ADULT FEMALE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: INVESTMENT, IDENTITY AND BENEFITS A Thesis by ANNA KATE WHARTON Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Chair of Committee, Zohreh Eslami Committee Members, Janet Hammer Dominique Chlup Head of Department, Yeping Li August 2013 Major Subject: Curriculum and Instruction Copyright 2013 Anna Kate Wharton ABSTRACT ELLs are a growing community in the United States and their learning needs are significantly different from younger learners, collegiate ELLs or Adult Basic Education students. Additionally, adult female ELLs have their own needs and motives for investing in the English language. This study explores the self-recounted experiences of three adult female English language learners’ (ELLs) motivation for investing in English language learning, their identities and the benefits gained in a nonacademic learning setting in Texas. Data for this study was gathered using a background questionnaire, individual interview, group interview and in-class observation using an instrument that looks for visible markers of investment. First, each participant’s investment and identity are analyzed with regard to how the two intersect and influence each other throughout the language learning experience. Second, investment and benefits are examined and presented to demonstrate before and after pictures of the participants’ experiences learning English, asking, “Have the learners gained what they sought to gain?” and “Is it worth it?” Findings substantiate prior research on the influence that investment and identity have on each other in language learning, while also clearly demonstrating the explicit relationship between investment and benefits. The study concludes with an understanding that adult educators must recognize the individuality of each adult learner and her circumstances. ii DEDICATION For my parents, without whom I would neither have had every opportunity in the world nor care to impact for good that same world. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I thank my parents for their unending support and guidance. Without them I would be far less than who I am today. Second, thank you to my committee chair, Dr. Zohreh Eslami, and my committee members, Dr. Janet Hammer and Dr. Dominique Chlup, for their gracious advice and time spent on my committee. You are all very much appreciated. Third, I thank everyone who helped me throughout my research: Dr. Bonny Norton and Dr. Ellen Skilton-Sylvester for their kind correspondences; the teams at iRIS and the IRB; Kerri Smith in the TLAC office; and the lovely people from the organization and location where I conducted my research. Finally, a huge thank you to my three participants who were all so sweet and accommodating allowing me into their lives. iv NOMENCLATURE ABE Adult Basic Education ELL English Language Learner ESL English as a Second Language SLA Second Language Acquisition US United States v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................... iv NOMENCLATURE .................................................................................................. v TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ............................ 1 Literature Review ............................................................................... 3 Theoretical Framework ...................................................................... 4 Methodology ...................................................................................... 12 Research Questions ............................................................................ 15 CHAPTER II ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN INVESTMENT AND IDENTITY ................................................................................................... 17 Introduction ........................................................................................ 17 Literature Review .............................................................................. 17 Methodology ...................................................................................... 22 Analysis ............................................................................................. 25 Discussion .......................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER III ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN INVESTMENT AND BENEFITS ................................................................................................... 47 Introduction ........................................................................................ 47 Literature Review .............................................................................. 47 Methodology ...................................................................................... 56 Analysis ............................................................................................. 59 Discussion .......................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER IV CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................... 79 Implications ....................................................................................... 79 Limitations ......................................................................................... 79 Future Lines of Research ................................................................... 80 vi REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 82 APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................ 90 APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................ 116 APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................ 118 vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW “…she’s a learner. She learns English with a vengeance” (Skilton-Sylvester, 2002, p. 16). Adult English language learners (ELLs) in nonacademic settings in the United States are a diverse group in themselves (Mathews-Aydinli, 2008; Skilton-Sylvester, 1998). One can see from the literature that learners vary in gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, and background, amongst other factors. In general, this population is seen to “range in age from 16 to 90-plus, in educational background from no formal schooling to PhD holders, and in native language literacy levels from advanced to pre-literate” (Mathews-Aydinli, 2008, p. 199). This population also has a distinct set of needs that differ from young learners, adult ELLs in academic environments, and Adult Basic Education (ABE) students; these needs many times relate to family and work situations (Hubenthal, 2004; Mathews-Aydinli, 2008; Skilton-Sylvester, 2002; Skilton-Sylvester & Carlo, 1998). In the past twenty years, educational research into learning motivation has taken a turn, looking past surface motivation to investigating language investment and how a learner’s identity and learning experience interface, and the effect that each has on the other. Since the birth of Norton Peirce’s (1995) notion of investment, studies have examined, in a variety of locations and contexts, the sociocultural nature of language learning, investment and identity. Along with this new trend in research have come more 1 frequent explorations into adult ELLs, nonacademic language environments, and female learners in particular; though fewer still incorporate all three factors into one study (Norton Peirce, 1995; Skilton-Sylvester, 2002). Additionally, several studies touch on benefits--self-confidence, job advancement, etc.--gained by adult ELLs, but none ask the question “Is it worth it?” Do adult (female) ELLs believe that their investment in language learning is worth it? Do the benefits outweigh the cost of time, money and effort? This study investigates the experiences and perspectives of three adult female ELLs in a nonacademic learning environment in the United States. First, this study supports and adds to the literature on language investment and identity--how the two intersect and influence each other. Second, this study explicitly explores the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits of learning English from the perspective of adult female ELLs who have accomplished a high level of competence as demonstrated by sustained admittance into an advanced ESL class. As advanced students, these learners have acquired enough language to determine definite benefits obtained and supply a response to “Is it worth it?” It is essential for researchers and educators alike to understand motives for investment, the influence of identity and other factors related to English language learning in order to best assist these learners and develop appropriate teaching and learning methods. 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Adult Education As stated above, this study investigates adult female ELLs in an advanced, nonacademic English as a Second Language (ESL) setting in the United States. Therefore, in order to more fully understand this specific group of learners, this literature review begins by more generally demonstrating through previous literature that adult education is unique and unlike education for younger learners. Adults are situated in very different circumstances of life and are likely to be both motivated to learn by different things and encounter struggles unique to their age and experience (Hubenthal, 2004). Adults can bring with them a wealth of diverse knowledge and experience that juvenile learners may have not yet acquired (Bowl & Tobias, 2012; King, 2000) and certain, related factors--mental and physical health, motivation, self-confidence, previous education and work, the logistics of ESL classes, and work and family situations--affect adult learners in different ways than younger learners (Hubenthal, 2004; Skilton-Sylvester, 2002). Additionally, when compared side by side with younger learners, adult students may appear static as they are physically mature, but adult development and education theories stress the “importance of avoiding narrow views of a single perspective of adult development” (Courtenay, 1994, p. 145-146). Theories of adult development and learning emphasize and hold that a main purpose of adult education is to encourage continual growth of self as adults still face many changes and challenges in their lives. Educational practice assumes a fixed adult learner at the risk of missing the potential in 3