From Self-Doubt to Self-Acceptance: An ESL Learner’s Journey

Authors

  • Jing Li University of Houston

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52242/gatesol.51

Keywords:

Self-acceptance, ESL learners, Storytelling, Collaborative learning, Diversity.

Abstract

The paper is a narrative inquiry into how an ESL learner transits from self-doubt to  

self-acceptance in America. Three aspects are found to be critical for the learner to  

reach self-acceptance: exposing the true self through storytelling; finding the true

self in collaborative learning; integrating the true self into the diversity. Those

aspects provide teachers practical ideas regarding how to foster students’ self-

acceptance and empower them to open themselves for communication in English. 

Author Biography

  • Jing Li, University of Houston

    Jing Li is a current Ph.D. student in the College of Education, University of Houston. In the program of teaching and teacher education, she is studying teacher induction, teacher attrition and teacher professional development via narrative inquiry approach.                

References

Carson, S. H., & Langer, E. J. (2006). Mindfulness and self-acceptance. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-behavior Therapy, 24(1), 29-43.

Freiberg, H. J. (1996). From tourists to citizens in the classroom. Educational Leadership, 54, 32-37.

Llurda, E. (2009). Attitudes towards English as an international language: the pervasiveness of native models among L2 users and teachers. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), English as an international language: Perspectives and pedagogical issues (pp. 119-134). Bristol, UK:
Multilingual Matters.

Martin-Beltrán, M., Chen, P., Guzman, N., & Merills, K. A. (2016). How adolescents use social discourse to open space for language learning during peer interactions. In M. Sato & S. Ballinger (Eds.), Peer interaction and second language learning: pedagogical potential
and research agenda (pp. 319-348). Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins.

Downloads

Published

10/31/2016

Issue

Section

Personal Stories & Perspectives – Have Your Say

How to Cite

From Self-Doubt to Self-Acceptance: An ESL Learner’s Journey. (2016). GATESOL Journal, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.52242/gatesol.51