Replication of a Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of ESL for Adult Refugees Aided by MP3 Recordings of Lessons
Replication of a Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of ESL for Adult Refugees Aided by MP3 Recordings of Lessons

Summary/Abstract: Learning a second language at any age is a difficult feat; however, entering the United States as an adult refugee includes a host of affective factors that can impact second language acquisition from the onset. Such factors include time, opportunity, and motivation to learn English. Many adult learners fear ridicule or offending native speakers as they are learning a second language, so they may be more inhibited in their practice of it. To combat these fears an Mp3 intervention was initiated to allow a group of Karen speakers the opportunity to practice English in the safe environment of their homes on a daily basis. English lessons and their Karen translations were recorded onto Mp3 players that allowed the participants to hear correct pronunciations, vocabulary, and English syntax on a daily basis. This mixed methods case study considered data from a previous pilot study and its limitations, and then replicated the study attempting to resolve any issues found in the previous study. A certified administrator assessed each participant using the Best Plus Test to achieve an English proficiency baseline, a secondary test after ten weeks of no intervention, and then a final evaluation was assessed after a ten-week intervention using the Mp3strategy. Researchers found that the Mp3 intervention had a significant impact on the number of Student Performance Levels (SPL) that a participant increased within the ten-week intervention. However, the most effective methodology was to couple this intervention with weekly ESL classes to reach the maximum number of participants.

• Details
• Contents