Effective methods of teaching and learning adult ESL learners in an Asian school of manicuring/nail technology

Teaching in a predominately S.E. Asian school of manicuring/nail technology is a challenge for a teacher as the students experience language and cultural barriers to learning. The teaching staff has knowledge and experience to teach the subject but do not speak another language other than English. The students in this study were adult S.E. Asian learners with English as a Second Language and were seeking to learn about manicuring/nail technology in order to become licensed through the State of Minnesota. The licensure requires a successful completion of 350 hours of manicuring/nail technology program, training in a licensed school that teaches manicuring/nail technology and passing a state board test. The students must learn the theory and skills in manicuring, pedicuring, and artificial nail application as they are tested through the licensure process of both theory and skills of manicuring on a state level. The student must demonstrate attainment of state requirements for licensure in which they must successfully perform a manicure, as well as the application of artificial nails. There appears to be a lack of research done in the area of teaching ESL adult learners in the manicuring/nail technology area. This study may help ESL students pass a state examination to become licensed. The study may also be important to other faculty teaching in similar vocational or technical preparation fields. This study provided insight to students learning and positive results as the students began to succeed in passing the state examination to obtain a license to work in this profession.