RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Amelia Teresa Correa

Professor B. Gleason

Teaching Adult Writers in Diverse Contexts

March 24^th, 2015

The New York Public Library hosts an array of programs from basic computer to English Literacy and English as a second Language.  And although the Morris Park Library located in the Bronx section bearing the same name, happens to be a very small branch, they proudly host English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for adults over 45 years of age.  So I was very lucky to come across this program for older adults not only for his closeness to home but because its students are the perfect subject to learn about; they are much older than 21. 

The Morris Park Library has a branch Manager with whom I made preliminary contact, Ms. Dawn Holloway.  I contacted her via email and requested to be allowed in the classroom to carry on a research consisting of observing their ESL class at least twice and reporting on my learning experience. Fortunately enough, Ms. Hollow was extremely helpful, for she forwarded my message within a matter of 24 hours to the Hub Manager Mr. Eric Rosenbaum.  He in returned emailed me in less than a day prompting me to call him. I suppose he wanted to have a feeling of the veracity of my request. 

I contacted Mr. Rosenbaum and he asked me to briefly explain my research, which I did.  He stated he did not know how the instructor of the ESL class, Mr. Ivan Obregon, would feel about being observed, as this was the first time he taught ESL classes at  a NYPL. Undoubtedly, the universe was conspiring to help me, for Mr. Rosenbaum, again in a timely fashion, informed me through email that Mr. Obregon had agreed to allow me to observe his class on the 26^th and the 31^st of March respectively. 

The classes are held on the basement of the premises and are taught by Mr. Ivan Obregon, of Hispanic descend, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 pm to 8 pm.  I will be seating at Mr. Obregon’s ESL class this coming Thursday.  And I have already prepared questions directed more towards the teaching theories he uses to engage his students as well as the different learners he has in his class overall. To that end I will interview Mr. Obregon after my first class observation on the 26^th of March.

Furthermore, through my observations of the class and the interview I will conduct of Mr. Obregon I am hoping to see what the most effective ways are to keep students engage and the most adequate way to retain them until the end of the entire teaching cycle.  My aim is to make sure I can teach an ESL class while maintaining the dropout rate at a minimum.

I am very confident that Mr. Obregon will elucidate during our interview those things I might need clarification for.  I will take notes that will serve me as my secondary source.  My primary source will be articles and papers on teaching and learning theories.

Although I have never performed this type of research, I am confident that my experience conducting other types of research will prove to be helpful for this one in particular.