Adult and Continuing Education Commons^™

Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of Mandarin-Speaking Undergraduate Students In The United States, Enhao Wang

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT

Studying in the United States is many Chinese students' dream, but those who manage to achieve it encounter two main problems. The first one is the language barrier and the second one cultural shock. Chine is the highest provider of international students with 30% from statistics of 2017/2018 class. The primary language spoken by Chinese is the Mandarin language. All the other languages come in as a second language to most Chinese, including English. When they travel out of their country to further education as students, they are hampered by language barriers as they navigate through their struggle.

China …

Oer Project: Bsba Capstone Refresh Materials, Monika Hudson

USF OER Faculty Grant Projects

Slideshow presented by Dr. Monika Hudson for USF's Open Access Week, 2020.

Using Trauma-Informed Teaching In Adult Esl, Elizabeth Eastman

Master's Theses

Many adult ESL students have been affected by trauma from various causes, including violence, racism, loss, fear of ICE, and ongoing poverty. For many of these learners, trauma negatively impacts their language acquisition and acculturation. Trauma-Informed Teaching (TI Teaching), which includes Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), can be effective in meeting the needs of these learners regarding language acquisition and acculturation. Furthermore, it can support their healing. The approach can be effective for those students who have not been affected by trauma, as well. Yet, TI Teaching is not usually provided. Without it, many students do not receive the type of …

Using Sitcoms In Esl/Efl: A Handbook For Using Friends In The Classroom, Elif Konus

Master's Projects and Capstones

English learning has become the most significant objective throughout the world for learners of English as a second language (ESL) and foreign language (EFL). Unfortunately, most learners do not have a chance to learn the language in English-speaking countries. In most ESL and EFL classrooms, teachers have solely adapted their teaching method through textbooks even though there are numerous teaching techniques to support learners’ language process. Considering the fact that we live in an age of constant change of technology in which students’ attention spans have been shortened, students might lack engagement and motivation in learning English through solely textbook-adapted …

Digital Awareness For Esl Students, Ehab Khalaf

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT

Many immigrants come to the United States of America seeking to live, study, and work in this country. With an influx of immigrants, there is a need for educational opportunities tailored to meet their needs and demands with the ultimate aim of helping them integrate into society. One of the major demands is for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, which are useful in equipping immigrants with not only the English language skills, but also in equipping and preparing the students for success in the workplace and with communication skills for navigating life in the United States. The …

Self-Directed Learning Practices In Esl: How Beginning Adult Latinx English Language Learners Can Increase Learning Outcomes, Jessica Parisi

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project investigates the self-directed learning (SDL) practices that could increase learner outcomes in English language acquisition for beginning adult English language learners (ELLs), and presents on a website designed for the learner, the practices and local resources to engage them. Non-credit English as a second language (ESL) courses in community colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area have high enrollment and low levels of advancement, especially beginning levels. Latinx adult ELLs face unique challenges that contribute to their low rates of advancement, including linguistic isolation, and work and home duties that often prevent learners from attending classes the …

Teaching English To Refugees And Immigrants With Low Literacy In Their Native Language And Limited English Proficiency (Using The Language Experience Approach), Jacqueline Hill

Master's Projects and Capstones

Immigrants who enter the United States come with varying degrees of education. Some immigrants come with a bachelor’s degree or higher, and some come with very limited schooling or no schooling at all. Yet many immigrants or refugees that come to the United States with low literacy in their native language, and limited English proficiency never enroll in an ESL class. There are many causes attributed to this lack of enrollment: learners’ embarrassment and anxiety to admitting their lack of literacy, class scheduling conflicts, long waiting lists, and the English-only approach taken by most ESL classes in the United States. …

Teaching With Empathy In The Adult Esl Classroom: A Training Guide, Maureen Carapia

