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Dissertation
Supporting Adult English Learners in Higher Education: Instructor Perspectives and Practices
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2026
Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study examined English instructors’ perspectives on pedagogical practices that built upon students’ existing knowledge in adult emergent bilingual education. Grounded in the funds of knowledge framework (Vélez-Ibáñez & Greenberg, 1992), this research explored how five English faculty at Florida community colleges implemented teaching practices that leveraged Latinx adult emergent bilinguals’ linguistic backgrounds and experiences in developmental English courses. Through semistructured interviews, six themes emerged: recognizing students’ linguistic assets, creating supportive learning environments, addressing adult learning characteristics, implementing varied instructional strategies, faculty’s bilingual experiences influencing teaching, and navigating institutional structures. Findings revealed that participants’ experiences as bilingual educators informed their instructional approaches. Faculty described strategies for incorporating linguistic resources to improve academic outcomes and employed varied assessments accommodating different learning preferences. This research contributes to understanding effective teaching practices by centering faculty perspectives on asset-based pedagogical approaches, offering guidance for faculty development and curriculum design in developmental English programs.
Details
- Title
- Supporting Adult English Learners in Higher Education
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Karieann Soto Vega (Committee Member)Byron Havard (Committee Chair)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 300
- Copyright
- Unpublished work © Sharon L. Diaz Ruiz
- Identifiers
- 99381757108606600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education; Instructional Design and Technology
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida