Concern over falling retention rates at community colleges is not new; however, declines in success rates for mature English language learners (ELLs) in credit English as a second language (CESL) programs has become even more pronounced. The purpose of this mixed-method action research was to investigate the impact of a classroom intervention and the role of the teacher in their students' motivation to persist beyond the intermediate CESL level toward higher academic goals. Over the course of 1 semester, 93 students in four sections of the intermediate grammar and writing class participated in a set of four Canvas modules. The modules contained informational and motivational themes of high interest to mature ELLs embedded in the grammar and writing lessons. Of the four sections, three were delivered asynchronously online and one was synchronous on Zoom. Of the 93 students, 48 completed a post-action survey. Five participants filled out a longer reflection questionnaire, two elected to be interviewed on Zoom, and the three instructors participated in a focus group. Participating students reported the biggest challenges they faced were language barriers, lack of knowledge about the college system or academic culture capital, and lack of time to dedicate to their studies due to other responsibilities. Participants also reported greater motivation to persist toward higher academic goals due to the motivation and information they received from the modules. A major implication of this study is for community college personnel to invest in programs dedicated to the success of mature ELLs in CESL programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]