The lived experiences of adult learners of English as a Second

230 Pages·2011·1.44 MB·English

Training and Transitions:
The Lived Experiences of Adult Learners
of English as a Second (or Other) Language

Suzanne Margaret Reszke

BMus(Perf) LRSM MEd

Submitted in fulfilment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Education
University of Tasmania

November 2011
Statement of Originality

This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by
the University or any other institution, except by way of background information and
duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of the my knowledge and belief no
material previously published or written by another person except where due
acknowledgement is made in the text of the thesis, nor does the thesis contain any
material that infringes copyright.

Signature ____________________________
Date ____________________________

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Statement of Authority of Access

This thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance
with the Copyright Act 1968.

Signature ____________________________
Date ____________________________

iii
Statement of Ethical Conduct

The research associated with this thesis abides by the international and
Australian codes on human and animal experimentation, the guidelines by the
Australian Government's Office of the Gene Technology Regulator and the
rulings of the Safety, Ethics and Institutional Biosafety Committees of the
University.

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Abstract

This study endeavoured to explore and examine the lived experience of adults
learning and using English as a second language within the context of an
international charitable and humanitarian organization, and the significance of this
for English language teaching pedagogy. The study has at its foundation principles
of hermeneutic phenomenology and as such sought to understand what these
experiences were like for the respondents.

Two clusters of participants contributed responses in different formats from different
contexts within the international organization. At level one the 16 participants were
working in multicultural teams with an international charitable and humanitarian
organization in various locations around the world and contributed one off written
responses to guiding questions. The 18 respondents at level two were studying
English at an organizational training college in order to fulfil requirements for a
standardised level of English proficiency, and took part in semi-structured
interviews. Data analysis and interpretation utilised a combination of grounded
theory and thematic analysis methods so as to discern themes arising from the data.

Findings from the study suggest that significant personal transformation is possible
when adults learn English in a country and culture other than their own. Attitudes
and approaches to English language learning undergo change as adults endeavour to
participate in the target language community. Intercultural awareness and an
increased understanding of the host culture develop as adults relate to those from
other cultures in the new context. In their everyday routine experiences, English
language learners and users experience changes to the self, particularly growth in self
confidence and a sense of empowerment.

The changes brought about by the ESL experience also necessitate negotiation within
existing relationships as families deal with separation from family members and
establish routines in the host culture. The role of English within the family also
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Abstract
requires ongoing negotiation as contexts change. The role of the English language
teacher can be regarded as crucial both in affecting good language learning
experiences but also in facilitating learning that is transformative.

Within the international organization experiences of learning and using English have
a temporal nature that is context dependent. For non-native speakers within the
organization the role of English develops as proficiency develops however, fulfilling
roles of additional responsibility creates additional pressure from the expectations
both of the English language users themselves and from others.

The findings suggest that the participants in this study were motivated to learn
English by a sense of vocation that also assisted them to maintain their English
language learning and to persist in using English to fulfil their vocation through
working with the international organization.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to the following people who have
made the completion of this thesis possible:

I am indebted to Dr Thao Lê, my primary supervisor and source of inspiration.
Thank you, Thao for the many hours you have devoted to this thesis, for the
encouragement you gave at every meeting and for challenging me to think widely.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my family, my husband Jerry and my
daughters Phoebe and Bethany, for their unwavering support and understanding.
Thank you also to my mother Patricia, for instilling in us the belief that we can
accomplish anything to which we put our minds.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the participants who gave their time
so generously. I feel privileged to have shared their stories.

My thanks also to my colleagues at Migrant Education, Launceston for modelling
dedication and commitment to learners. Thank you for generously sharing your
knowledge and experience and for giving me a sense of belonging.

Many thanks also to my study colleagues in A-008 for sharing their academic and
technological expertise with me and for making the journey so much more enjoyable.

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Abbreviations and Acronyms

EFL English as a Foreign Language
EIL English as an International Language
ELL English Language Learning/Learner
ELT English Language Teaching
ESL English as a Second Language
IELTS International English Language Testing System
L1 First language (mother tongue)
L2 Second Language
LFC Lingua France Core
NNSE Non-native Speaker/s of English
NSE Native Speaker/s of English
WCHO Worldwide Charitable and Humanitarian Organization
WE World English/Englishes

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Table of Contents
Statement of Originality _____________________________________________ ii
Statement of Authority of Access______________________________________ iii
Statement of Ethical Conduct_________________________________________ iv
Abstract ___________________________________________________________ v
Acknowledgements _________________________________________________ vii
Abbreviations and Acronyms________________________________________ viii
Table of Contents___________________________________________________ ix
Table of Figures ___________________________________________________ xiv
Table of Tables ____________________________________________________ xv
Chapter 1: Introduction ______________________________________________ 1
1.1 Background Leading to the Study_________________________________________ 2
1.1.1 Organizational context._______________________________________________ 2
1.1.2 Motivation for research._______________________________________________ 5
1.1.3 Justification for the study._____________________________________________ 7
1.2 Research Objectives ____________________________________________________ 8
1.3 Research Methodology __________________________________________________ 9
1.3.1 Qualitative research approaches. ________________________________________ 9
1.3.2 Qualitative methods in this study.______________________________________ 11
1.4 Significance of the Study _______________________________________________ 12
1.5 Limitations of the Study ________________________________________________ 13
1.6 Ethical Issues _________________________________________________________ 13
1.7 Organization of the Thesis ______________________________________________ 14
1.8 Conclusion ___________________________________________________________ 16
1.9 Summary ____________________________________________________________ 17
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Chapter Two: The Challenges of English Language Learning _____________ 18
2.1 Challenges in Adult Second Language Learning ____________________________ 20
2.2 The “Good” Language Learner __________________________________________ 25
2.3 Identity and Language Learning _________________________________________ 27
2.4 Language Learning and Culture Stress ___________________________________ 29
2.5 Significance for the Second Language Learner _____________________________ 32
2.6 Conclusion ___________________________________________________________ 34
2.7 Summary ____________________________________________________________ 35
Chapter Three: Global Dimensions of English Language Pedagogy ________ 36
3.1 English and Globalisation ______________________________________________ 36
3.2 Kachru‟s Model of English Usage ________________________________________ 38
3.3 English: A Global or an International Language? __________________________ 39
3.4 Why English? ________________________________________________________ 40
3.5 World Englishes ______________________________________________________ 41
3.6 Difficulties and Disparities ______________________________________________ 42
3.7 The Role of the Native Speaker and the Bilingual Teacher of English __________ 43
3.8 Standards of English ___________________________________________________ 44
3.9 Pronunciation Models __________________________________________________ 45
3.10 Significance for English Language Teaching ______________________________ 46
3.11 Conclusion __________________________________________________________ 48
3.12 Summary ___________________________________________________________ 49
Chapter Four: Learning in Adulthood _________________________________ 50
4.1 Addressing the Place of Andragogy ______________________________________ 53
4.2 Jarvis‟s Model of Learning _____________________________________________ 56
4.3 Context in Learning ___________________________________________________ 58
4.4 Learning that Transforms ______________________________________________ 60
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