Mothers as Language Learners: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Gendered Experiences in a Community-Based English Reading Club
SAGE OPEN, cilt.16, sa.3, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 16 Sayı: 3
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1177/21582440261475408
- Dergi Adı: SAGE OPEN
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Directory of Open Access Journals, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Learning a second language can be challenging for adults, particularly for mothers who balance childcare, household responsibilities, and personal development. Despite growing interest in community-based language learning, little is known about how mothers experience these programmes and how social roles affect participation. This study investigates mothers' experiences of learning English in a community-based reading club, focusing on the influence of gendered roles, social positioning, and relational dynamics. Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, data were collected over four months through a background questionnaire, weekly learning activities, focus group interviews, and a final reflective workshop with 31 participants. The study provides detailed insights into the interaction between language learning, motherhood, and everyday life. Findings show that participation was shaped by structural constraints, such as fragmented time due to domestic responsibilities, and by relational and emotional factors. The reading club provided a supportive environment in which participants received recognition, developed solidarity with peers, and found relief from isolation. Engagement in learning was closely tied to family life, showing that investment in English learning was often relational and identity-affirming rather than purely instrumental. The study highlights the importance of designing adult language learning programmes that consider both practical and emotional realities and demonstrates that motherhood is a key lens through which participation is shaped. Moreover, by foregrounding mothers' experiences, the study contributes to more inclusive, flexible, and socially responsive approaches to adult language education.