7.15
Author(s) + contact information | Anna Louise Glenton |
Title | Mixed nationality relationships in the adult ESOL classroom - http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/9872/1/424525.pdf |
Language | English |
Date | 2004 |
Summary | This thesis, by examining the action that was taking place "below the surface', attempted to investigate what was happening in an adult, mixed - nationality English class, and particularly how the relationships and interaction between learners contributed to their learning experience. Set against a context of class dynamics, social relationships and affective factors In language learning, the thesis addresses whether having a mixture of different nationalities In the class led the learners to form relationships which furthered their social, emotional and learning experiences, and to find out what effect the mix of nationalities and cultures had on communication between learners. It also examines how Important the relationships between learners were to the learning process, and whether Individuals learnt from each other In a way that Included personal culture as well as subject development. The research strategy employed was ethnomethodogical and ethnographic, Involving a case study of one class of 55 adult learners, over one academic term, carried out by the class teacher, acting as participant observer. Specifically, the thesis took account of the learners' views of mixed- nationality learning, through a series of Interviews, and It recorded and analysed the relationship patterns formed in a mixed nationality class. Data was collected from the learners, the class teacher, an Independent observer, and a teacher who taught the group after the main study had been completed. The classroom culture and activity was thus examined from different perspectives. A qualitative approach to the analysis of the data was adopted, although some quantitative devices and measures were used when appropriate. The thesis contributes to and extends current knowledge on the development of mixed-nationality classroom culture, the benefits and disadvantages of such culture for the use of co-operative and communicative language learning, and the impact of the relationships formed within such a culture on the Individuals' learning experiences. |
Key words | adult learners, ESOL, language classroom, learner relationships, mixed-nationality groups |
Other interesting information | |
Interest for the project | 4/5 |
Contributor´s name + email | Stéphanie Barillé - stephanie@unak.is |