Cultivating

Autonomous
Learning With a
AO
L
EN
G
Language Learning
Strategy Database L
L
JALT International S
Panel Presentation
Nov 13th 15:25-16:20
 Today’s presentation

Autonomous
01 Assurances of Learning 02 Learning
. University Quality Initiative
. How we facilitate autonomous
learning

Faculty Initiative Survey Results of LLS

03 Project
LLS Feedback, LLS Video
04 users
. Demonstration Project, Website
Creation
. Student feedback on their use
of the LLS website and
suggestions for improvement
 Meet the Team !

Eto Tomoko Maiko Berger Matt Saunders Lucas Pignolet Kiyu Itoi

Ben Rentler
Section 1: Assurance of
Learning
Discussion: In your language
program/school, do you have any
program quality assurance initiatives?
 Background
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Japan
50 : 50 = Domestic : International students & faculty
5516 students from 95 countries/regions (as of November 1,
2021)
Lectures given in Japanese & English
 Literature

Learner autonomy is “the ability to take charge of

one’s own learning” (Holec, 1981: 3)

Benson (2001; 2007) review of theory and

practice of autonomy in language teaching &
learning
 Literature

Assurance of learning is “the process of

evaluating how well a school accomplishes its
educational goals” (Blackwell, 2016: 2)
Our goal: to align & improve each level’s IL Program

Main goal = students reach AOL Learning Objectives

Standard track holds approximately 1200
students...

4 levels:
Elementary A2
Pre-Intermediate A2+
Intermediate B1
Upper Intermediate B1+
Study plan and Study Plan Checks
 What we asked students to do:
Elementary samples of Worksheets
 What we asked students to do:
Pre-intermediate sample of OneNote
 What we asked students to do:
Intermediate sample of notebooks
 What we asked students to do:
Upper Intermediate sample / worksheets
 Teacher survey & student surveys
Action Plan
2020 Revised Study 2018
Plan Study
Plan
PDCA
cycle
Check Do
2019 Teacher & 2019 Spring
Student Survey
 Limitations
& future Directions
❖ Provide list of Language Learning Strategies (LLS)
for students to choose from

• Examples of how to use each LLS

• Students practice using LLS in class

➢ Students choose LLS that work for them

 Section 2: autonomous
Learning
Discussion: Do you promote autonomous learning at
your school/if so, how do you do it? Teaching
strategies, etc?

*Please click on the link in the chat box to share your

ideas
 Fostering autonomous
learners
Language Learning Strategy
Database
● Existing research results
● Needs analyses
 autonomous learners
Autonomous learners: “the ability of the learner to
take responsibility for his or her own learning and to plan,
organize, and monitor the learning process independently
of the teacher.”
(Hedge, 2000, p. 410)

How can learner autonomy be developed?

 Fostering autonomous learners
Language Learning Strategies (LLS):
"Specific actions taken by the learners to make learning easier, faster, more
enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferable to new
situations.” (Oxford, 1990, p.8)
LLS x learner autonomy
The knowledge of LLS is key. (Fewell, 2010; Oxford, 1999; Wenden, 1991)

LLS x EFL learning performance

In the meta-analysis of 77 preceding studies, with a total of 7890 participants,
66% of L2 learners in the experimental groups performed better than the average
of the control groups. (Plonsky, 2019)
 Needs analysis 1: SILL
Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) (Oxford, 1990)
● A questionnaire designed to assess the LLS uses of L2 learners
● A list of 50 LLS used by "good language learners"
● Likert scales (1 = rarely true, 5 = almost always true)

The SILL survey at our institution

● In 2019, 154 respondents, 3 course levels, Japanese translation given
● Gain information on students’ LLS use
● Raise their awareness towards LLS
 Needs analysis 1: SILL
Mismatch: The simple translation of the SILL does not convey enough
information.
Strategies from SILL Possible reactions of
students
I physically act out new English words. What does this mean?
I try to find patterns in English. How? When?
I pay attention when someone is speaking English. So what?

