Letter to an Interviewee

My research project’s primary data consists of teacher and student interviews.  One  interview was with my former professor.  She taught TESL graduate courses on Linguistics and Language Learning and Acquisition.  She has 25 years of experience teaching ESL to adults and it was because of this expertise and experience that I asked to interview her.  There are many adult ESL teachers that do not specifically have a background in Education or pedagogy, so I felt that she would provide an informed perspective that was rare in the world of Adult Education. Wendy Luttrell in “Reflexive Writing Exercises” suggests writing a letter to an interviewee and summarizing what was learned from the interview.

 

My letter to this interviewee follows:

Dear B.

Thank you for your time last week as an interview subject for my research project on language learning plateaus.  They main ideas I heard you express were:

·         Language learning plateaus happen to all language learners.  It is normal phenomenon.

·         The quantitative evidence of a plateau is a stagnation in standardized test scores for over a year.

·         The qualitative evidence of a plateau is frustration and absenteeism on the part of the student.

·         Overcoming a plateau often hinges on the student having the motivation to meet their own instrumental goals despite the slowdown in learning progress. Keeping an adult student motivated is essential.

·         Explicit communication with the students about their learning plateaus, all their skill areas, and specifics about what they are learning each day is important.  Pointing out their progress will help.

·         The amount of language input outside the classroom can influence how quickly a student can get past a learning plateau.  Homework assignments can help provide those opportunities.

I noticed that you never looked at a language learning plateau from a deficit perspective.  You didn’t find the student, the testing, the school, the resources, or teaching styles as blameworthy or as unassailable obstacles, though they may not have been ideal.  There was always an approach that you, the teacher could take to make up for any shortcomings.  (Though I used the word shortcomings, you just see learning conditions as neutral.)

For example:

·         Classrooms might not encourage communicative pedagogy, if there are rows of tables or chairs.  But rows can be rearranged into more communicative groupings.

·         CASAS assessments may only measure reading ability, but teachers can conduct other formal and informal assessments to measure other skills and be explicit with students about conducting these assessments and sharing the progress they see.

·         Text books can be supplemented with a variety of resources and activities that provide language input.

·         Students might stop coming to class when they meet their specific instrumental goals.  Though teachers may want them to continue their language study, we can remind ourselves that the students have succeeded in meeting their short-term goals. And that itself is success.

·         Anxiety about things going on outside the classroom or in his/her personal life may distract a student and diminish his/her ability to concentrate but uncovering and acknowledging these issues can help students know their experiences are valid and make them see the classroom as a safe haven and supportive community.

I want to thank you for providing your perspectives on language learning plateaus for my current research project.  But mostly, I want to thank you for providing me with suggestions that I can use as a teacher to assist my student as well as suggestions about how to positively and effectively work with the various challenges that confront students and teachers within the world of Adult ESL Education.

Sincerely,

Deborah McCoy

Adult ESL Instructor

Dorcas International Institute of RI