English for Speakers of Other Languages (Esol)

Improving English Language Acquisition for Preliterate and Nonliterate Adult African Refugees

Bibliographic Data

ID5711225
AuthorsThandi S Tshabangu-Soko, Thandi Tshabangu-Soko (Simmons University, corresponding author), Rosemary M Caron (0000-0002-3999-0086, University of New Hampshire)
Year2011
Volume9
Issue4
Pages416-433
Publication date2011-10-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1556-2948 • E-ISSN: 1556-2956
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/15562948.2011.616812
OpenAlexW2013180002
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited4

Language barriers lead to unemployment, poverty, diminished health status, and social isolation. Since some African refugee populations are often not literate in their own language as well as English, they experience difficulty integrating into their new community. Structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with African refugees regarding the effectiveness of English for speakers of other languages(ESOL) programs. Several factors were identified as impeding the participant's success in the program: (a) lack of peer education; (b) short duration of classes; and (c) lack of consideration for native languageilliteracy. Recommendations are offered to improve the effectiveness of ESOL programs for this target population

Economic growth · First language · Functional illiteracy · Language proficiency · Linguistics · Pedagogy · Political science · Population · Poverty · Refugee · Sociology · Unemployment · Demography · Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees · Multilingual Education and Policy · Psychology · Second Language Learning and Teaching

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