Reflections of Instructors in the United States on the TESOL Standards for ESL/EFL Teachers of Adults

The preservice preparation for instructors of adult emergent bi/multilingual learners (EBLs) in the United States has been characterized as lacking uniformity, consistent academic rigor, and practical application to bolster instructors' feelings of self-efficacy and agency in addressing their students' complex psycho-social-emotional and learning needs. Since the "Standards for ESL/EFL Teachers of Adults" (2008) often act as the foundation to inform the content of preservice coursework, both in the United States and internationally, this qualitative research study explored the reflections of instructors of adult EBLs regarding their preservice preparation through the lens of these standards via semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited nationwide using existing TESOL listservs and organizations and universities that offer certificate, undergraduate, and graduate preparation programs in TESOL. From the participants who volunteered to be contacted for follow-up interviews, purposeful sampling was used to identify 16 with different levels of preservice preparation and teaching experience. Even though all interviewees felt adequately prepared to teach adult EBLs based on these standards, they could identify areas that should be modified or expanded, especially the andragogical use of educational technology. The findings from this study also identified areas for future research. These findings might also resonate with instructors who teach English to adults internationally because these standards are used globally.