“Managing My Own Learning”
Teachers’ Notes (in blue font)
To the Teacher: This document is derived from the student’s Worksheets.
For students to manage their own learning, it is important to reiterate throughout the use of this series of worksheets that, although you, as a teacher, are available to guide, facilitate, and assist in students’ language learning efforts, the ultimate responsibility lies with the students themselves. Each student has different learning styles and cultural influences and beliefs, so how the worksheets are presented and incorporated may vary. There are no “right” or “wrong” strategies, and students are not necessarily required to do everything in each of the worksheets. Students should use these worksheets, with your help, as ways of becoming more aware of a wider variety of strategies that work for them and as a way of sharing strategies with classmates or other learners, to develop and maintain an individualized repertoire of strategies, an important part of self-regulated learning.
Each worksheet below identifies the purpose(s) for that worksheet. Suggestions and instructions for using them with your students are interleaved throughout these Teacher’s Notes.
Index / students' pages / teachers’ pagesIndex page / 0 / 1
Worksheet A – Introduction and Discussion (familiarization, participant roles) / 1-2 / 2-4
Worksheet B –Personal Strategy Repertoire / 3 / 5
Worksheet C – Ongoing Language Experiences (**repeated to fit different terms) / 4 / 6-7
Worksheet D – Language Experiences Summary (reflection, personal summary of LLS used, management chart) / 5-6 / 8-9
Worksheet E – Peer Interview (optional; learning from and comparing with peers) / 7 / 10-11
Worksheet F – Oral Presentation (optional; drawing on all information) / 8 / 12-13
Worksheet G – Student Newsletter (optional; compilation of ‘Top Ten’ most useful LLS) / 9 / 14
** e.g. 15 week term – 1/week; 4 week intensive – 4/week etc
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Promoting Self-Regulated Learning website:
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To the Student:
It is important to explain to learners at the outset, the reasons why they will be involved in this process. Spend time introducing the overview and reviewing unfamiliar vocabulary and concepts. Over a few semesters, you may be able to collect some samples to show as models to reinforce your explanation.
There are two purposes for using this series of Worksheets:
- To help you develop a Personal Strategy Repertoire(repertoire = list, range, collection)
- by becoming more aware of languagelearningstrategies (LLS)*, and how LLS connect to situations where you learn or use English
- by keeping an ongoing list of LLS and learning how best to use them for your own learning.
- To help you get better at managing your own learning
- by reflecting on how you learn and use English, and your goals for learning and using English
- by finding the best ways to manage your own learning in order to achieve your learning goals.
*LLS are ‘things you do to make learningeasier, faster and more fun. LLS can be used to react to a problem in order to solve it, or they can be used to anticipate a problem and try to prevent it from happening’.
WORKSHEET “A”—Introduction and DiscussionIDENTIFY/SHARE
Teacher’s/Researchers’ notes
- What LLS do learners already know? This Worksheet can provide an opportunity for the learners to explicitly demonstrate their knowledge of LLS they either use, or have heard of, or perhaps have observed others using. One way to preface this is to ask students, ,”What is a strategy?” and allow time to discuss this in small groups. Possible definitions may include, “A way to deal with a problem or issue when learning or using a new language”, “A technique way of learning”, or “a systematic way to achieve something”.
- What can teachers provide in the way of ‘alerting’ learners or making them aware of what LLS and SRL is? Guide them through the use of these Worksheets by modeling ideas as well as encouraging learners to add to their personal strategy repertoires.
- How can teachers raise students’ awareness of their current self-regulatory processes?
First, consider that students may:
- already be aware of some aspects of SRL
- be involved in the process of SRL, but have no name for it
- not be aware of SRL at all, and so, be doing nothing (have no SRL experience)
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The purpose of this Worksheet is to identify what you already know about your language learning goals, describeyour beliefs about teacher and student roles and share ideas about LLS you use.Work with a partner, or in small groups. Talk about, and write short answers to the following questions.
1:For learning or using English, I’d like to learn how to . . .
Ask students about goal setting:Do you have a personal goal for your future language learning? For example: This might be: *to focus on improving listening skills to use English when traveling to another country, *have conversations with a native speaker, *write email to my friends …..etc
2:To reach this goal, I believe the teacher’s role and the student’s role are:
Ask students to think about the things students and teachers do both in and out of the classroom. What are the teacher’s responsibilities? What are the learners’ responsibilities?
Some possible answers:
Teacher’s roles / Student’s rolesAnswering questions / Asking questions
Providing feedback to students / Knowing how to use feedback.
Monitoring students’ progress / Accepting involvement/commitment in the learning management process
Setting homework / Learning outside classroom hours
Introducing new knowledge or drawing attention to class materials / Discovering new information through personal inquiry
Note that it’s quite possible that students’ initial expectations may be more passive, in terms of their cultural identities and beliefs about their own role in the process. With this in mind, it could be interesting, at the end of the semester, to have them review what they wrote here and see how their views have evolved.
