scholarly journals Student Perceptions of the English Lounge after a Layout Change

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 221-235
Author(s):  
Allen Chen ◽  
Jo Mynard
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
English Only ◽  
Made In

This research aims to understand how students use English at the Self Access Learning Center (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS). Specifically, the research is focused on the second floor of the SALC which is intended to be an English only space. The new SALC opened in April 2017, but some layout changes were made in September (the start of the second semester) in response to student feedback indicating that the English Lounge was intimidating and difficult to access. The present research investigates whether students use the English Lounge differently since the layout change and their views on how the SALC can further be improved.

scholarly journals Resource Coordination in the Self-Access Learning Center at Kanda University of International Studies for the 2017-2018 Academic Year: Activity, Concept, and Expanding Definitions

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 178-196
Author(s):  
Curtis Edlin ◽  
Yuri Imamura
Keyword(s):  
Support Staff ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Resource Coordination

In the 2017-2018 academic year, the Self-Access Learning Center, Kanda University of International Studies moved into a new purpose-built building. This new building has afforded many opportunities to rethink the place of resources in the center, as well as what constitutes resources and how we can facilitate their use. The move has also presented numerous challenges to which advising team and other support staff have had to react rapidly. This report reflects on the tasks and approaches of the two resource coordinators and resource teams for the 2017-2018 academic year. It additionally provides further commentary on our expanding definitions of resources, as well as how they are being approached by resource teams and others, both within the limits of resource coordination and without, and in addition to future directions.

scholarly journals “Still Sounds Quite a Lot to Me, But Try it And See”. Reflecting on my Non-Directive Advising Stance

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 98-107
Author(s):  
Jo Mynard
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
One To One

This reflective observation takes place at the self-access learning center (‘The SALC’) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan. The environment is supportive and there is a one-to-one professional advising service and also courses and modules on self-directed learning that students can take for credit.

scholarly journals Engendering Autonomy and Motivation through Learner Reflection Tasks

2016 ◽  
pp. 129-138
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
English Language ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Authentic Materials ◽  
The Road ◽  
Learning Pathways ◽  
On The Road ◽  
English Language Institute

After receiving the Japanese Ministry of Education’s Best Practice award in 2003, the Self-Access Learning Centre (SALC) at Kanda University of international Studies (KUIS) has continued in its goal of creating materials and resources which aim to engage the learners whilst promoting learner autonomy. The development team has promoted its materials design and philosophy at a number of national and international conferences and in a variety of SLA publications (Kershaw et al., 2010). The team, made up of teachers from the university’s English Language Institute (ELI) are tasked with creating a range of new resources to: a) provide scaffolding/learner training to help learners on the road towards autonomy b) help learners access/use the authentic materials on offer in the SALC c) help learners plan and implement learning pathways d) support the ‘taught’ curriculum of the ELI Following student feedback on using songs and music in the SALC at KUIS, song worksheets were designed, created and successfully added to the materials available to students for self-access study. This article describes the rationale and process of implementing the worksheets in the centre.

scholarly journals Promoting Learner Autonomy and Self-Directed Learning: The Evolution of a SALC Curriculum

2017 ◽  
pp. 169-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Mynard ◽  
Rob Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Stages Of Development ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
Technical Challenges ◽  
Gradual Approach

If key aims of a SALC are to support learners and promote language learner autonomy, then the curriculum is an important tool in order to ensure that this is being systematically addressed. After explaining the context of the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies in Japan, the authors will briefly describe the self-directed learning curriculum, its evolution, and approaches to its evaluation. The development, implementation, and evaluation of a SALC curriculum is not straightforward as there may be political, financial, and technical challenges. However, with planning, persistence, and a gradual approach, a SALC curriculum can eventually become an integral part of a university program. Although the journey of this particular SALC is far from complete, charting its development so far could provide encouragement for SALC managers elsewhere, whose SALC curriculum may be at different stages of development.

scholarly journals English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Modules in the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) for Success in the Global Workplace

2010 ◽  
pp. 119-128
Author(s):  
Kevin Knight
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
The Self ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Global Workforce

University students must prepare themselves to be successful members of the global workforce, and this paper introduces one way for a self-access center to support such preparation by students outside of the formal classroom environment. In this paper, it is proposed that the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) provide ESP (English for specific purposes) modules intended to prepare students for their future careers.

