“I kept telling myself I have to learn; it is good for me and my children”: Motherhood, motivation and learning English amongst a group of Pakistani British women

Abstract

This article uses an Islamic lens to explore the question, What are the identities, aspirations, and motivations for Pakistani and Muslim women learning English? As Muslim women, the research participants had a strong allegiance to motherhood, with children being a motivating factor in learning English. This study explores how motherhood identities and the Islamic faith intersect in powerful ways for Pakistani British women learning English in the United Kingdom. The way that motherhood identity is conceptualised through the Islamic faith for these learners can be invisible to educational institutions and policymakers. The article offers an alternative narrative by directly engaging with women's lived experiences as language learners, as Muslim women and as mothers, thus contributing knowledge from the perspective of the learners, whose voices are often not heard in TESOL debates.