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Training Counsellors for the Self-access Centre

Pornapit DarasawangSchool of Liberal Arts

King Mongkut’s University of Technology ThonburiPornapit.dar@kmutt.ac.th

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What is a self-access centre?

• The centre should ‘contain learning materials which students can use on their own. In order for it to be self-access, students have to be able to find materials easily which is at their level and satisfies their perceived needs. They also need to be able to evaluate their own work by checking what they have done against a key or a model answer, or they need to be able to gain some other forms of feedback’

Sheerin, 1991

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Purposes of learners coming to use the SAC

• To improve their language proficiency

• To be trained how to be more independent

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Support for self-access learning

• Needs analysis questionnaire

• Learning contract

• Record sheet

• Induction programme

• Helper/counsellor

• Learning pathways

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Quality of independent learners

• Know learning objectives and be able to set their learning objectives.

• Be able to plan their own learning to suit the learning objectives.

• Be able to monitor their own learning, e.g. knowing their learning problems and trying to solve their learning problems.

• Be able to evaluate their learning, e.g. evaluating learning strategies, materials they choose, their learning performance.

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Roles of the Counsellor

• Knowledge about learner autonomy

• Change of learners’ and teacher’s roles

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Training the counsellors

• Roles

• Skills

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Skills that the Counsellor Should Have• Quality of the counsellor

• Process of counselling

• skills used in counselling (e,g, macro and micro skills)

• Instruments used in counselling

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Process of Training

• Theoretical background

• Experiential learning

• Modelling

• Supervision

• Reflections on the process

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The Study

Case study of 8 subjects

- Studying in Master’s Degree programme in Applied Linguistics(2 are in RBL programme, 6 are in ELT programme)

- 6 weeks of training and 6 weeks of doing the self-study programme with 2 students

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Data collection

• participants’ written reports

• observation and feedback from the observation

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The subjects

• RBL participants: having extensive knowledge about learner autonomy e.g. how to conduct a learner training, learning strategies, self-assessment, how to develop self-access materials.

• ELT participants: having an overview of learner autonomy, knowing learning strategies, having teaching practice.

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Results of the study

General procedure of conducting the

self-directed programme

- getting to know the students in order to explain the objectives of the programme, the tutor’s roles and the students’ roles.

- needs analysis.

- helping students to set up a learning goal/study plan.

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General procedure of conducting the self-directed programme

- introducing the resources to the students.

- helping the students choose activities.

- giving feedback to the students based on their problems, performance. This includes suggesting learning strategies.

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The use of instruments• Semi-structured interview for needs

analysis and getting to know the students

• Needs analysis questionnaire

• Record sheet :

- newly designed

- choosing from the samples

• Learning contract

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Semi-structured interview 100%

Needs analysis questionnaire 62.5%

Learning contract 87.5%Record sheet

75%

newly designed

( 83%)

choosing from the samples

( 17%)

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Other instruments

• Learning style inventory

• Motivation inventory

• Placement test used as a diagnostic test

• Counsellor’s record

180

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Learning style inventory 12.5%

Motivation inventory 12.5%

Counsellor’s record 25%Placement

test 37.5%

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Two types of counsellors

• Teaching oriented type

• Independent learning oriented

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Goal-setting stage

Teaching Independent

learning

- analyse a test or student’s work to find out the student’s problem

- check student’s proficiency

- help the student set

a short-term and

achievable goal

- help the student set an objective before doing each activity

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Planning

Teaching Independent

learning- the counsellor imposing the idea on what to learn by

1. preparing a list of materials

2. photocopying materials for the student

3. assigning a specific resource

4. assigning activities

- provide choices for the student to design the learning plan (either using or not using the contract)

- negotiate with the student if she wants to change the learning plan

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Practising according to the plan

Teaching Independent

learning- practise with the student

e.g. in speaking activities- teach the student how to use the self-access materials - e.g. read the instructions, do the exercises and check the answer key

- each the student how to guess the meaning from context

- teach the student how to write the outline

- give the students a choice of when and where to study- have the students survey the materials in the suggested resource

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Recording

Teaching Independent

learning- choose a record sheet for the student

- have the students record what they did but not the reflection on how they did

- teach the students how to write their reflection on the record sheet

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Feedback

Teaching Independent

learning- use yes/no questions to help the students answer the questions easily

- explain grammatical points

- give feedback based on the scores

- elicit what the students went through to recap what she has learned

- suggest techniques

- suggest the solution right away

- always check the student’s understanding.

- introduce self-correction to raise the students’ language awareness

- have the students reflect on their process of learning by discussing activities, problems, solution, progress, the resource they chose

- encourage the students to do self-assessment and work more on the problem

- link what the student is doing with language acquisition

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Types of counsellors• Independent learning oriented - enable the students to set manageable and

achievable goals. - encourage the students to be reflective through

self-assessment. - involve students in learner training e.g.

introduce strategies for the students to work on their own later.

- help the students to develop language awareness.

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Teaching oriented

• Test the learners to check their language proficiency.

• Give feedback rather than having the students reflect on their learning.

• Find materials for the learners.• Assign activities for the learners.• Product oriented (e.g. having students report

only the scores of the activity they did). • Teach language points/process.

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Discussion

• Experience and beliefs have some effects on the consultation approach.

• Should teaching be avoided?• Do classroom teachers make good counsellors?• Are instruments helpful in structuring the self-

study programme?• What should be focused on when providing a

training for counsellors in the SAC?