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.

scholarly journals “Metamorphosis”: In the Advising Sense

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 89-97
Author(s):  
Hatice Karaaslan
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
English Language ◽  
The Self ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Language Instructors ◽  
One To One ◽  
Intensive Course

This one-to-one advising session takes place at the Self-Access Learning Center (the SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan, as part of our one-week intensive Course 1 Getting Started Learning Advisor Training Program as visiting English language instructors from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University School of Foreign Languages in Turkey.

Exploring Basic Psychological Needs in a Language Learning Center. Part 1: Conducting Student Interviews

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 382-404
Author(s):  
Emma Asta ◽  
Jo Mynard
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Learning Center ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Supportive Environment

In this paper, the authors outline the initial stages of a research project designed to investigate the extent to which the Self-Access Learning Center (The SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) provides an autonomy-supportive environment conducive for effective language development. After giving a brief account of the context, the literature, and previous research, the authors discuss the aims of the project, provide a description of the research methods for the first portion of the research, and share some preliminary results. One of the unique features of this stage of the research project was that it involved a large number of co-researchers all of whom were active participants in the SALC at the time of the data collection. This paper gives details of the process of creating structured interview questions which were used to conduct over 100 interviews with regular SALC users. Limitations and next steps in the project are also provided.

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 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 “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 A Framework for Curriculum Reform: Re-designing a Curriculum for Self-directed Language Learning

2013 ◽  
pp. 142-153 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Directed Learning

Welcome to this new SiSAL column, which will examine a long-term project conducted at one institution in depth over several issues. The focus of this column will be the curriculum design project currently being undertaken at the Self-Access Learning Centre (SALC) at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Chiba, Japan. In my role as Academic Coordinator of the SALC from 2011-2013, I was in charge of leading this project in its initial stages, before I moved institution. As editor, it is from this perspective, as someone familiar but no longer directly involved in the project, that I hope to collate and introduce a number of columns from the learning advisors and teachers who are conducting the research and designing the new self-directed learning curriculum. In this first installment, a revision of an earlier article which first appeared in the IATEFL Learner Autonomy SIG newsletter, Independence, (Thornton, 2012) I present the background to the project, the framework used to guide it and the results of the first stage, the environment analysis.

scholarly journals Learning Strategy Sheets: Supporting Advisors and Learners

2011 ◽  
pp. 43-47
Author(s):  
Katherine Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
The Self ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Help Desk ◽  
Minute Session

Learning advisors working at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan are available for consultation on language learning matters with any students, who are all language majors, or members of staff who would like some assistance with their language learning. Consultations with advisors are entirely voluntary and take place predominantly in English, the working language of the Self Access Learning Centre (SALC), and the L2 of most of our students. Learners may either reserve a 30 minute session with an advisor of their choice, or visit the Learning Help Desk in the SALC, which is manned throughout the day by one of our 9 full-time advisors.

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