Teachers' and Roma students' experiences of the ESOL classroom in Yorkshire.

This research is concerned with exploring teachers' and Roma students' experiences of the ESOL classroom within a further education institute in Yorkshire. Since teaching ESOL to teenagers, I began to realise that what influenced students' language development and learning the most was the practice and conduct of the teacher, a finding that was initially surprising. This, I noticed, was pertinent amongst the Roma students, therefore, what I did not notice then, but have come to recognise as increasingly problematic, is the extent to which the teacher's attitudes, interactions and communication with these students impacts on their attainment in class. I soon began searching for signs, clues and indications that would lead me to uncover the gap that evidently existed between the teacher and the students and how, if possible, this could be closed. This paper draws upon literature and various sources that focus on teachers' attitudes, experiences, interactions and relationships as well as students' barriers to learning, both in and out of the ESOL classroom. This study adopts a qualitative inquiry that focuses on inductive rather than deductive analytical approaches, utilising observations and focus groups to explore both teachers' and students' views. It is hoped that this study will provide a broad insight into the role and relationships of teachers and students in the ESOL classroom, and contribute to the relatively new discussion about the ways in which Roma students can be best supported, and to raise the awareness and skills of teachers working with these students. The results reveal that a greater understanding of students' backgrounds and their individual barriers to learning has a more positive effect on the outcome of the relationships and interactions that exist, not solely between Roma students and the teacher, but also between ESOL students in general.