Integrating SelfAccess Learning With Language Learning Courses

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Integrating Self-Access Learning With Language
Learning Courses
2nd Independent Learning Association Oceania
Conference September 2005

• David Gardner
• English Centre, The University of Hong Kong

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Why Integrate

• To provide learner training
• To sensitise learners to self-access
• To prepare learners for independence

Supported in the Literature Benson, 2001
Fisher, Hafner and Young, in press Forrester,
1994 Gardner, in press Gardner and Miller,
1999 Miller and Gardner, 1994 Miller and Ng,
1996 Sinclair, 1996 Thomson 1996

• To legitimise SALL

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Caution

• Conformity to institutional requirements e.g.
  teacher-student ratios, time spent on task,
  demonstrable learning gain or assessment
• clear danger that actions taken to meet
  institutional requirements or overcome
  constraints in terms of time and personnel, may
  end up restricting rather than fostering
  autonomy (Toogood and Pemberton, 2002, p87)

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Some Recent Attempts to Integrate Self-Access

• The Self-Access English Module (UST, HK
  Reported by Toogood and Pemberton, 2002)
• Integrating Independent Learning Lessons learned
  and implications for the classroom (CityU, HK.
  Reported by Fisher, Hafner and Young, in press)
• Integrating Self-access Learning into an EAP
  Course (D. Gardner. HKU, HK., in press)

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COMPARISON

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Benefits of Integrating Self-Access

• Positive reactions from students
• Met students needs
• Students thought it was useful
• Students valued choice and independence
• Increase in ability to work independently
• Students said they would continue

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Problem areas and Solutions UST (version 1)

• Problem coping with staff-student ratios
  required by counselling
• Solution
• Required focus (structure)
• Group counselling (time saving)
• Also provided face validity to institution

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Problem areas and Solutions UST (version 2)

• Problem shortage of time and students felt
  constrained by required focus
• Solution
• No required focus
• More group discussion
• Increased student study time
• Introduced self-evaluation

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Problem areas and SolutionsUST (version 3)

• Problem shortage of time, group meetings not
  productive, and students wanted more counselling
• Solution
• Guides for materials
• Students document learning and report
• Class-based training sessions

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Outcomes

• More freedom for students
• Less checking of student engagement
• Checking documentation is time consuming
• Consultations regularly overrun (up to 50)

• Potential solution
• More time on orientation

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Problem areas CityU
Students were confused and needed more learner
training

• Could not assess own needs
• Lacked linguistic competence
• Could not find resources
• Did not like reflecting on learning

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Significant factors affecting the independent
learning process (adapted from Fisher, Haffner
and Young, in press)

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Overall Solution City U
Deeper Integration

• Avoid the parallel approach
• Include metacognitive skills and support for
  independent learning as an essential element
  woven throughout the course
• Provide
• explicit discussion of the process of learning
• deliberate attempts to raise students awareness
  of transfer opportunities

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Future Plan City U
Produce a single course in which SALL is
integrated in all parts of the course

• Content
• Aims
• Skills
• Collaboration
• Motivation

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Example City U
Content

• listening activity content about problems
  independent learners have (and solutions)
• reading activities use texts about learning
  strategies
• discussion topics How to(use movies)
• writing activities e.g. persuade other students
  to try a particular learning resource

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Problem Areas HKU

• Learner Engagement
• -difficult to ascertain the degree of engagement
  throughout semester
• Teacher Engagement
• -impossible to monitor teacher involvement
• -anecdotal evidence from other projects that
  students enthusiasm for SALL reflects that of
  their teachers

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Solution HKU

• Find a balance between learner choice and
  support/structure

• 2nd project using a web-based learning management
  system
• enabled learner decision making
• prevented feelings of isolation
• helped teachers feel they are monitoring
• promoted record keeping, reflection, feedback,
  discussion and interaction

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Secondary Problems HKU

• Difficult to promote interaction
• Lacked flexibility to cope with teacher
  differences

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Potential Solutions HKU

• Make the web activities credit earning
• Central maintenance of core materials but allow
  each teacher to customise their websites
• Learning Interest SIGs
• Students choose membership
• Coordinated by one of the course teachers
• Attendance requirement (online presence)

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Summary of Problems and Possible Solutions(3
projects)

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Timing Problems
Need to Balance Learner Training and Learning Time

• Time spent on learner training against time
  devoted to actual language learning
• Not enough learner training can lead to confusion
  and dissatisfaction
• Too much can be viewed by students (and maybe
  teachers) as counter-productive
• This is especially problematic in short courses

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Timing Problems
Counselling Time

• Teachers time is costly and accountable
• Sufficient one-to-one student counselling time is
  difficult to justify
• Insufficient time can leave students lost and
  dissatisfied

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Structure

• Balancing learner-choice against institutional
  requirements
• Balancing teacher-direction against
  learner-choice
• Structure as support

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Providing Support/Counselling

• Time and cost
• Learners need help
• Individual versus group
• Peer support

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Monitoring

• Interaction
• Motivation
• Accountability
• Infringing on autonomy
• Constraining

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Validity

• Demonstrating legitimacy
• Persuading teachers
• Constraining

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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Plan for This Paper

• Part 1 Introduction
• Part 2 Describe some recent projects
• Part 3 List the benefits found
• Part 4 Discuss the problems and solutions
• Conclusions

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CONCLUSION
Integrating SALL requires a complex balancing act
involving

• Timing
• Choice
• Support/Counselling
• Monitoring
• Validity

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CONCLUSION
Getting it right can

• Increase understanding of the uses of SALL
• Increase opportunities for learner training
• Improve guidance and support

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THE END

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