Dakota Halley; Stephanie Johnstone; Andrea Deever; Cassidie Medina; Kimberly Child, Dixie State University
Research suggests there may be two potential issues for teachers in teaching English Language Learners (ELLs): lack of recognition of linguistic barrier between the student and the teacher, and assuming that the ELLs’ are not capable of learning English (Reeves, 2008). These issues can only be addressed by attaining a better understanding of the ELLs’ learning needs, both academically and emotionally, and exploring related teacher dispositions. To explore the learning needs, five students conducted qualitative research with six adult ELLs. the participants were selected from the Southwest Adult School, Dixie State University ESL program, and from the local community. Fifteen open-ended questions were posed to the interviewees. The interviewees’ answers provided new insight to what teachers of ELLs need to keep in mind. The interviews revealed that a mutually productive learning environment require three impactful elements: patience, human connections, and support. The presentation will discuss how and when the three elements will implemented to deviate the notion of the two potential issues in teaching ELLs.