Learning Strategies and Low-Literacy Adult Hmong Students

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Learning Strategies and Low-Literacy Adult Hmong
Students

• Julia Reimer
• jreimer_at_hamline.edu
• LESLLA Conference 2009

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Research Questions

• What learning strategies are adult Hmong students
  with little or no prior formal education using to
  learn English?
• What strategies would be good to introduce them
  to?
• What do teachers of adult ESL need to know about
  strategies instruction for learners with little
  prior formal education?

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Project Overview

• Fall 06 Classroom observations
• Winter 07 Interviews
• Spring 07 Strategy Training
• Summer 07 Evaluation

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Setting / Participants

• Workforce education center in metropolitan
  Minnesota
• Pre-literacy level class
• Little to no prior formal education
• CASAS scores 164-191
• Majority Hmong students (also Karen and Somali)

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Language Learning Strategies

• Cognitive
• Metacognitive
• Social
• Affective
• Compensation

1. Organizing and evaluating ones learning
2. Managing emotions
3. Using memory aids, analyzing language
4. Repairing breakdowns in communication
5. Eliciting explanations and practice opportunities
   from others

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Classroom Observation Stage
Effective Strategies Less Effective Strategies
Paper and pens ready, on track with papers look over handouts as class gets ready (metacognitive) Difficulty keeping track of papers
Copy from board or handouts when appropriate (when the teacher gives them time) attend to classroom activity (cognitive and metacognitive) Copy from board or handout when the teacher is explaining something else or is leading choral repetition
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Contd
Copy from board or handouts and ask questions that show comprehension (cognitive) Copy from board or handouts, but with attention solely on form, not meaning
Spontaneous repetition of dialogs personalizing of new vocab (Ex Mai x-ray four time.) (cognitive)
Create new language as requested (cognitive)
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Contd
Use text, pictures, other clues to orient themselves to the material (i.e., on grocery ads, look for pictures of target item) (cognitive and compensatory) Look only for requested text (i.e., on grocery ads, looks for the word apples alone)
Ask teacher for help clarification of directions, correction of answers, etc. (cognitive, metacognitive and social) Avoid interaction with teacher
Teach other students checking their work, asking teacher to help others, etc. (social)
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Strategies of Unknown Efficacy

• Ask for and give translations in L1 (cognitive
  and social)
• Choral repetition to self (cognitive)

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Interview Stage

• Interviewed 11 students
• Used Hmong interpreter
• Approximately ½ - 1 hour interviews
• Focus on prior formal and informal educational
  experiences literacy activities in Hmong
  learning English in the current program (modified
  learning strategies use questions) use of
  English out of class

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General demographics

• Gender F 9 M 2
• Age 20 58
• Time in US recent arrivals 3 years
• Prior formal education n 1 with lt 1year of L1
  school n 3 with lt9 months ESL
• Other L2 experience Thai n 8 report some
  skills (n 6 a little n 2 feel fairly
  fluent) Lao n 5 report some skills (n 4 a
  little n 1 feels fairly fluent)

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Strategies for remembering and practicing new
information (cognitive strategies)

• saying new words outloud (n 5)
• writing new words (n 4)
• listening to TV in English (n7)
• listening to relatives speak English (n3)
• speak less Hmong in class (n1)

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Strategies for breakdown in communication
(compensatory strategies)

• using realia (pointing to items, etc) (n 3)
• using a translator / relative (n 3)
• preparing ahead for communication (n 1)

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Strategy planning your learning (metacognitive
strategies)

• reviewing at home (n8)
• setting aside time to practice with family (n1)

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Strategy asking for help from others (social
strategies)

• asking others for help (peers in class, teacher
  in class, children, other family members) (n
  11)
• checking comprehension with others (n2)

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Strategies for managing affect (nervousness)

• in class, focusing on listening rather than
  responding (n1)
• Avoidance seems to be biggest strategy

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Overall Results

• Some students used cognitive strategies
  effectively in the classroom (spontaneous
  repetition of dialogs personalizing vocabulary).
• Some students used metacognitive strategies
  effectively in the classroom (copying from the
  board at appropriate times).
• Many students used social strategies effectively
  with peers (asking each other for translations or
  clarification), but not with native speakers.
• There was not much use of compensation strategies
  beyond using a translator.
• Students wanted to review at home, but had
  difficulty understanding their class materials or
  didnt know how to review.

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Other comments

• Its really difficult to learn.
• Cant remember what was covered in class once
  they get home, but 8 reported reviewing daily at
  home.
• Many stressors, distractions at home
• Would prefer 1-on-1 time with teacher or having a
  tutor (i.e., less peer work)
• I can say words but cant put sentences
  together.
• Thai is easier to learn than English. We had to
  use it.

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Strategy Training Stage

• Focus on helping students maximize how they use
  the materials / information they get in class,
  and on opportunities to use English.
• Flash cards (basic elements, use)
• Organizing notebooks
• Generative language (a machine for, something
  for)
• Identifying opportunities to use English outside
  of class, and practicing phrases to use