Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Barbara Hunter

Abstract

International students in the United States enroll in private and public high schools with a goal to graduate and attend an American university. This goal is often difficult to achieve because these students are not acquiring the academic English necessary to be successful in a post-secondary setting. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate what language-learning strategies (LLS) a group of East Asian international students at a private American high school had self-regulated and what strategies their content area teachers had taught them to use to become proficient in academic English. The conceptual framework was Oxford's findings on LLS and self-regulation, which is a self-motivated method of learning that English language learners (ELL) use to become proficient in English through control of the learning environment. The research questions explored which LLS the East Asian international students had used themselves and what LLS the teachers used to help the students attain English proficiency. Data were collected from interviews with 8 East Asian international students who were 12th graders during 2016-2017, 18 years old, and scored 18+ on the English section of the ACT. There were also interviews with 6 core content area teachers. Data analysis involved coding and development of common themes. Findings revealed that East Asian international students self-regulated LLS, and content area teachers did not purposefully plan or use LLS instruction to increase English proficiency among the students. A policy paper project based on the findings included recommendations for professional development, global education, and renewal of the international program. This study promotes positive social change by developing teacher and students' understanding of how to help all ELLs succeed at the secondary and post-secondary levels.

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