English Reflections

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English Reflections

• An Interactive, Reflective Learner Journal

Dr. Andrew Finch
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• Learner journals are valuable educational tools
  which can raise student awareness of learning.
• Learner Journals help learners to
• reflect on the learning process
• make sense of their experiences
• identify their strengths and weaknesses in
  English
• document their progress
• identify effective language learning strategies
  and materials and
• establish goals for future independent learning.

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• In English Reflections, the interactive/
  reflective learning journal which will be
  examined in this workshop, students
• perform interactive learning-related activities
  in class time, and then
• reflect individually upon the issues raised by
  these activities in their own time.
• Twin goals of interaction and reflection are
  achieved in a learner-centred, group/individual
  infrastructure.

4

• Attitudes to learning and the perceptions and
  beliefs which determine them, have a strong
  influence on learning behaviour and on learning
  outcomes.
• Successful learners develop insightful beliefs
  about language learning processes, their own
  abilities and the use of effective learning
  strategies, which have a positive effect on
  learning.
• Because of this, English Reflections focuses on
  attitude change in an interactive and then
  reflective setting.
• A number of research instruments were adapted
  from the ELT literature and incorporated into
  this learning journal. Their purpose was to
  stimulate discussion by presenting the issues
  involved

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• A Measure of Autonomy and Self-Direction
• Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory
• Classroom Environment Questionnaire (Actual and
  Preferred)
• Classroom Environment Scale
• Classroom Learning Environment
• Deficiency Analysis
• Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale
• Language Learning Ideas
• Language Skills Self-Assessment
• Learning Contract
• Learning Preferences
• Learning Style Inventory
• Multiple Intelligences Survey
• Self-Assessment
• Strategy Inventory for Language Learning
• Student Perceptions About Language Learning
• Students Needs
• Study Styles
• Teachers Needs

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Results

• Evidence of improved confidence, motivation,
  responsibility and writing skills has been
  identified in the weekly individual reflections
  made by the students.
• A number of trends have been identified over the
  past three years

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Results

• weekly entries in the journal increased in length
  over the course of the semester
• the number of grammatical inaccuracies decreased
  without teacher-correction
• the individual reflections gained in depth as
  students became more articulate
• topics of the individual reflections became more
  oriented to language learning (students wrote
  about whatever they felt to be important to
  them)
• there was a noticeable shift in the entries from
  initial confusion (about the future) and lack of
  confidence, towards determination to "do my
  best" and
• individual reflections showed encouraging
  indications of positive attitude change.

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Results

• The interactive/reflective learner journal was a
  definite factor in attitude change for a number
  of reasons
• By being both interactive and reflective, the
  journal gave students a framework in which to
  discuss issues which had not previously been
  explored by them in any depth.
• By allowing students to reflect individually upon
  whatever they found to be important, and by
  stressing that there were no "correct" answers
  and that every opinion was valid, the journal
  encouraged growth of confidence and self-esteem
  in students who had previously labeled themselves
  as poor learners.

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Results

• By allowing groups to proceed through the journal
  at their own pace, students were allowed to spend
  time on issues that they found relevant and
  meaningful, thus giving validity to their
  perceptions.
• By bringing teaching/learning-related issues to
  the attention of the students, the journal
  promoted cooperative exploration of beliefs,
  leading to positive modification of attitudes to
  learning.
• By encouraging students to make individual
  reflections on a regular basis, without
  correction by the teacher, the fear of "making
  mistakes" was disabled, and writing skills were
  allowed to improve simply through extended
  practice and occasional peer-feedback.

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Thank you

• The video shown during this presentation can be
  viewed online at www.finchpark.com/videos/alt_ass
  ess/index.htm
• English Reflections can be viewed online at
  www.finchpark.com/books/index.htm.
• Dr. Finch can be contacted at aef _at_ knu.ac.kr
• Thank you for your time.
• Good browsing!