I write down my feelings in a language-learning Why?

diary.
● More details needed.
● The skill-based strategy instructional frameworks appeared to match our
student’s learning context.
 NEEDs Analysis 2: LLS
Instruction (LLSI)
Important stages of LLSI (Griffiths, 2015)
Stages Example activities

Raising awareness Teacher-led workshops

Explicit instruction
Practice A system to check students’ self-
study using LLS

Evaluation Self-reflection worksheet

 NEEDs Analysis 2: Evaluation of
LLSI
Students’ perception of LLSI Teachers’ perception of LLSI
(116 responses, 2020) ● Beneficial to students
● 97%: perceived explicit instruction ● Needed:
positively ○ experience and expertise
● 90%: found LLS practice helpful ○ consensus among teachers
● 89%: increased their repertoires of ○ time
LLS ○ laborious efforts

Language classes currently pay little attention to LLS.

(Griffiths, 2015)
How to incorporate LLSI into our English
program?
LLS: Beneficial &
welcomed
● Need detailed instruction, e.g. how and
why
● Require frameworks which match the
learning context of our students
● Balance LLSI with other coursework
● Consider teachers' workload

Language Learning Strategy

Section 3: Faculty Initiative
Project
Year-long project supported by the university to
improve the quality of teaching
 FIP Project
1. Identify Useful LLS for APU
Students
self-study

2. Develop a language learning strategy database

website that contain demonstration videos
3. Cultivate lifelong independent learners of
english
 Identify LLS
December 2019

Held a Faculty Development Workshop to

introduce our plan and elicit English teacher
suggestions for each level (ELE,PIE,IE, and
UIE) for strategies they believed would be
effective for their respective courses
Faculty Feedback
Summer 2020
● Team members met to
create LLS that were
checked by CLE English
Level Coordinators
● Each Strategy needed:
○ Clear explanation in
English and
Japanese
○ An Objective
○ Additional
Resources
 TAs filming LLS demonstrations
Fall 2020-SPring
2021
TA and FIP Team member
collaboration
● FIP Team members were allocated a specific English skill and TA actors to
manage/support
● Roles
○ Check TA scripts
○ Answer questions related to LLS plans
○ Confirm filming ideas
● Challenges
○ COVID-19
■ All communications done by email
■ Filming delays
■ Final edit delays
 The website: Fall 2021

Website Platform:
Weebly.com
Benefits: Easy to use, edit, and
modify even for beginners (the
team)

Challenges: No option for dual

language support in the free
version.
Let’s look
at the
website
www.ellsdatabase.weebly.com
 ▪ The website has 49 total language strategies
R1: Rephrase & Benchmark
retell a reading Test Practice
by paragraph

Studying English w/
R4: Speed- Netflix using LLN
reading (3/2/1)

R W L S G V
> Surprisingly, ALL of them were found useful by at least 1
student
 future considerations of LLS at APU

● Increase extrinsic motivation for students to use

the website (short hw assignment?)
● Integrate its use into all courses
● Link level assessments with particular LLS
● Find new ways to promote the website
THANK
you!
Do you have any questions?

English Strategy website link:

www.ellsdatabase.weebly.com
CREDITS: This presentation template was created by
Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, infographics
& images by Freepik

Please keep this slide for attribution

 References
● Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning. Pearson.

● Benson, P. (2007). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 40, 21–40.

● Blackwell, J. (2016). Towards a Quality Culture in Language Education. APU Journal of Language Research, 1, 1-17.
● Fewell, N. (2010). Language learning strategies and English language proficiency: an investigation of Japanese EFL
university students. TESOL Journal, 2, 159–174.
● Griffiths, C. (2015). What have we learnt from “good language learners”? ELT Journal, 69(4), 425–433.
● Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and learning in the language classroom. Language Teaching (Vol. 56). Oxford University
Press.

● Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy in foreign language learning. Pergamon. (First published 1979, Council of Europe.)
● Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Newbury House.
● Oxford, R.L. (1999). Relationships between Second Language Learning Strategies and Language Proficiency in the
Context of Learner Autonomy and Self-regulation. Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses, 38, 109–126.
● Plonsky, L. (2019). Language learning strategy instruction: Recent research and future directions. In A. C. & V. Harris
(Ed.), Learning strategy instruction in the language classroom (pp. 3–21). Multilingual Matters.
● Wenden, A. (1991). Learner Strategies for Learner Autonomy. Prentice Hall.
 www.ellsdatabase.weebly.com

Discussion:
Can you use this website with your students?
> If yes, how might you do so?
> If not, how else can you support their IL?