The CATESOL Journal

According to the American Immigration Council, there were 28.4 million immigrant workers in the United States in 2018, comprising 17 percent of the labor force. As a result, English as a second language (ESL) programs have been developed by educators and policy makers to help them acquire English language proficiency. Some immigrants, especially older immigrants, have a pressing need to improve their quality of life by improving on their competence. Unfortunately, their immediate learning needs were not taken into consideration in the ESL program where I, as an ESL instructor, was affiliated. This article describes how I implemented theories of adult education in an eight-week ESL class, which aimed to help older adult immigrants develop career and life competence by using authentic and adapted learning materials. This article provides reflections on my instruction and recommendations for future implementations.