{"id":{"repo_id":"unt","oai_identifier":"info:ark/67531/metadc4681"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/unt/info:ark/67531/metadc4681","repository":{"repo_id":"unt","name":"University of North Texas","base_url":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Speaking up! Adult ESL students' perceptions of native and non-native English speaking teachers.","abstract":"Research to date on the native versus non-native English speaker teacher (NEST versus non-NEST) debate has primarily focused on teacher self-perception and performance. A neglected, but essential, viewpoint on this issue comes from English as a second language (ESL) students themselves. This study investigated preferences of adults, specifically immigrant and refugee learners, for NESTs or non-NESTs. A 34-item, 5-point Likert attitudinal survey was given to 102 students (52 immigrants, 50 refugees) enrolled in ESL programs in a large metropolitan area in Texas . After responding to the survey, 32 students volunteered for group interviews to further explain their preferences. Results indicated that adult ESL students have a general preference for NESTs over non-NESTs, but have stronger preferences for NESTs in teaching specific skill areas such as pronunciation and writing. There was not a significant difference between immigrants' and refugees' general preferences for NESTs over non-NESTs based on immigration status.","abstract_html":"Research to date on the native versus non-native English speaker teacher (NEST versus non-NEST) debate has primarily focused on teacher self-perception and performance. A neglected, but essential, viewpoint on this issue comes from English as a second language (ESL) students themselves. This study investigated preferences of adults, specifically immigrant and refugee learners, for NESTs or non-NESTs. A 34-item, 5-point Likert attitudinal survey was given to 102 students (52 immigrants, 50 refugees) enrolled in ESL programs in a large metropolitan area in Texas . After responding to the survey, 32 students volunteered for group interviews to further explain their preferences. Results indicated that adult ESL students have a general preference for NESTs over non-NESTs, but have stronger preferences for NESTs in teaching specific skill areas such as pronunciation and writing. There was not a significant difference between immigrants' and refugees' general preferences for NESTs over non-NESTs based on immigration status.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Torres, Julie West"],"institution":"University of North Texas","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Larson-Hall, Jenifer","Montler, Timothy","Cukor-Avila, Patricia"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-12","date_published":"2004-12","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:35:09Z","subjects":["English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers.","English teachers.","immigrants","ESL","teachers","adult students","perceptions","English as a Second Language"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["Public","Copyright","Torres, Julie West","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["oclc: 58803332","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4681/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc4681"],"render_values":[{"text":"oclc: 58803332","href":null,"code":true},{"text":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4681/","href":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4681/","code":true},{"text":"ark: ark:/67531/metadc4681","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.12794/metadc4681","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Larson-Hall, Jenifer","Montler, Timothy","Cukor-Avila, Patricia"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Torres, Julie West"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2004-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of North Texas"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis or Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers.","English teachers.","immigrants","ESL","teachers","adult students","perceptions","English as a Second Language"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Public","Copyright","Torres, Julie West","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["oclc: 58803332","doi: 10.12794/metadc4681","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4681/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc4681"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Research to date on the native versus non-native English speaker teacher (NEST versus non-NEST) debate has primarily focused on teacher self-perception and performance. A neglected, but essential, viewpoint on this issue comes from English as a second language (ESL) students themselves. This study investigated preferences of adults, specifically immigrant and refugee learners, for NESTs or non-NESTs. A 34-item, 5-point Likert attitudinal survey was given to 102 students (52 immigrants, 50 refugees) enrolled in ESL programs in a large metropolitan area in Texas . After responding to the survey, 32 students volunteered for group interviews to further explain their preferences. Results indicated that adult ESL students have a general preference for NESTs over non-NESTs, but have stronger preferences for NESTs in teaching specific skill areas such as pronunciation and writing. There was not a significant difference between immigrants' and refugees' general preferences for NESTs over non-NESTs based on immigration status."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["Text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Speaking up! Adult ESL students' perceptions of native and non-native English speaking teachers."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Larson-Hall, Jenifer","Montler, Timothy","Cukor-Avila, Patricia"],"dc:creator":["Torres, Julie West"],"dc:date":["2004-12"],"dc:description":["Research to date on the native versus non-native English speaker teacher (NEST versus non-NEST) debate has primarily focused on teacher self-perception and performance. A neglected, but essential, viewpoint on this issue comes from English as a second language (ESL) students themselves. This study investigated preferences of adults, specifically immigrant and refugee learners, for NESTs or non-NESTs. A 34-item, 5-point Likert attitudinal survey was given to 102 students (52 immigrants, 50 refugees) enrolled in ESL programs in a large metropolitan area in Texas . After responding to the survey, 32 students volunteered for group interviews to further explain their preferences. Results indicated that adult ESL students have a general preference for NESTs over non-NESTs, but have stronger preferences for NESTs in teaching specific skill areas such as pronunciation and writing. There was not a significant difference between immigrants' and refugees' general preferences for NESTs over non-NESTs based on immigration status."],"dc:format":["Text"],"dc:identifier":["oclc: 58803332","doi: 10.12794/metadc4681","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4681/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc4681"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of North Texas"],"dc:rights":["Public","Copyright","Torres, Julie West","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."],"dc:subject":["English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers.","English teachers.","immigrants","ESL","teachers","adult students","perceptions","English as a Second Language"],"dc:title":["Speaking up! Adult ESL students' perceptions of native and non-native English speaking teachers."],"dc:type":["Thesis or Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:35:09Z"}