Exploring the identity of young students

in one language center of the University

Guanajuato
Annie Avils

CONTEXT

Language Center of the University of Guanajuato, in Len, Gto.

15 English students in the kids program, level 100 (begginers).

Ages: from 9 to 11, the majority is 10 years old.

They come to class twice a week, two hours per class.

They come from different private primary schools.

RESEARCH QUESTION
What

are the factors that affect English language

learners identity?

Broad

question

LEARNER IDENTITY

Language students develop a role, an image which is unique to them, but which at the
same time is used to relate to others in the classroom.

Hall (1997) argues that identity is highly influenced by the outside environment and the
recognition that others have towards us; without others, we lose self-recognition.

Anwaruddin (2012) states that students construct and change their identities as they go
through the processes of learning English as a foreign language (p.8).

METHODOLOGY
Qualitative

paradigm.

will take ethnography as a model and use ethnographic

techniques.

Participant

observation refers to the role of the researcher, in

which he or she is able to observe different situations, phenomena,
behaviors and patterns, as well as actively participate in such
activities and interactions. (Fox, 1998)

DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

Observation. I was able to observe and reflect on the interactions going on in

the classroom, video tapes.

Researcher diary/journal. Accounts of the situations happening on the research

site.

Interviews. Semi structured individual interviews. Dornyei (2007): a set of

prepared guiding questions, but at the same time, the format is open-ended,
which helps the interaction to be more fluid and open to exploration.

Group Interview: generate a different climate from the individual interviews.

Five-minute Papers: they had to write a response to one open ended question
regarding their language learning. Murphy states that learner responses to
such questions are especially useful if the teacher emphasizes that the purpose
is to provide formative feedback on how the course is going (2001, p. 502).

DATA SAMPLES AND THEME: MOTIVATION

(When asked about utility of English) en la escuela (primaria) a veces para la clase de
ingls. En la casa con mi mam a veces me pregunta cosas en realidad s sirven (las clases
de ingls). INTST1

Tengo una mejor oportunidad cuando vengo, estoy aprendiendo otro idioma. INTST2

Pues a m se me hace que es importante, para tener un mejor futuro. INTST2

Bien, y que es importante para m porque tengo un mejor futuro. INTST3

No pero oh Bueno s. Lo estoy aprendiendo porque me gusta, y porque s me gusta

aprender otros idiomas. Primero tengo que aprender ingls, ya despus a ver otro ms,
bueno es ser fcil pero no es tan fcil as que t digas. INTST4

Que entr porque mi pap nos dijo: los inscribimos en una escuela de ingls, para cuando
vayamos a Estados Unidos. Pero es que l lo deca de broma, lo dijo de broma, dijo para cuando
vayamos Estados Unidos hablen ingls. INTST5

El idioma si es til, porque es el idioma como global, yo creo que si dominas el ingls, si
dominas del ingls puedes, pues ya le entiendes bien a los otros idiomas. Y el idioma y la
verdad no me gusta, pero an aunque no me guste pues su estudio. INTST5

REFERENCES

Anwaruddin, S., (2012). Learner Identity in Second Language Education. The

Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies. Vol 18(2). Pp.13-23.

Dornyei, Z. (2007). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Quantitative, Qualitative

and Mixed Methods. 5th ed. Spain: Oxford University Press.

Fox, N. (1998). How to Use Observations in a Research Project. Sheffield, UK: Trent
Focus Group.

Hall, S. (1996). Introduction: Who Needs Identity? In: Hall, S. & Du Gay, P. (Eds).

Questions of Cultural Identity. Pp. 1-17. London, UK: Sage.

Murphy, M., J. (2001). Reflective Teaching in ELT. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching

English as a Second or Foreign Language. Boston, MA: Heinle and Heinle.