Description
Book SynopsisThis book explores the reasons why adult ESL learners drop out of their language classes and suggests explicit strategies for keeping students engaged. The most effective strategies may be personal rather than technical or curricular. Based on a study of a group of Mexican immigrants to the US, the author proposes that superación or ‘self-actualization’ is crucial to understanding the relative success of adult ESL learners. Learners’ decisions to drop out were not hasty or superficial but were based on a commonsense assessment concerning how the class might improve the quality of their lives. Those involved in delivering ESL to adult learners should stress the tangible, practical advantages that accrue with learning English, and at the same time strive to make instruction relevant.
Trade ReviewDr. Kim offers an insightful, ground-level perspective of the daily lives and dreams of English Learners. Teaching English to hard-working adults involves more than reconsidering curriculum; it requires a radical reorientation, founded upon caring relationships and knowledge of student aspirations. Dr. Kim explains how to transform your teaching and why it matters. * Lawrence Baines, Berry College, USA *
This book is an invaluable addition to the field of Second Language Acquisition and English teaching. Practitioners and researchers alike will find the emphasis on ‘learner investment’ to be a useful angle to approach their work. Teachers, educators, and scholars will gain insight into the challenges of real adult learners and some potential solutions suggested by the author. * Kyungsook Yeum, Sookmyung Women’s University, South Korea *
Why do adult English language learners drop out of language programs? In this book, Dr. Taewoong Kim tackles this problem in a very insightful and humanistic way. He gives voice to those that are often not heard. All teachers wanting to empower this unique demographic of students should read this. * Daniel Rueckert, California State University, Fullerton, USA *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements
Preface
Introduction: A Broken Car
Chapter 1. Voices Unheard from the Margins
Chapter 2. Theoretical Frameworks
Chapter 3. Adult English Literacy Learners in America and Research Context
Chapter 4. The Six Persistent Learners
Chapter 5. Who They Are: Thematic Identity of the Six Adult English Learners
Chapter 6. What Drives Investment
Chapter 7. What Makes Adult ELs Drop Out
Chapter 8. What Makes Adult ELs Stay
Chapter 9. Discussion
Chapter 10. Implications and Conclusion
References
About the Author
Index
