Date
8-6-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Janet Vosen
Keywords
English Language Learners (ELLs), Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), ESOL Training, Transcendental Phenomenological Study, content teachers, transition theory
Disciplines
Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Ellis, Anita, "A Transcendental Phenomenological Study: Exploring Experiences of Secondary Teachers With Content- Only Training Instructing English Language Learners" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7342.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7342
Abstract
The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the initial experiences of secondary content teachers from diverse backgrounds during their first five years in high schools with a substantial number of English Language Learners (above 50%) in north Georgia. The theory guiding this study is Schlossberg's transition theory as it helps to understand the psychological and emotional adaptations teachers undergo while instructing ELLs, highlighting changes in their self- perceptions, circumstances, and support networks. The central research question is: What challenges and strategies do secondary education teachers without ESOL training describe in their experiences teaching various subjects to classrooms with a significant number of ELLs during their first five years in northwest Georgia? This study utilizes a transcendental phenomenological research design, involving a sample of first to fifth-year secondary teachers. Data were collected through interviews, letter-writing, and focus groups to explore their transitional journey, focusing on personal, interpersonal, and professional facets. Data analysis involved identifying the common themes, culturally responsive teaching, policy and practice, as well as support systems which all impacted the experiences shared by these secondary teachers who instruct ELLs without specialized ESOL training. The results revealed recurring complex instructional hurdles, gaps in systematic support, and an urgency for culturally responsive instruction giving evidence to the realities rooted in the participants’ narratives. These findings emphasize the need for a policy overhaul of teacher preparation programs to empower content area teachers with effective strategies and skills to navigate ELL instruction.
