Impacts of student autobiographies on mainstream teachers\u27 perceptions, attitudes, and instruction of English language learners

Each year, the United States becomes more ethnically and linguistically diverse, with more than 90 percent of immigrants coming from non-English-speaking countries. In order to develop the best educational programs for these learners, we need to understand their diverse backgrounds. This study explores student autobiographies and how they impact mainstream teachers\u27 perceptions, attitudes, and instruction of English language learners. Fifth and sixth grade ELLs wrote their autobiographies in ESL class. These autobiographies were shared with the fifth grade teachers. A questionnaire was administered before the teachers read the autobiographies and a focus group was conducted after they were read. After the analysis of the questionnaires and the focus group, it is concluded that the fifth grade teachers gained understanding of the ELLs\u27 backgrounds, which influenced them adapt teaching materials to the students\u27 needs