-01

    Many adult English language learners place a high value on learning grammar. Perceiving a link between grammatical accuracy and effective communication, they associate excellent grammar with opportunities for employment and promotion, the attainment of educational goals, and social acceptance by native speakers. Reflecting the disagreement that…

  7. Computer-Assisted Text-Analysis for ESL Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reid, Joy; And Others

    1983-01-01

    Reports an investigation into possibilities of using word processors and text analysis software with English as second language (ESL) students to determine (1) if foreign students can learn to use computer equipment, (2) if students feel time invested is worthwhile, and (3) if ESL students' problems with writing American academic prose can be…

  8. Ouch! Or ESL and the Glass Ceiling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Migliacci, Naomi

    The realities of the glass ceiling, which prevents qualified women, minorities, and many English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students from advancement and promotion, are rarely discussed in English for Special Purposes (ESP)/ESL programs and courses. This paper explores the barriers to success, focusing on the sociolinguistic factors of verbal and…

  9. Clinical expectations: what facilitators expect from ESL students on clinical placement.

    PubMed

    San Miguel, Caroline; Rogan, Fran

    2012-03-01

    Many nursing students for whom English is a second language (ESL) face challenges related to communication on clinical placement and although clinical facilitators are not usually trained language assessors, they are often in a position of needing to assess ESL students' clinical language performance. Little is known, however, about the particular areas of clinical performance facilitators focus on when they are assessing ESL students. This paper discusses the results of a study of facilitators' written assessment comments about the clinical performance of a small group of ESL nursing students over a two and a half year period. These comments were documented on students' clinical assessment forms at the end of each placement. The results provide a more detailed insight into facilitators' expectations of students' language performance and the particular challenges faced by ESL students and indicate that facilitators have clear expectations of ESL students regarding communication, learning styles and professional demeanour. These findings may help both ESL students and their facilitators better prepare for clinical placement. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Sociocultural Analysis of Second Language Learner Beliefs: A Qualitative Case Study of Two Study-Abroad ESL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Jin-Suk; Kim, Tae-Young

    2011-01-01

    Framed in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory (SCT) of mind, this paper explores second language (L2) learning beliefs in study-abroad (SA) contexts. Previous research on learner beliefs has relied mostly on survey methods, while regarding belief as a static, internal representation of experience that is resistant to change. Due to the concern…

  11. Church-Based ESL Adult Programs: Social Mediators for Empowering "Family Literacy Ecology of Communities"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chao, Xia; Mantero, Miguel

    2014-01-01

    This multi-sited ethnographic study examines the ways in which Latino and Asian immigrant parents' English learning through two church-based ESL programs in a Southeastern U.S. city affects their family literacy and home language practices. It demonstrates that the parents' participation in the programs is an empowering experience promoting ESL…

  12. The Particulars on Universals: A Comparison of the Acquisition of Tense-Aspect Morphology among Japanese- and French-Speaking Learners of English

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Laura

    2004-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between L1 and the developmental sequences for the acquisition of temporal morphology that are predicted by the aspect hypothesis. The use of tense-aspect markers in 7,784 past contexts by 139 Japanese-and French-speaking ESL learners was analyzed. A repeated measures ANOVA supported the predictions of the…

  13. An Investigation of How ESL Students Write.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raimes, Ann

    A study is described which investigated the differences between English-as-a-second-language (ESL) writers and native-English-speaking writers and examined closely a range of ESL writers and their composing processes. The procedures used were those used by Sondra Perl in a study of the composing processes of unskilled college writers (1979).…

  14. Guide to Resources for ESL Literacy Facilitators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaber-Katz, Elaine; Zettel, Kathryn

    This resource guide, for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy facilitators, reviews a variety of resources for ESL literacy. The guide contains three sections. The first section cites four books that provide a theoretical context for literacy work: "Ah-Hah! A New Approach to Popular Education" (Gatt-Fly); "Approaches and Methods in Language…

  15. Transfer of Mother Tongue Rhetoric among Undergraduate Students in Second Language Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saffari, Narges; Noordin, Shahrina Md; Sivapalan, Subarna; Zahedpisheh, Nahid

    2017-01-01

    Mother tongue rhetoric transfer is unavoidable in ESL writings, especially for Iranian ESL learners, since Persian and English language is quite different. The paper discusses the negative transfer of mother tongue rhetoric in Iranian undergraduate ESL learners' writings from the perspectives of choosing rhetorical structure in English and Persian…

  16. Comments on Awad El Karim M. Ibrahim's "Becoming Black: Rap and Hip-Hop, Race, Gender, and Identity and the Politics of ESL Learning" [and] A Reader Reacts . . . [and] Identity or Identification? A Response to Some Objections.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Lynn; Ibrahim, Awad El Karim M.

