Adult English Learners' Choices of Sociocultural Resources in the Essay Genre

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers and Adults as Writers: Sociocultural Approaches

Abstract

This multiple case study examined what types of sociocultural resources adult English learners brought with them from their previous contexts and what new resources they drew upon in the U.S. while learning to write in the essay genre. The study also identified how the participants chose to use previous and new sociocultural resources as mediated by the essay genre in the U.S. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, in-class and out-of-class participant observations and collection of artifacts over a period of seven weeks dedicated to essay writing in English 101. Analysis of data included coding and theme analysis. Four refugee students with diverse cultural backgrounds and who had different contact with the educational system in the U.S. participated in the study.

Author

• Lyudmyla Ivanyuk, Trinity Christian College