Master's Projects and Capstones

Many view empathy as a necessary skill for relating to different groups of people and successfully communicating across cultures. Research supports empathy’s importance in the education field for promoting positive outcomes in the classroom and fomenting a culturally sensitive class environment. Teaching with empathy is particularly important in the context of adult ESL (English as a Second Language) instruction, given the culturally diverse classroom environment and instructors who likely possess different cultural norms than their students. Regarding effective strategies to teach these students with empathy, however, the research falls short. The mere notion of defining empathy breeds disagreement, as many …

Collaborative Drama For The Adult Esl Classroom: A Guidebook For Engaging Adult English Language Learners In Their Oral Language Production Through A Television Series, Molly Mccarthy

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT

This field project addresses the lack of engagement in oral language production of adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the classroom. To address this issue, this project identifies the reasons behind the lack of engagement in oral language production and suggests the ways in which drama techniques can improve engagement of adult ESL students in their oral language production. This project looks specifically at the positive effects that teaching ESL through the use of a television series will have on students’ engagement of oral language production. With a lens on lowering students’ affective filter, increasing collaboration, …

Breaking The Chains: Reversing The School-To-Prison Pipeline Through The Academic Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated Black Males, Folasade Ogunbanwo

Master's Theses

This case study explores the academic experiences of formerly incarcerated Black males. The goal of the case study is to inform policymakers and critical race scholars who take interest in the prison-to-school pipeline and ultimately dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The historical impact of slavery has manifested into this vicious pipeline and the overrepresentation of Black males in the prison industrial complex. This case study is to demonstrate how the net is casted on those affected by the incarceration system and that break the cycle for themselves by pursuing an education to create an upward academic trajectory.

English For Baking: Lessons For Kitchen Workers Using On-Site Learning, Christopher Torossian

Master's Projects and Capstones

Today, the back of house staff in culinary kitchens is comprised largely by migrant workers whose native language is something other than English. At times this can create issues among workers due to communication errors or complete lack of communication all together, posing issues for not only cooking, but it can also be a threat to kitchen safety as well. Additionally, due to native speaker stigma surrounding non-native speakers of English, many workers are often denied the chance at a higher position in the workplace simply because of their low communicative competence, despite their actual talents and skills in the …

Empowering Students To Develop L2 Identity - Supplemental Online Lessons, Laura Espino

Master's Projects and Capstones

As an immigrant, learning English is part of acculturating to the new culture. From this process, a new identity emerges in the context of the new language and culture. Currently, identity issues and intercultural competence are explicit objectives in language learning. The implications of neglecting identity formation in second language acquisition include vulnerability to culture shock, mental health issues, and the inability to thrive. The unique set of needs, motivations, and strengths of immigrant English language learners should inform language instruction design in order to achieve sustainable and equitable successful language learning and acculturation. Explicitly designing instruction that incorporates issues …

The Stress Management Handbook: The High-Stakes Test Takers Of International Students, Shiying Sun

Master's Projects and Capstones

This article provides a brief overview of the current situation that high-stakes test takers are facing. A common problem the high-stakes test taker is experiencing is that they have to deal with tremendous pressure by themselves which could be caused by the test, the preparation process, the teachers and the parents. In results, their test performance could be affected, the decline of their mental health condition associated with the increasing stress level, and those issues could eventually escalate into suicide and physical violence. To shed light on those issues, the author developed a stress management handbook by choosing one of …

Effective Teaching Techniques And Study Strategies For English Language Learners In Esl Community College Classes, Dorothy M. Steiner

Master's Projects and Capstones

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this field project, Effective Teaching Techniques and Study Strategies for English Language Learners in ESL Community College Classes, is to provide guidance to the busy instructors who work with adult ESL students, particularly in non-credit programs. This field project can also be used by instructors of credit community college ESL classes, Adult schools, or (Community Based Organizations) CBOs. The handbook is designed to be a resource on the many areas that present common challenges in the ESL classroom such as diverse needs, low literacy levels, building academic rigor and vocabulary, communicative language teaching, increasing engagement and …

English Language Learning At National Historic Sites In The San Francisco Bay Area, Elizabeth Bognar

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project focuses on lowering language learners’ affective filter by exposing them to the English language in the outdoors through visiting national parks in the San Francisco Bay Area. The purpose of this project is to provide a supplemental handbook for English as a Second Language classes that include outdoor learning activities.