    2000-01-01

    Goldstein questions the way Awad El Karim M. Ibrahim portrayed her research on the language and identity of Hispanic English-as-a-Second-Language learners in his article, "Becoming Black: Rap and Hip-Hop, Race, Gender, and Identity and the Politics of ESL Learning." Ibrahim responds to these comments. (Author/VWL)

  17. The Influence of Finiteness and Lightness on Verb Placement in L2 German: Comparing Child and Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schimke, Sarah; Dimroth, Christine

    2018-01-01

    In this study, verb placement with respect to negation is investigated in elicited production and elicited sentence imitation data collected with child second language (L2) learners of German. These data are compared to published data from adult L2 learners, which were collected with the same elicitation materials and were re-analysed for the…

  18. Developing Oral Fluency in Higher Education ESL Learners through the Integration of Constructivism and Caine and Caine's Principles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farrell, Gryselle M.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore if by integrating Brain-based learning principles with a constructivist approach to English oral communication at a higher education institution, ESL participants would develop their English oral communication fluency. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.) [The dissertation citations contained here are…

  19. Mental Health and the Adult Refugee: The Role of the ESL Teacher. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adkins, Myrna Ann; Sample, Barbara; Birman, Dina

    English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers are often among the first people available to help refugees and other immigrants cope with a new cultural and linguistic environment. Although the identified role of the teacher is to teach English language skills, the teacher's role as cultural broker is also important. This digest focuses on how…

  20. ESL Placement and Schools: Effects on Immigrant Achievement.

    PubMed

    Callahan, Rebecca; Wilkinson, Lindsey; Muller, Chandra; Frisco, Michelle

    2009-05-01

    In this study, the authors explore English as a Second Language (ESL) placement as a measure of how schools label and process immigrant students. Using propensity score matching and data from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the authors estimate the effect of ESL placement on immigrant achievement. In schools with more immigrant students, the authors find that ESL placement results in higher levels of academic performance; in schools with few immigrant students, the effect reverses. This is not to suggest a one-size-fits-all policy; many immigrant students, regardless of school composition, generational status, or ESL placement, struggle to achieve at levels sufficient for acceptance to a 4-year university. This study offers several factors to be taken into consideration as schools develop policies and practices to provide immigrant students opportunities to learn.

  1. Adult Learners and Professional Development: Peer-to-Peer Learning in a Networked Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guldberg, Karen

    2008-01-01

    This paper analyses how adult learners on a professional development course learn and develop through online dialogue. The research uses Wenger's community of practice framework, and assesses whether the concept of "legitimate peripheral participation" is useful in relation to this specific case study in which the students are practitioners and…

  2. Transformative Learning, Adult Learners and the September 11 Terrorism Incidents in North America.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Theresia

    Despite their tremendous tragedy, the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, have also produced a juncture for transformative learning. Several transformative learning opportunities that may enable some adult learners find and use knowledge as the tool to transcend a tragedy into a learning experience have been identified. Although…

  3. Factors Impacting Adult Learner Achievement in a Technology Certificate Program on Computer Networks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delialioglu, Omer; Cakir, Hasan; Bichelmeyer, Barbara A.; Dennis, Alan R.; Duffy, Thomas M.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the factors impacting the achievement of adult learners in a technology certificate program on computer networks. We studied 2442 participants in 256 institutions. The participants were older than age 18 and were enrolled in the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) technology training program as "non-degree" or…

  4. Electrostatic Levitator (ESL)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    Dr. Rulison of Space System LORAl working with the Electrostatic Levitation (ESL) prior to the donation. Space System/LORAL donated the electrostatic containerless processing system to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The official hand over took place in July 1998.

