1. RESEARCH TITLE:  Educational background, identity and motivation: a study of Arab women learning ESOL in South Yorkshire. INSPIRATION:  Feedback from colleagues, ESOL students, family friends and university students on personal experiences of learning ESOL. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

2. VALUE OF THIS RESEARCH FOR PRACTITIONERS  to examine reasons for distractions/reduced focus in lessons.  to explore Ss' short and long term goals so that lessons are relevant and tailored accordingly. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

3.  To explore how Arabic-speaking ESOL students are motivated and how identity can influence language learning performance.  To establish effective teaching techniques which better engage these students. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM AIMS: Mixed methods with 10 female participants...

4.  Success in language attainment is dependent upon learner’s affective predisposition toward the target language (Gardner & Lambert, 1972).  Motivation is defined as a contract made up of certain attitudes, the most significant of which is towards the target culture and language (Gardner & Lynch, 1990). LITERATURE- MOTIVATION & LANGUAGE LEARNING SUCCESS... SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

5. 1. Intersection of social class and motivation SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM  Career choice... in some participants' home countries, it was frowned upon for a female from a middle class family to enter a profession other than medicine or teaching.... these participants therefore wish to explore alternative/individual interests in the UK, calling for more "Employability with ESOL" courses.

6. 2. Link between perceived ability and mother's educational background  Participants whose mothers were educated to degree level or at least high school much more confident in ESOL ability.  Much of this stemmed from positive reinforcement from the parent from a young age. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

7.  a) Reputation... Desire to be appreciated by others had a noticeable effect on progress (learners were conscious of making mistakes in front of others in class). 3. Most influential identity factors impacting on ESOL learning SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

8. CONT. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM  b) Family Life... being a wife or mother- home responsibilities, day care and social connections- preoccupied learners in lessons.... such learners believed many personal goals were unachievable whilst they had young children, and if classes were not flexible.

9. Tap into Ss’ intrinsic goals (self- desire to learn) by... TEACHER STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE CLASSROOM PRACTICE SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM  making connections to their future goals, especially in homework (autonomous learning opportunity).

10. Example scenario...  Business graduate  Never worked in this field in home country  Desire to learn about work in the UK  Defined long-term goal SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

11. Suggested solution...  Set homework, especially writing tasks, to research and write about a business idea of personal interest.  Incorporate terminology on trade for vocab development and spelling tests.  Prepare comprehension questions on a recent newspaper article related to business. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

12. Foster group harmony by...  Creating an environment where learners don't fear making mistakes. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM

13.  Learner conscious about reading text aloud for fear of pronunciation errors.  Infrequent contribution in class.  Progress checks and formative assessment difficult with little cooperation. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM Example scenario...

14.  Devise ground rules at start of the course to ensure respect for all students.  Allow ample opportunities for small group work so Ss can gradually develop confidence.  Learn basic Arabic greetings and enhance cultural awareness (e.g. acknowledge Ss' home culture & facilitate time to discuss) SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM Suggested solution...

15. NEXT STEPS...  Disseminate findings with ESOL teachers to implement practical strategies for improving success of ESOL learning.  Recommendations for further research: Conduct an official detailed survey of ESOL practitioners to ascertain specific areas of difficulty in teaching and learning. SUNDUS ALZOUEBI SUN.ALZ@HOTMAIL.COM