Language Advising

This study takes place at a university of international studies in Japan. Incoming freshman students' previous experiences with learning leaves them largely unprepared to direct their own language studies in an autonomous way. The university offers a one-credit elective course that introduces students to self-directed language learning (SDLL) for their English language learning. Taking an interpretative approach to the investigation, the researchers evaluated the course in two ways: (a) with an end-of-course questionnaire with responses from 47 freshman students, and (b) by analyzing documentation of actual work completed by 24 participants (including learning journals, weekly reflections, and an end-of-course report) for evidence of SDLL skills. Results indicate that although learners demonstrate a mastery over the majority of the SDLL skills that were introduced, more support is needed in terms of selecting, using and evaluating resources, strategies, and evaluation of learning gain. Language educators would generally be in agreement that learners who exercise control over their language learning are likely to achieve success. Autonomous learners will have a good understanding of self-directed language learning (SDLL); that is, cognitive, metacognitive, affective, and social processes that govern learning. They also demonstrate a willingness and ability to apply this knowledge in order to have control over their learning. A general consensus is emerging that consciously helping learners to develop such an awareness and control over SDLL skills leads to greater autonomy and is thus desirable (e.g., Benson 2011; Cotterall & Murray, 2009; Wong & Nunan, 2011). More research is needed in order to understand more about the ways in which learners can best be helped to develop those skills; for example, whether they should be explicitly taught the skills or whether it is better to learn them implicitly when the learner demonstrates an appropriate need for the skills. The context of this study is a university in Japan that specializes in the study of languages and culture. After briefly defining SDLL and its relationship with self-directed learning (SDL) and learner autonomy, we will describe the aims and structure of a SDLL course offered by the self-access center at the university. This is followed by an evaluation of whether the course

The purpose of advising in language learning is to help learners to think more deeply about the language learning process in order to become more autonomous language learners (Carson & Mynard, 2012). The advising process is negotiated through dialogue between a learner and an advisor and this interaction can often be facilitated by the use of various tools. In this paper, the authors who are all (past or present) learning advisors (LAs) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan, begin by briefly outlining an underpinning theoretical framework for advising in language learning. The theoretical framework draws on both constructivist and sociocultural viewpoints. The authors then describe various tools that can be employed to facilitate the reflective processes.

Reflective Dialogue presents professional educators with
the necessary background and skills to engage in reflective
dialogue with language learners effectively. It draws on
work in the fields of advising in language learning, reflective
practice, sociocultural theory, language learner autonomy,
counseling, and life coaching to provide both an
introduction to the field and guidance for researching
advising in action. The book also includes a wide variety of
practical ideas and over 30 sample dialogues that offer cl

Although the literature on foreign language learning and second language acquisition (SLA) recognizes the importance of the affective dimension in learning processes, little is known about how to support it throughout the autonomous learning process. One possible way of attending to the affective dimensions could be through language advising. Language advising refers to a special form of learning support in which an adviser helps a learner to organize and reflect on their
learning process in individual face-to-face sessions or as an email exchange, often as a complement to self-access learning. Language advising serves as a privileged space for addressing, beside cognitive and metacognitive aspects, affective aspects
of language learning. Within the professional and interpersonal relationship between adviser and learner, it is easier to reflect on learners’ emotions and feelings, and their implications for learning. However, in order to focus on affective questions,
language advisers need to be able to address them with learners: to react to negative or positive emotions expressed by the learner; to recognize them, even if they are not explicitly mentioned; and to counterbalance them in order to support the language learning process. The present investigation focuses on the expression of emotions and feelings in the learner’s and adviser’s discourse in a language advising setting in higher education. The aim of the study is to shed light on affect in autonomous language learning processes and thus help language professionals to recognize and deal with affective issues as they arise. Based on audio-recordings
and transcripts of individual advising sessions, the research design focuses on discourse analysis of the learner’s and the adviser’s discourse. The results show significant expressions of emotions in the learner’s discourse, related both to past
learning experiences and to planning further learning steps. In the adviser’s discourse,
emotions are less present, and the adviser tends rather to mirror, empathise
or counterbalance the learner’s emotions. These findings may help advisers and
professionals to better acknowledge the role of emotions and feelings both in the
learning and in the advising process and to reflect on their own role in supporting
learners to regulate their emotions.

