Thomas Jochum-CritchleySchool of Modern Languages and CulturesUniversity of Leeds

Language FuturesLanguages in Higher Education Conference

5 & 6 July 2012

• Autonomous learning• Reloaded: The portfolio• Student feedback• Future directions• Conclusions

Overview

Autonomous learning

• Autonomy (Holec 1980 & Benson 2011)• Autonomous learner-user (Little 2000)• Levels of autonomy (Nunan 1997)• “A disposition to learning” (Crome, Farar &

O’Connor)• Levels of reflective writing (Moon 2004)

• Module: German Core Language 2• 2nd year module: +/- 60 students• 1hr lecture (grammar & culture) and 2hrs seminar (skills)• Consolidation of language skills and preparation of

year/term abroad• Assessment: essays, presentation; written & oral exam

• 1st year:• Foundation: Post A-level German• Podcasts and reflective tasks (both assessed)

The context

The context

• Student feedback 2009/10• “Don't use the em neu books as much, apart from the

vocab lists I think they are pretty useless.”• “If the topics were more interesting, we might be

encouraged to talk more in class.”• “The homework set each week is very uninspiring. I don't

feel that I learn anything from it.”• Overall: very diverse feedback• Returning year/term abroad students• Evidence of informal language learning• Language skills partially developed

Inspiration

• LLAS workshop: Supporting students’ learning outside the classroom, Leeds 27 May, 2010• Portfolio in Spanish (Antonio Martínez-Arboleda)• Worksheets, rationale

for workload, reflectivetask, assessment grid

• More speaking tasksneeded

• 2010/11 introduction of

Autonomous

Blended

Language Learning

Portfolio

• Compulsory and assessed part of German Core Language 2• Teaching Enhancement and Student Success Fund project

Reloaded

• Self evaluation of language skills (questionnaire)• Workshops for autonomous learning (in class)• (Open) list of language learning tasks worksheets• Points and word count for each task/worksheet• Submission in instalments including reflective task• Feedback on content, language and reflection• Formative and summative assessment

Portfolio structure

• Blended language learning• Online, off line and face to face tasks:

Ex: Reading German speaking newspapers http://www.taz.de/Mobilitaet-in-Baden-Wuerttemberg/Kommentare/!c80821/

• Use of VLE• Repository of all relevant documents and forms• Online submission in VLE through turnitin (written) and/or

File exchange (oral)

• Online support• Weekly online chat for all portfolio questions

Blended learning

Blended learning

• Podcasts• Speaking practice outside the classroom• Possibility of rerecording spoken language• Limited technical knowledge required• Free software “Audacity”• Student work

• Tandem-exchange• “Speed dating” – event with ERASMUS students• Documentation of meetings task sheet

Speaking skills

• “Reflection is not just an ‘add-on-extra’ to academic learning, but it is an essential component of good quality learning and the representation of that learning.” (Jenny Moon)

• Reflective task• Description & evaluation of learning• Authentic communication in target language

• Assessed: 20% of the portfolio mark

Learner reflection

• First: Very detailed and precise description of learning including learning strategies with examples. Structured evaluation of student’s learning with convincing suggestions for improvement and/or future plans. Rationale for choice of tasks given with clear reference to self evaluation. All relevant language skills included and appropriately represented.

• 2.2.: Description of learning covers most relevant language skills but lacking details and precision and no examples given. Basic evaluation of learning but suggestions for improvement and/or future plans missing or superficial. No or only limited reference to self-evaluation and/or learning biography.

Assessment of reflective task

Student feedback

The portfolio helped me to become an independent language learner.

35.71%

42.86%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00% Strongly agree

Agree

Partly agree

Disagree

Stronglydisagree

Unanswered

Source: Module Evaluation Questionnaire 2011/12 (n=25)

Student feedback

The portfolio helped me to improve my German language skills.

