Suzanne, the instructor with the higher–level group that included Marion, Hannah, and Nadine explained why students placed a greater value on traditional literacy skills, and why this has become the norm for the class.

I think they are wrapped up in that traditional way because that's what they knew first, and that's what they've been taught, that you should be able to learn to read. You should be able to do this fairly easily, like most other people. And when they can't it sets them up for failure. Perhaps many students view 'pen and paper' tasks as having more importance because of the concrete results. It's more tangible and bears evidence that learning, in their eyes, has taken place. For some students who have had several or more years of schooling in their own countries, pen and paper tasks represent the familiar or known. They are a constant between the cultures.

Suzanne is fully aware of the literacy activities that the students enjoy and value. She is perceptive to their needs and has also received direct feedback from them.

They like the traditional things. They love the vocabulary program. That one they ask for. They say, 'We haven't done that. Where is it this week? We would do this four days a week.' They told me this yesterday, and I thought really? This is really great feedback. Not only do I like teaching it, but it's very good for me to hear that this is something they want. 'We see these words all the time now. I'm seeing them in the newspaper. I'm hearing them, now I understand them.' Wow. I thought that was really good.

Fran, on the other hand, recognized that her group, which was at a lower literacy skills level, didn't share the same strengths as Suzanne's group. With this in mind, she has placed a greater emphasis on the development of self–esteem, rather than more academic topics.

I would say probably [the most important thing is] that they feel good about themselves in some way. Obviously, part of my job is to try to nurture that or bring that out… as I think about it more and more, that personal component is really important. I guess the thing that I've learned over the term is that my students don't have the ability to remember "academic facts" for a long period of time. It's not that you're adding all that information on and that it will be a building block. It's probably not going to happen that way. So I just have to accept the fact that as long as they feel good and comfortable in the teachingsetting, that they feel this is their place and they have a spot, then that probably is a success.