Date of Graduation
Fall 2025
Degree
Master of Arts in Writing
Department
English
Committee Chair
Kenneth Gillam
Abstract
Students taking first-year composition classes in the United States are typically new to the university and native speakers of English; however, since approximately 5.6% of American college students come from other countries, non-native English speakers are also often present in these classrooms. In this project, I aim to explore the linguistic, cultural, and academic challenges faced by English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the first–year composition and English language learning classroom. Using a methodological triangulation combining autoethnography, qualitative research, case studies, close reading, textual analysis, and personal reflection, I investigate how language and background shape ESL students' writing identities. My central questions include: How do second language factors such as culture, gender, prior education, and writing experiences affect the way immigrant students express identity in a mainstream writing course? How do the challenges of one-on-one writing conferences differ between Bangladesh, my home country, and the United States? This thesis has two main parts: one case study involving four students and a survey of thirty ESL students at Missouri State University’s English Language Institute. This study builds a bridge between first-year composition and English language learning classrooms, shedding light on ESL students’ challenges and highlighting the need for more intentional, culturally responsive teaching strategies that address identity, language barriers, and cross-context transitions.
Keywords
first-year composition classroom (FYC), cultural differences, pedagogical challenges, cross-cultural composition, translingual writing pedagogy
Subject Categories
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
Copyright
© Farhana Akter
Recommended Citation
Akter, Farhana, "Multilingual Voices, Monolingual Spaces: Linguistic, Academic, and Cultural Challenges of ESL Students" (2025). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4104.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4104