  5. The Perceptions of ESL Teachers of Color in Adult Education Programs in San Diego

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Dorothy D.

    2010-01-01

    The problem: It is important to examine how U.S. born ESL teacher's of colors' ethnicity affects White colleagues and administrators, and their own teaching practice in order to eradicate the preconceived notions that a suitable language teacher should be one that is only recognized by the majority on the basis of race. Method: A qualitative…

  6. The importance of training strategy adaptation: a learner-oriented approach for improving older adults' memory and transfer.

    PubMed

    Bottiroli, Sara; Cavallini, Elena; Dunlosky, John; Vecchi, Tomaso; Hertzog, Christopher

    2013-09-01

    We investigated the benefits of strategy-adaptation training for promoting transfer effects. This learner-oriented approach--which directly encourages the learner to generalize strategic behavior to new tasks--helps older adults appraise new tasks and adapt trained strategies to them. In Experiment 1, older adults in a strategy-adaptation training group used 2 strategies (imagery and sentence generation) while practicing 2 tasks (list and associative learning); they were then instructed on how to do a simple task analysis to help them adapt the trained strategies for 2 different unpracticed tasks (place learning and text learning) that were discussed during training. Two additional criterion tasks (name-face associative learning and grocery-list learning) were never mentioned during training. Two other groups were included: A strategy training group (who received strategy training and transfer instructions but not strategy-adaptation training) and a waiting-list control group. Both training procedures enhanced older adults' performance on the trained tasks and those tasks that were discussed during training, but transfer was greatest after strategy-adaptation training. Experiment 2 found that strategy-adaptation training conducted via a manual that older adults used at home also promoted transfer. These findings demonstrate the importance of adopting a learner-oriented approach to promote transfer of strategy training. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  7. 28 CFR 544.41 - Applicability: Who must attend the ESL program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Applicability: Who must attend the ESL... INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT EDUCATION Mandatory English-as-a-Second Language Program (ESL) § 544.41 Applicability: Who must attend the ESL program. (a) All Federal prisoners who have limited English proficiency skills...

  8. Second-Language Acquisition, Culture Shock, and Language Stress of Adult Female Latina Students in New York

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buttaro, Lucia

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the educational, cultural, and linguistic adjustments and experiences encountered by Hispanic adult females in learning English as a second language (ESL) and the relation of these experiences to the variables of language, culture, and education of adult Hispanic females. Adult ESL learners…

  9. Adult Science Learners' Mathematical Mistakes: An Analysis of Responses to Computer-Marked Questions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jordan, Sally

    2014-01-01

    Inspection of thousands of student responses to computer-marked assessment questions has brought insight into the errors made by adult distance learners of science. Most of the questions analysed were in summative use and required students to construct their own response. Both of these things increased confidence in the reliability of the…

  10. Language Learning Strategy Use by Colombian Adult English Language Learners: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paredes, Elsie Elena

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how Colombian adult English language learners (ELL) select and use language learning strategies (LLS). This study used Oxford's (1990a) taxonomy for LLS as its theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview, were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for 12…

  11. Crossroads Cafe Implementation Florida Evaluation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLean, Teri

    The evaluation reviews the implementation of the "Crossroads Cafe" English language instruction program in Florida, focusing on the program's management, training, and overall effectiveness as measured by its impact on adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers and learners. "Crossroads Cafe" is a series of videotape…

  12. Teachers' Assessment of ESL Students in Mainstream Classes: Challenges, Strategies, and Decision-Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Liying; Milnes, Terry

    2008-01-01

    Given the increasing numbers of ESL students in Canadian classrooms, this study investigated how teachers of mainstream classes assess the written work of ESL students and whether they use different assessment strategies for ESL versus non-ESL students. Interviews were conducted with seven mainstream teachers from a private high school in Ontario.…

  13. Agricultural Extension Agents' Perceptions of Effective Teaching Strategies for Adult Learners in the Master Beef Producer Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strong, Robert; Harder, Amy; Carter, Hannah

