Autonomous learning in a group
(How) can we make that work?
(How) did I make it work?
Kaatje Dalderop
Münster, March 2016
Autonomous Learner’s competencies
• Learning management and awareness
• Problem posing and goal setting
• Planning
• Selection and realization
• Monitoring and evaluation
One-to-one coaching
• Is expensive (time consuming)
• Sometimes hard to organise
• What could we do in a group? (How can we make it work?)
Why focus on autonomous learning?
• Koepel (prison) was meant as a short stay facility;
• Policy says: no language learning;
• Result: no facilities for learning;
• Focus on management of own learning and on finding resources.
Coaching in groups
What did we do?
Talking about language learning
– Resources
– Strategies
• Talking about vocabulary
– Related to language levels
• Expectations about learning
• ‘Teaching on demand’
• What’s app
What worked?
• Teaching: only for a short while.
• What’s app
– Sharing
– Practicing
Sharing resources
Vocabulary learning
Communication…
about …
… a very important…
…question (about a Syrian dessert)
My role
• Invite them to reflect, be aware, be in charge;
• Explicit about my role: you are learning, I’m only supporting you;
• Expectations of the learners: management??
• Ownership & responsability
– Lower skilled learners
Stage II
• Learners would stay longer (asylum procedures started)
• The room was not appropriate
• We moved!
– Internet
– Learning materials
What did we (try to) do?
• Choose your materials to work with, find out what you like & what works for you
• Find your learning partners
• Use the computer and the copier
• Make sure that you have enough materials to work with during the week
What worked?
What worked?
• They seemed to find a book they liked;
• The book was suitable for self study;
• The book suited the lower skilled learners;
• They worked together back ‘home’, the stronger learners supporting the weaker ones.
What did not work?
• Individual learning paths
• Working in my house
• The work with the more experienced language learners
• ……….
My role and my challenges
• Dealing with group dynamics
• Expectation management
• Coaching without sharing a language
• Ownership
To conclude
• The learners made a number of choices;
• They work together;
• They are (more) aware of their strategies;
• They manage their learning processes;
• They have …. learned;
• I feel they know they deserve the credits for it.
• Coaching is not just easy…
Top Related