scholarly journals “English Language Learners”: An Analysis of Perplexing ESL-Related Terminology

2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Lee Webster ◽  
Chunlei Lu

In today’s globalized world it is increasingly important to consciously consider the terminology used when referencing others. The purpose of this paper is to explore and discuss the perplexing array of loosely defined ESL-related terminology in Education. A literature search revealed various terms referring to the same group of learners, the most common being English Language Learner. Through a deconstruction of related terms, an alternative term is proposed: Learner of English as an Additional Language (LEAL). The language learning aspect should not be utilized as a defining characteristic. LEAL is a respectful and culturally appropriate term that utilizes person first language.

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 2156759X2097956
Author(s):  
Adonay A. Montes ◽  
Erika Ramos

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of an 8-week academic navigational capital group with English language learner (ELL) students. Minimal research exists examining ELL students’ acquisition of navigational capital skills (skills needed to navigate and succeed in academic settings) in school. We used a pre- and postintervention survey to measure the impact of the group. Results showed growth in the academic navigational capital skills of all participants. Such increases represent a starting blueprint to consider when working with ELL students.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-122
Author(s):  
Jessica Lim

The present article compares the use of the discourse marker so between English-dominant speakers and English language learners through an analysis of 20 one-on-one audio-recorded sessions with 10 English-dominant speakers and 10 English language learners. While employment of the discourse marker by both speaker groups was found to be discrepant, one prominent difference was discovered in the English language learner data. Move so, one of so’s six discursive functions, was produced with a higher frequency by the English language learners. The findings of the study indicate that while the learner group demonstrated a limited range of functions, as did English language learners in prior studies, they also had an overall lower rate of frequency compared to the English-dominant speakers.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olayinka Fakunle

This study investigated the perceptions of Early Childhood Educators on the needs of English language learners in childcare centres in Toronto, Canada. A modified grounded theory methodology was utilized in the study. Interviews were held with 5 Early Childhood Educators; these interviews were transcribed and coded. 5 themes arose from this qualitative analysis: sensitivity, communication, school readiness, home language retention and socialization. Results indicate that ECEs perceived that English language learners thrive in a caring environment with staff that will guide and support them in language learning, and where the use of their first language is encouraged and used to build the skills in the second language. Recommendations include ensuring the presence of staff that have a first language match with the English language learners, and can speak the same language with the children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Sultan H. Alharbi

The term ‘struggling language learner’ is one that is usually ascribed to students who are trying, without much success to master the English language in an academic setting. As a case study, this study was carried out to gain insights into the ‘struggles’ of the struggling English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Ten students were selected from those with the 20th least percentile in their English language courses. Observation of and discussion with these categories of learners revealed that many language learners had a point at which they began to take learning English language more seriously. In such positive or negative situations, their language learning journey improved therefrom. The findings showed that 80% of the participants believed that their English language proficiency was ‘very good’, while 20% of these participants believed that their English language proficiency was ‘average’. Also, the findings indicated that there was a statistically significant association (i.e., p < .05) between English language proficiency of the learners and the following observable attributes: willingness to learn for educational purposes; willingness to learn for career development; and students’ continuation without losing focus. The study proposes a fresh evaluation of the problems faced by EFL struggling learners by bringing to light a multifaceted, meaningful consideration of their learning attitudes from socio-psychological point of view, offering a comprehensive account of these learners and their learning difficulties as well as their attitudes and outlook while taking lessons as freshmen at the university.  


