The Influence of Teacher Power on English Language Learners' Self-Perceptions of Learner Empowerment

Abstract

English language learners (ELL) are students with a primary language spoken other than English enrolled in U.S. educational settings. As ELL students take on the challenges of learning English and U.S. culture, they must also learn academic content. The expectation to succeed academically in a foreign culture and language, while learning to speak and comprehend the language itself, would be a stressful and challenging task for almost anyone. In comparison with non-ELL students, ELL students tend to demonstrate lower levels of academic achievement. The current study examined ELL students' perceptions on teacher power and its' influences on self-perceptions of learner empowerment. Quantitative data was collected measuring perceptions of teacher power use and self-perceptions of learner empowerment. Qualitative data consisted of twenty in-depth interviews with ELL students illuminating their perceptions of teacher power and its relationship to their perceptions of learner empowerment. Differences were found by language in coercive, legitimate, and expert teacher power. Four themes emerged from interviews; what good teachers do, what bad teachers do, what teachers should know, and understanding ELL students. Implications for educators and future research are discussed.