Abstract

This thesis explores the English language learning experiences of ESOL(English for Speakers of Other Languages) participants from southern Spain, examining the interplay between language acquisition, cultural adaptation, andidentity transformation. Grounded in my own ESOL journey — shaped both inSpain and through immersion in an English-speaking context — the studyinvestigates how participants assign meaning to their L2 engagement acrossdiverse social settings, and how English becomes a tool for bothcommunication and personal reinvention. The research adopts a qualitative, narrative-based methodology. The datawere generated through in-depth interviews, small group discussions, andreflective journal entries with nine adult participants, all native Spanishspeakers. Crucially, the data collection was deliberately conducted in English(L2) rather than the participants' native Spanish, serving as a strategic catalystto observe the cognitive distancing and affective translation essential to whatis identified as their transformation. To ensure methodological rigour, anexplicit audit trail was maintained for all data sources, and the researcher’spositionality was actively monitored through a reflexive field diary. Thesenarratives — including discrepant cases that highlight the nuanced andsometimes contradictory realities of non-immersive learning — were analysedthematically through the theoretical lens of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) to understand how language learning is embedded in daily interactionsand shaped by social participation. 5The findings reveal that the motivation to learn English is profoundlyinfluenced by the changing socio-economic landscape of Spain, where ESOLis no longer just an academic subject but a crucial asset for global connectivityand continuous professional engagement. A critical challenge identified is thenecessity for participants to actively manufacture their own opportunities forpractice in the non-immersive environment of southern Spain wherecontinuous L2 exposure is limited. Community support, informal networks, andpersonal motivation emerged as key contributors to sustained learning. This thesis contributes to the field by formalising the mechanism of L2Affective Translation, a cognitive process where the articulation of complexemotions into the L2 acts as a catalyst for profound personal liberation. Itadvocates for a holistic, context-sensitive approach to ESOL education — onethat values learners' stories, supports identity development, and fostersinclusive, meaningful participation beyond the formal classroom.

Awarding Institution(s)

University of Plymouth

Supervisor

Verity Campbell Barr, Mark Delf, Helen Bowstead, Susie Cowley-Haselden

Keywords

ESOL, Narrative analysis, Storytelling, Second language learning, Communities of Practice, L2 Affective Translation, Stories, Feelings, Experiences, Non-formal education; learning communities; social capital; cultural capital; habitus; Iraqi-British cultural centres

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2026

Deposit Date

August 2026

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