Author(s):  
Jonathan Newcombe ◽  
Billy Brick

Around 2 billion people worldwide engage in video games and a similar number of English language learners are anticipated by the year 2020. It can be assumed that many language learners are also ‘gamers', and that a language learner may play a video game to learn English. This article focuses on the language learning affordances in offline video games. General game-based learning principles identified by Gee are used as the method to identify and classify the learning affordances in a selection of video games. These learning principles are explained and then used to detail general learning opportunities inherent in a variety of video games. It suggests that language learning opportunities on video-games are too varied and that the scaffolding guidance of a teacher might be needed. It concludes by proposing that contextualized live video-game-like immersive experiences could also be conducive to language learning.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olayinka Fakunle

This study investigated the perceptions of Early Childhood Educators on the needs of English language learners in childcare centres in Toronto, Canada. A modified grounded theory methodology was utilized in the study. Interviews were held with 5 Early Childhood Educators; these interviews were transcribed and coded. 5 themes arose from this qualitative analysis: sensitivity, communication, school readiness, home language retention and socialization. Results indicate that ECEs perceived that English language learners thrive in a caring environment with staff that will guide and support them in language learning, and where the use of their first language is encouraged and used to build the skills in the second language. Recommendations include ensuring the presence of staff that have a first language match with the English language learners, and can speak the same language with the children.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.36) ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
A. Delbio ◽  
R. Abilasha ◽  
M. Ilankumaran

Language is a tool used to convey one’s thoughts, feelings and needs. Mother tongue is the language acquired by everyone ever since his birth. A learner encounters mother tongue influence while learning or speaking a foreign language or target language. Mother tongue influence is something that affects a person’s thought process in a sense that he thinks in mother tongue and expresses in English or a second language. People use incorrect pronunciation of words while communicating in English language as they are influenced by the sound patterns of their mother tongue. A second language learner has an unconscious preference to convey his customs from his first language to the target language. The influence of mother tongue has become a significant region and is generally referred to as ‘Language Interference’. Every language learner comes across this issue. Students, sometimes, use words from their parent language while communicating in English. This paper speaks about the difficulties faced by the learners of the second language and the causes of first language influence. This paper attempts to bring out the ways to avoid the overwhelmed influence of mother tongue and gives some notions to the students to develop their second language skills.  


2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 532-539
Author(s):  
Clara Lee Brown ◽  
Jo Ann Cady ◽  
P. Mark Taylor

Various techniques can enhance mathematics instruction for English language learners.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Ross ◽  
Elke Stracke

Within applied linguistics, understanding of motivation and cognition has benefitted from substantial attention for decades, but the attention received by language learner emotions has not been comparable until recently when interest in emotions and the role they can play in language learning has increased. Emotions are at the core of human experience, so a greater understanding of their impact on language learners is critical. In particular, the role and impact of positive emotions on learners and their learning experience has been overlooked in favour of a focus on issues of confidence and anxiety. One particular positive emotion that has a meaningful connection with the learning experience is that of pride. Drawing on qualitative interview data from tertiary English language learners in Australian universities, this article singles out pride as a means of confirming the critical role of positive emotions in language learning. The interviews revealed that pride had a significant impact on the experiences of learners. It was also discovered that within the notion of pride there exists a degree of dimensionality. Pride is felt in communicative contexts whereas a feeling of ‘non-pride’ can occur in learning contexts. The article also presents implications arising from the study concerning the place of emotions in language teaching and learning.


2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Alex Josef Kasula

With the current trends in our globalized society, there is a clear increase in multilinguals rise; however, the understanding of multilingual identity and policy towards education stays relatively the same. Recent investigation in multilingualism in the US has shed light on the positive impacts of alternating policy in language education with regard to a greater understanding in how translanguaging and identity impact the language learner and language learning policies (Garcia & Wei, 2013). The following article describes the development of an online multilingual literary magazine, Olowalu Review, that aimed to provide English language learners in an English-only language policy a space to translanguage. Thus, having the opportunity to develop and express their multilingual identities. Goals and the development of the magazine are described in terms relating to current multilingual theory. While the outcomes and findings reveal how Olowalu Review enabled multilinguals to foster and exercise multilingual identities and skills, raise multilingual awareness, and act as an important multilingual artifact through an analysis of written submissions and interviews with authors. Pedagogical implications are discussed to empower language teachers, learners, or artists to develop the same or similar project for their own local, national, or global community. 


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