Segundo Mercer , a teoria da complexidade representa um importante marco na linguística aplicada por considerar os atributos pessoais e contextuais do aprendente como partes de um mesmo sistema dinâmico complexo (doravante SDC). Nessa direção, os estudos sobre aconselhamento em aprendizagem de línguas (AAL daqui em diante) beneficiam-se dos postulados da teoria da complexidade dado ao seu foco em trajetórias de aprendizagem individuais e complexas, levando em consideração os aspectos internos e externos do aconselhado para impulsionar sua aprendizagem. Deste modo, o conselheiro é mais um agente no sistema de aprendizagem do aconselhado, já que na interação que se estabelece entre eles, o primeiro influencia, dinamiza e perturba a aprendizagem do segundo. No contexto nacional, alguns estudos já vêm utilizando a teoria da complexidade para explicar a sua relação com o AAL. Magno e Silva, Matos e Rabelo (2015), por exemplo, identificaram atratores, pontos de bifurcação e emergência de novos comportamentos a partir da interação dos aconselhados com seus conselheiros e com os diversos outros contextos com os quais mantém contato. Os resultados mostraram a forte interconexão entre os elementos contextuais que dinamizam a aprendizagem desses indivíduos. Os autores concluem chamando atenção para o olhar holístico sobre o sistema de aprendizagem dos alunos que a teoria da complexidade permite. É nesse olhar holístico que se pode notar a interconexão entre os vários contextos (e identidades) nos quais o aconselhado se situa. Considerando o aconselhamento como mais um sistema no qual a aprendizagem de línguas acontece e sua interconexão com outros espaços de aprendizagem, este capítulo pretende verificar como o aproveitamento do AAL reflete em uma rede de contextos de aprendizagem, como sala de aula, oficinas e projetos. Mais especificamente, busca-se identificar os comportamentos que reflitam aprendizagem de uma participante; identificar como os agentes interagem na sua aprendizagem; e, por fim, verificar de que modo tais 1 Este trabalho é um recorte da pesquisa de Iniciação Científica conduzida em 2014-2015. Agradecemos o apoio da UFPA no financiamento da bolsa de PIBIC. Este estudo recebeu o prêmio de destaque científico na área de Ciências Humanas no XXVI Seminário de Iniciação Científica da UFPA.

For every learning advisor and language teacher, a fundamental goal is to foster learners’ motivation and self-regulation for successful L2 learning. This paper presents a visual tool that can be used in advising and teaching to realize this purpose. With the tool, learners can review their own L2 learning and ability, and create an inventory of their learning strategies, which helps them find their weaknesses, goals and develop their approach.

The tool, the Strategy Tree for Language Learners, consists of the image of a tree, water and the sun. The trunk and leaves of the tree represent learners’ linguistic knowledge and skills, the roots learners’ affective strategies, water cognitive strategies, and the sun sociocultural-interactive strategies. The notions of these three types of strategies are based on the concepts presented by Oxford (2011).

By drawing their own L2 Strategy Tree, learners can perceive their learning situations objectively and notice which step they should take next. In practice at a Japanese university, it was observed that learners developed learning strategies and their motivation increased. The Strategy Tree is a useful tool to encourage learners to feel confident and responsible and help them to self-regulate.

Welcome to the special issue on dialogue and advising in self-access learning. Both of us have been involved in promoting reflective dialogue through advising for some time, yet we know that there is so much more to explore in this field. Through this special issue, we hope to make a small contribution to our developing profession and provide opportunities for us to learn from research and practices around the world. In this short introduction, we would like to touch on some of the key points related to dialogue and advising in order to put the contributions that follow into context. We will then introduce the contributions to this special issue, which include three research papers focusing on areas which have not been explored in depth before: gender, emotional dynamics, and affect in advising dialogues. We also have articles featuring exciting new initiatives and updates from various parts of the world. Finally, we will conclude with some comments about future directions of this growing field.