The locations selected for this project are National Park System locations in the San Francisco Bay Area; however, the lesson plans are designed to be adapted for park locations in other regions of the United States. The project concentrates on four specific National Park System locations in the …

Reduing Hospital Readmissions: Ideal Discharge Planning For Heart Failure Management, Chun Mei Chen, Chun Mei Chen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

The objectives during this project were to achieve by the end of 2018 an overall reduction of 25% in HF readmissions within 30 days. By identifying root causes of readmissions and using needs assessment within the microsystem, literature highlights the elements defining interventions that can be used to improve transitions of care and reduce avoidable HF hospital readmissions. A plan was developed for integrating an evidence-based practice, IDEAL Discharge Planning, along with engaging patients and families at bedside from the first day of admission until discharge to more effectively assist staff in providing patient-centered education and self-care skills. The …

Teaching Efl/Esl College-Level Learners Through Current Global Topics: Integrated Lessons For Efl/Esl Teachers, Chaiyeon Sylvia Lee

Master's Projects and Capstones

The importance of educating effective English users competent in communicating and interacting in a variety of social settings is highlighted in today’s highly globalized world. Being able to understand and discuss complex global topics related to current cultural, social, and business issues and events has become an integral skill of English learners to achieve greater international connectivity. Unfortunately, many EFL/ESL college-level students, specifically Korean EFL students, do not seem to have sufficient preparation to build English communicative competence and cultural awareness necessary to cope with various situations in which they need to communicate meaningfully and purposefully as effective English users. …

Integrating Idea Mapping Into Professional Development And Practice: A Guidebook For Educators, Sarah Rose Parsons

Master's Projects and Capstones

The daily metrics of the teaching profession can prove emotionally and physically taxing, especially when compared to the current rapidly growing veil of technological advancement and a lack of support from one’s community and administration in their field. The means of support for professional development, which are often presented in schools for educators, focus mostly on students and content delivery. These programs rarely pay attention to the personal growth of the individual educator. Educators can in turn help themselves if they are provided with the tools and time to do so. Thus, this project seeks to serve that purpose, founded …

Enhancing Listening Comprehension Skills Through Exposure To Authentic Conversation, Michael Mcclure

Master's Projects and Capstones

In this field project, the author created a listening comprehension workbook for adult ESL students. The emphasis of the project was to improve the listening comprehension abilities of students through exposing them to authentic American English. The recordings were provided by StoryCorps.gov.

Using Humor To Enhance Metalinguistic Awareness And Expand Cultural Competence In Adult Esl Classrooms, Jean L. Hilburn

Master's Projects and Capstones

Research has shown that there are many benefits to using humor in the ESL classroom. Although this is known, oftentimes humor is avoided. There are a variety of reasons for humor not being incorporated into the ESL classroom. In addition, because much of the research and curriculum development regarding humorous wordplay and its benefits for ESL students has been focused on children, there is a paucity of curriculum, materials, and resources which focus on humor and wordplay relating to adult topics and themes.

The purpose of this project is to fill the gap between what is available and what is …

Exploring Self-Regulated Learning (Srl) And Listening Strategy Instruction In A Chinese L2 Classroom, Yue Li

Doctoral Dissertations

This interpretive case study explored the effectiveness of listening strategy instruction that promoted self-regulated learning and gained insights into students’ and instructors’ perceptions of strategy-integrated listening instruction among second semester learners of Chinese as a second language at a military college in Northern California. Most of previous studies investigated listening strategy use and the relationship between listening strategy use and listening achievement. Few studies investigated the effectiveness of listening strategy instruction. Thus, this study addressed the gaps in research by examining the effectiveness of integrating listening strategies into regular curriculum and explored students’ and instructors’ perceptions of listening strategy instruction …