3: Write some specific problems you have with learning or using English (for example, I can’t pronounce “R” and “L”). Then talk with classmates about possible strategies you could use to solve these problems.
Some possible answers:
Problem / Strategies to Solve or Prevent the ProblemI have a vocabulary test, and I have difficulty memorizing words / I’m going to make some flash cards and study them on the bus.
Pronouncing ‘r’ and ‘l’.
/ Look at diagrams in a book to show where my tongue should be, then trying to practice4: Here are some examples of LLS. Read the strategies and think of problems you might have or personal situations where these strategies might be useful.Write short answers in the blanks.
The LLS list below is far from inclusive. The samples below were drawn from previous research data, specifically those LLS our subjects identified and recorded in guided journals. They were selected as ones we considered students would be more likely to connect to.
Explain to students that Column 2 is a sample list only and there are many more strategies they can discover on their own or learn about from others. Depending on the amount of time available, it may not be necessary to have students fill in something in the “Problem” column for every strategy, but it’s worthwhile reading every strategy in the second column.
Explain that column 1 (Problem) is important because it connects use of each LLS to specific needs.
For higher level students, explain that LLS can be “specific” versus “general”.
Example.
Strategy - Guessing from context
Purpose – to understand gist for a language lecture the next day
a) Specific focus guessing key words in 1-2 sentences vs. b) General focus reading 20 pages in one night (because of time constraints, it is not realistic to guess from context for a large reading assignment, other LLS need to be used such as reading for the main idea or identifying key words.
Problem / Strategies to Solve or Prevent the Problem- I have difficulty memorizing words
- I have a vocabulary test
- my teacher asks the class to find information about a new topic
Using other resources (e.g., Internet, magazines, newspapers, videos)
- I want to practice pronunciation
- I want to learn new words
- I need to proofread a paper
- My group members understand more than I do
- I want to speak to foreigners like my friend does in her part-time job
. / Eavesdropping on native speakers’ conversations
E.g. When waiting for the bus or riding on the bus
Making an effort to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing
- My textbook is boring
- I want to listen to know how to stress words better when talking and to show my feelings
Guessing (e.g., the meaning of words, what will happen next)
Focusing on a skill (e.g., pronunciation, listening)
Making positive statements about my learning
Evaluating the difficulty of a task, activity, or project
Making an effort to think in English
5: Have you ever kept a list of LLS you use? (e.g., in your class textbook, in a journal or notebook, in a diary)
If yes, what do you remember writing about? How long ago did you keep the list or notes…? What kind of situation was it?
If no,direct students’ attention to materials/texts where there may be space to respond to questions about LLS, such as pre-reading strategies or at the end of a unit, asking learners to reflect on the extent to which they feel they reached the goals of a particular unit.
Extension: In groups, encourage students to share information.
6: Do you ever share ideas about LLS with anyone? If yes – whowith and which ideas? If no – do you think it would be useful to share ideas with others?
For questions 6 and 7: Encourage students to share ideas. Example: My friend’s strategy is to read the same short stories in Japanese and English. He showed me a Japanese short story that was translated into English. I had already read it in Japanese. I went to the library with him and borrowed the English book and tried to read it.
7: Do you ever think about any LLS you use? If no – is thinking (reflecting) about LLS useful for you? If yes -- which ones were most effective for you?
8:On Worksheet B, your “Personal Strategy Repertoire”, write any strategies you already use. Also add new strategies from the list above or from your discussion. (If you want to, design your own “Personal Strategy Repertoire” worksheet.)
Allow time in class for students to start filling in their repertoire sheets. Check they have also thought of ideas for column two. Encourage students to begin this list as soon as possible and remind them to update it.
Ensure each student has an effective filing system for this Worksheet as they will need to come back to it, repeatedly.
Management of Worksheets: Suggest a variety of filing systems (10-page file-folders) or website downloading.
Worksheet B Encourage and remind students to keep updating this Worksheet and if time, monitor their input. Check their filing systems.
Personal Strategy Repertoire
As you discover and use new strategies, add them to your repertoire.
Check if you think they were S (Successful), D (Difficult), or if you R (Reacted) or A (Anticipated).
The sample Worksheet below has “S” and “D” in the two right-side columns. There are two other optional Worksheets, one that has “R” and “A” and one that leaves those columns blank. Depending on what you would like students to focus on, you can choose the Worksheet you wish to use. If you use the S/D or R/A Worksheet, be sure to explain what you want them to do:
- S/D Worksheet: Explain to students that, after they write a strategy and the situation where you use it, they should make a check whether or not the strategy has proven successful in the past, or it it is something that is actually quite difficult for them to do.
