Women Learning English as a Second Language: Research Field Notes

This week we (Jo Arp, Jenny Wong, Linnea Fox) focused on outreach to recruit participants. We contacted over 20 local organizations that teach English as a Second Language (ESL) or support immigrants, refugees, and cultural communities.

Through these recruiting efforts we:

• Scheduled 4 interviews

• Are in the process of scheduling 6 interviews

Themes

We spoke to two subject matter experts (denoted below as MA and MK) who have dedicated their careers to working with women learning English. We learned:

• Community makes a big difference in a woman’s success in learning English

  • “They could come together, talk to each other after classes, and support each other in that way [...] they interacted like friends, and laughed together” –MA

  • “One of them was always correcting the others. We felt like if they were comfortable with that, it was better than us being the ones correcting them.” –MA

• Language builds confidence and confidence builds power

  • MK shared a story with us about a young Korean woman whose husband was away at a conference. She was upset because she needed to get money from the bank but did not know how. MK worked with her to fill out sample forms to build her confidence. She was able to successfully take money out and when her husband returned, she had the confidence to do more things herself.

Research Adjustments

• Participatory Activity

  • Subject Matter Expert MK recommended that we use drawing as a form of communication. 

  • We adjusted our participatory activity to have participants draw what they are feeling instead of selecting from a book of visual stimuli. 

  • We will have the book of visual stimuli on hand if the participant is not comfortable with drawing. 

  • In order to put the participants at ease, Subject Matter Expert MA validated that, “It can be helpful to have something else that you are both looking at.”

• Introductory Question

  • We added a question at the beginning of the interview to have participants teach us some words in their language, and allow us to repeat it back to them. Reflecting back on her experience as a teacher, MA said, “It was good for them to see the teachers not know something.” 

Next Steps

1. Conduct the 4 scheduled interviews

2. Schedule the 6 participants who have verbally agreed to participate

3. Continue recruiting efforts