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the study reported here was to explore and describe how Extension agents selected teaching strategies for adult audiences. Andragogy is hypotheses concerning the attributes of adult learners (Knowles, Swanson, & Holton III, 2005). Extension agents responsible for teaching the Master Beef Producer (MBP) program were purposively…

  14. ESL Students' Computer-Mediated Communication Practices: Context Configuration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, Dong-Shin

    2006-01-01

    This paper examines how context is configured in ESL students' language learning practices through computer-mediated communication (CMC). Specifically, I focus on how a group of ESL students jointly constructed the context of their CMC activities through interactional patterns and norms, and how configured affordances within the CMC environment…

  15. Lexico-Semantic Errors of the Learners of English: A Survey of Standard Seven Keiyo-Speaking Primary School Pupils in Keiyo District, Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeptarus, Kipsamo E.; Ngene, Patrick K.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to study the Lexico-semantic errors of the Keiyo-speaking standard seven primary school learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) in Keiyo District, Kenya. This study was guided by two related theories: Error Analysis Theory/Approach by Corder (1971) which approaches L2 learning through a detailed analysis of…

  16. The groESL Chaperone Operon of Lactobacillus johnsonii†

    PubMed Central

    Walker, D. Carey; Girgis, Hany S.; Klaenhammer, Todd R.

    1999-01-01

    The Lactobacillus johnsonii VPI 11088 groESL operon was localized on the chromosome near the insertion element IS1223. The operon was initially cloned as a series of three overlapping PCR fragments, which were sequenced and used to design primers to amplify the entire operon. The amplified fragment was used as a probe to recover the chromosomal copy of the groESL operon from a partial library of L. johnsonii VPI 11088 (NCK88) DNA, cloned in the shuttle vector pTRKH2. The 2,253-bp groESL fragment contained three putative open reading frames, two of which encoded the ubiquitous GroES and GroEL chaperone proteins. Analysis of the groESL promoter region revealed three transcription initiation sites, as well as three sets of inverted repeats (IR) positioned between the transcription and translation start sites. Two of the three IR sets bore significant homology to the CIRCE elements, implicated in negative regulation of the heat shock response in many bacteria. Northern analysis and primer extension revealed that multiple temperature-sensitive promoters preceded the groESL chaperone operon, suggesting that stress protein production in L. johnsonii is strongly regulated. Maximum groESL transcription activity was observed following a shift to 55°C, and a 15 to 30-min exposure of log-phase cells to this temperature increased the recovery of freeze-thawed L. johnsonii VPI 11088. These results suggest that a brief, preconditioning heat shock can be used to trigger increased chaperone production and provide significant cross-protection from the stresses imposed during the production of frozen culture concentrates. PMID:10388700

  17. Market Socialism Meets the Lost Generation: Motivational Orientations of Adult Learners in Shanghai

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boshier, Roger; Huang, Yan; Song, Qihui; Song, Lei

    2006-01-01

    In Western countries, women and men, young and old, enroll in adult education for different reasons. This is even more the case in China. This study helps Shanghai program planners better appreciate learners by understanding how motivational orientations vary as a function of gender and age. The Chinese version of the Education Participation Scale…

  18. Towards a Quality Framework for Adult Learners in Recovery: Ensuring Quality with Equity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doyle, Patricia

    2017-01-01

    The RECOVEU project is an effort to conceive of a quality-learning programme with equity for adult learners in recovery. It emerged in the context of European recommendations that member states support recovering users to access education in order to improve their chances of achieving social integration. However, by privileging the voices of those…

  19. Valuing the Adult Learner in E-Learning: Part Two--Insights from Four Companies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waight, Consuelo L.; Stewart, Barbara L.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose--To investigate how the adult learner is valued in e-learning corporate settings. Design/methodology/approach--Case study methodology was used for this research. Four Fortune 500 companies that had active e-learning initiatives for a minimum of four years were selected. Data for the development of the four cases were collected via…

  20. Student Debt, Problem-Solving, and Decision-Making of Adult Learners: A Basic Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, William J.

    2013-01-01

    A basic qualitative research study was conducted to develop insights into how adult learners employ problem-solving and decision-making (PSDM), when considering college financing, student loans, and student debt. Using the social media Website Facebook, eight qualified participants were recruited. Participants were interviewed via telephone, and…