- R/A From: Explain to students that, after they write a strategy and the situation where you use it, they should make a check whether or not the strategy is one they’ve used in reaction to problems, or something they’ve done ahead of time, anticipating a potential problem.
Strategy / I use this when… / S / D
Worksheet “C” –Ongoing Language ExperiencesREFLECT
Introduce this Worksheet in 3 parts
1) Instructions: Make sure students understand the task and are clear about what they are required to do. Go over the instructions and three situations at the top of the Worksheet. If useful, revise the examples on Worksheet A. The main aim is to reflect immediately, or as soon as possible, on their learning experiences. Remind students their learning experiences can come from both inside and outside the classroom.
Number of Worksheets to complete: Worksheet C is photocopiable. Prepare multiple copies for this repeated Worksheet. Explain to students there is no set number of these Worksheets to be completed, but ideally, one per week is useful reflection time. It is up to each student to monitor their own progress in this SRL process. Review the importance of managing an effective but simple filing system.
2) Teacher feedback: Explain that feedback will be given initially and after that, learners can request feedback, by checking the box on the Worksheet. Encourage students to reflect and record their behavior, but at no time should they feel forced or coerced.
Student questions:Model this section using a student example, or e.g. ‘Please tell me about syllabification because I am confused about where to put emphasis.
3) Checkpoint
Encourage students to complete the Likert scale “motto” -“I am responsible for my own learning”. Ask them to circle a number on the line between 1 – 5, showing how true the statement is for them each week. Remind students this process is designed to help them become more responsible for managingtheir own learning and how this process may help them be better language learners. When students are completing their Checkpoint, use this as an opportunity for encouragement, praise and optional feedback.
Note: Worksheet D has a graph where students can plot their progress in developing individual responsibility for managing their learning.
Write about your experience learning or using English this week (either in class or outside).
Describe the situations and the strategies you used. You can choose to write about one or more of these:
- a successful experience learning or using English that you had this week. What strategies did you use that helped you succeed?
- a difficult experience learning or using English that you had this week. What strategies could you use to improve in this area?
- strategies your classmates shared about learning or using English
Language Situations or Problems / Strategies to Solve or Prevent Problems
Put a * next to the strategies that you feel are very useful.
Do you want feedback from the teacher about what you have written? (check the box)
Do you have a question for your teacher? Write it here:
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Checkpoint: “I am responsible for my own learning”. To what extent is this true of me this week?
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12345
never truehardly ever truesometimes true often truealways true
Encourage students to reflect carefully and fill this in each time they complete the Worksheet.
In Worksheet D, students will be asked to plot a graph/chart of their own attitude to managing their own learning.
Worksheet “D” - Language Experiences SummaryREFLECT
NOTE: If time, it may be useful to conduct this task mid-course as well as at the end.
For this Worksheet, have students work independently on all questions. The main aim is to reflect on their cumulative, or collective learning experiences. It may help to explain that later students will need their ranked list to share in groups, compare strategies they used and the extent to which they worked, and find out a “Top Ten” that the whole group agrees on.
Spend extra time on Q.6 and explain in more detail that a) first, a problem exists that requires a solution (being reactive) and b) students are aware of a problem before it happens and so take steps to stop it happening or lessen the chance of it happening (being proactive).
The purpose of this Worksheet is to look back over all your ‘Worksheet C’s’ and ‘Personal Strategy Repertoire’ to give a picture of the range of LLS you use andhow you manage your own learning.
1.How many Worksheet C’s did you complete? ______. Do you think this is enough?______
2.Think about which LLS worked for your learning purposes.
3.Of these, choose the ‘Top Five’ LLS.
4.Write them in the table below.
5.Explain “why” you thought they worked for you.
6.Look again at your Top 5 strategies. Did you:
- react to a problem and try to find a solution? (R)
- anticipate a problem and try to prevent it? (A)
LLS I used that worked / Why my “Top 5” LLS worked / R = React
A = Anticipate
7.For any that you checked React, did you learn anything that could change it to Anticipate?
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8.Add any ‘Top Five’ itemsto your Personal Strategy Repertoire that are not already there.
9.Take time to think about everything you have experienced by writing these reflection Worksheets. Do you have a specific personal goal or goals for your future language learning? If so, write it here ______
10.In what way have your goals changed since you began managing you own learning?
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Refer students back to Worksheet A, question 1, to see if their goals are the same or different.
- Look over all your “Checkpoints” on Worksheet C and fill in the chart.
Checkpoint: “I am responsible for my own learning”. To what extent is this true of me this week?
5 = always true
4 = often true
3 = sometimes true
2 = hardly ever true
1 = never true
week / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12
- Can you describe a pattern? ……………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
For example: a) during weeks 1-4, I took more and more responsibility. And for the middle weeks I kept my effort on 4 (often true). But for the last 3 weeks, I dropped to 2 (hardly ever true), because I was too busy.