Source: Module Evaluation Questionnaires 2011/12 (n=25)

“The portfolio, whilst daunting at the start of the year, has actually been great for improving my autonomous learning. As a result of it I am so much more confident in reading and writing in German and it also provided me with opportunities to improve listening and speaking too. The free choice of tasks meant I could hone in on what I thought were the skills I most needed to work on at any particular time. ”

“The portfolio was really useful because I was able to monitor my own progress, which was nice. Evaluating it was particularly useful, as I could be positive about my progress as well as finding areas to improve.”

Student feedback

Source: Module Evaluation Questionnaires 2011/12 (n=25)

Student feedback

• Interviews with 5 students1. General impression2. Most enjoyed task3. Benefits for language

learning

1

2

3

Student feedback – to consider

9.52%

38.10%

28.57%

19.05%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

Strongly agree

Agree

Partly agree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Unanswered

Source: Module Evaluation Questionnaires 2011/12 (n=25)

The reflective task helped me to improve my independent learning skills.

• Reading suggestions from cultural modules• Collaboration of language and cultural teaching

• Tandem-project• Online tandem (written and/or oral)• Use of Adobe Connect / Skype for meetings

• Video tasks / Collaborative tasks• Short film (based on a play/comic/sketch/…)• Points allocated by students themselves?

• Corpus based language learning• http://smlc09.leeds.ac.uk/itweb/htdocs/Query.html#

Future directions – new tasks

Future directions – the next level

• 2011/12: German pilot project: Task sheet

• Winner: Creative writing task

• Competition across languages• Winners: Publication as OER• Students as producers• Employability

DOT.COM

• Provides opportunities for effective autonomous language learning

• Enhances student engagement and motivation• Enables full use of blended learning/Web 2.0

technologies• Is a flexible AND solid framework for effective

language learning & teaching in HE

“I loved the portfolio”

Conclusion

Materials for the German portfolio developed by Thomas Jochum-Critchley partly based on material developed by Antonio Martinez-Arboleda. Specific task sheets developed by Paul Cooke, Ingo Cornils, Helena Drawert, , Jenny McKay, Mandy Poetzsch, Stuart Taberner, Jane Wilkinson.

• Phil Benson: Teaching and Researching Autonomy. Pearson 2011 (2nd edition)• Keith Crome, Ruth Farrar and Patrick O'Connor: What is Autonomous Learning? in: Discourse Vol. 9/1, pp.111-126 in:

http://prs.heacademy.ac.uk/view.html/PrsDiscourseArticles/113 (accessed: 30/6/2012)• Henir Holec: Autonomy and foreign language learning. Council of Europe 1980• David Little: Learner Autonomy: drawing together the threads of self-assessment, goal setting and reflection. in:

http://www.llas.ac.uk/resources/gpg/1409 (accessed: 30/6/2012)• David Little: Learner Autonomy and human Interdependence: some Theoretical and Practical Consequences of a Social

Interactive View of Cognition, Learning and Language. in: Barbara Sinclair, Ian McGrath and Terry Lamb (eds.): Learner Autonomy, Teacher Autonomy: Future Directions. Pearson 2000, pp.15-36

• Antonio Martinez-Arboleda: Regulating Learners' Freedom: Fostering Language Learning Autonomy through Culture. University of Leeds . 23 June 2011 in: http://humbox.ac.uk/2230/7/SUMMARY_OF_PORTFOLIO_TALK_AND_FINDINGS.pdf (accessed: 30/6/2012)

• Jenny Moon: Guide for Busy Academics No. 4: Learning through reflection in: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/resource_database/id69_guide_for_busy_academics_no4_moon (accessed: 2/7/2012)

• David Nunan: Designing and adapting materials to encourage learner autonomy. in Phil Benson & Peter Voller (eds.): Autonomy & Independence in Language Learning. Addison Wesley Longman 1997, pp. 192-203

Resources and acknowledgements

Thank you!

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