scholarly journals Fostering Learner Autonomy as Agency: An Analysis of Narratives of a Student Staff Member Working at a Self-access Learning Center

2011 ◽  
pp. 268-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atsumi Yamaguchi
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Staff Member ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Target Community ◽  
Analysis Of Narratives

This study investigates narrative stories of a student staff member working at the Self Access Learning Center (the SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies, Japan in order to discover whether / how her working experiences in the SALC have an impact on her identities especially focusing on her development of learner autonomy as agency. Drawing on four layers of narrative positioning (Wortham & Gadsden, 2006), I will explore: 1) the ways that agency is projected; and 2) how the learner’s involvement in a SALC impacts on her identities. The examination revealed that the learner’s involvement as a student staff member enhanced her agency to access a target community of English in the SALC. Drawing on the Communities of Practice (CoP) framework by Lave & Wenger (1991), I discuss the possibility that gaining voice in the target community might enable a learner to be more autonomous. Finally, this paper addresses the importance of learner involvement in SALCs – not only for the learners involved, but also for other SALC users in order to provide opportunities to activate both agency and autonomy.

scholarly journals Observing a Social Learning Space: A Summary of an Ethnographic Project in Progress

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 209-220
Author(s):  
Michael Burke ◽  
Daniel Hooper ◽  
Bethan Kushida ◽  
Phoebe Lyon ◽  
Jo Mynard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
The Self ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Student Behaviors ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Learning Space

This paper is a brief summary of an ethnographic research project currently in progress. Although the authors plan to present multiple papers based on the research, this paper has been written with the purpose of documenting progress so far. The main aims are to keep colleagues informed and to ensure that all of the steps are recorded to aid future dissemination of the findings. The authors summarize a project which started in June 2017 and will continue for several years observing student behaviors occurring in one social learning space in the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS).

scholarly journals Introduction: Papers from JASAL 2017

2018 ◽  
pp. 86-89
Author(s):  
Hisako Yamashita ◽  
Clair Taylor ◽  
Andrew D. Tweed
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Special Issue

Welcome to the Special Issue on JASAL 2017 which was an event organized by the Japan Association for Self-Access Learning (JASAL). JASAL 2017 was held at the self-access learning center (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, Japan on December 15, 2017. The theme of JASAL 2017 was “Enriching Self-Access Environments”. At the conference, both the presenters and participants explored how they are being creative in enriching their self-access environments with the resources they have. This special issue contains contributions from teachers, advisors and students from universities within Japan, as well as from educators based at a university in Mexico who joined the conference. Some authors explore work in new SACs, some look at more established SACs, and some examine independent learning which takes place outside of SACs, both in and out of classrooms. All of the writers give insight in how to create rich and stimulating environments for learners to grow and develop in. As you will notice, we have included papers written in Japanese as well as English in this issue. One of our initiatives as a Japan-based association is to draw more Japanese educators and administrators into JASAL. We are pleased to publish these papers in Japanese.

scholarly journals In-Between the Process and Outcome in Advising in Language Learning: Reflecting on my Very First Advising Session

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 65-77
Author(s):  
Gamze Güven Yalçın
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Training Program ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Practice Session ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Process And Outcome

This paper contains the reflections of a novice advisor who had the opportunity to attend a thoroughly comprehensive four phase-training program, the first of which had the purpose of teaching the basics of advising (philosophy, strategies, knowledge, etc.) with hands-on practice. As for the practice, the trainees were assigned to have a practice session with a student near the end of the first phase at the Self-Access Learning Center (‘The SALC’) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan, where the training itself took place.

scholarly journals Reflecting on My First Solo Advising Session as a Learning Advisor Trainee

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 78-88
Author(s):  
Stephanie Howard
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Training Course ◽  
Hands On

This reflective advising session occurred near the end of the first course of a comprehensive four-course training program that aimed to teach the participants how to be Learning Advisors. The advising session was conducted at the self-access learning center (‘The SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan. Participants in the week long, hands-on training course had taken a variety of workshops and had done a variety of activities, principally a series of scaffolded, highly controlled ‘advising’ sessions that progressively took them from trainer-led group advising to finally holding their own unsupervised, one-on-one advising session with a single student.

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