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Determination of legitimate speakers of English in ESL discourse: social-cultural aspects of selected issues – power, subjectivity and equality

Yeh, Ling-Miao

Abstract Details

2004, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Theory and Practice.
Non-native adult English speakers in general possess less English linguistic capital (a type of cultural capital) (Bourdieu, 1986) than native English speakers, which can cause communication inequality that eventually may impede communication flow and efficiency as well as participatory motivation. The purpose of the study was to explore non-native adult English speakers’ perspectives regarding participatory legitimacy in the U.S. ESL discourse. Participatory legitimacy is thought to emerge from the underlying power relationships between native and non-native English speakers in the scope of discursive proficiency and socio-cultural status. The study, based upon a case study of six non-native adult English speakers of varied ethnicities and linguistic backgrounds, analyzed the interaction dynamics of the participating non-native adult English speakers with native English speakers. The major data set was collected from semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and participatory observations of communicative activities both inside and outside an adult ESL classroom. It was found that participants seemed to develop social identities to gain a sense of self participatory legitimacy through a pattern of cultural comparison, shock, accommodation and reconciliation. Standard-English-only ideology seemed to cause a distressing communicative mindset in the participants. In addition, participants from both the Intermediate Level 3 and Advanced Level 5 in the study showed similar relatively high self-confidence and strong motivation to interact with their native English-speaking teachers or even to take part in outside ESL classroom social interactions. Participants in the study had a tendency to challenge the inequality of the discourse by means of counter-discourse, first language use and coping strategies including ignoring, silence, deflecting, and choosing to pass as a discourse strategy. The study contributes to ESL teachers’ teaching of bi-lingual/multi-lingual/minority students and their efforts to empower ESL students to begin to assume a critical attitude toward literacy practices related to their English knowledge and skill development. Pedagogical implications included the importance of developing methods to teach the authentic usage of oral communication and the desirability of ESL teachers’ completion of professional subject-matter training, a requirement for some initial ESL certification, and continued on-the-job professional development.
Charles Hancock (Advisor)
299 p.

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Citations

  • Yeh, L.-M. (2004). Determination of legitimate speakers of English in ESL discourse: social-cultural aspects of selected issues – power, subjectivity and equality [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1092350762

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Yeh, Ling-Miao. Determination of legitimate speakers of English in ESL discourse: social-cultural aspects of selected issues – power, subjectivity and equality. 2004. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1092350762.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Yeh, Ling-Miao. "Determination of legitimate speakers of English in ESL discourse: social-cultural aspects of selected issues – power, subjectivity and equality." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1092350762

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)