Self-Access and the Adult Language Learner. INSTITUTION Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, London (England)
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 382 027 FL 022 930 AUTHOR Esch, Edith, Ed. TITLE Self-Access and the Adult Language Learner. INSTITUTION Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, London (England). REPORT NO ISBN-1-874016-36-4 PUB DATE 94 NOTE 177p. AVAILABLE FROM Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, 20 Bedfordbury, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4LB, England, United Kingdom. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom Use .(055) -- Collected Works General (020) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Education; *Adult Learning; Cognitive Processes; *Computer Assisted Instruction; Continuing Education; Electronic Mail; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Hypermedia; *Independent Study; Information Technology; *Learner Controlled Instruction; Program Descriptions; Second Language Instruction; *Second Languages; Staff Development; Telecommunications IDENTIFIERS Anglia Polytechnic University (England); Chinese University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong; University of Central Lancashire (England) ABSTRACT The immediate stimulus for this collection of papers was a conference, Self-Access and the Adult Language Learner, organized by the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT) and the Language Centre of the University of Cambridge in December 1992 at Queen's College, Cambridge. Several 1-day conferences on the same theme were also organized during 1993 and 1994 in Stirling (with Scottish CILT), the Universities of Westminster, Leicesier, and Bristol. Papers include: "Aspects of Learner Discourse: Why Listening to the Learners Is So Important" (Philip Riley); "Demystifying IT in Second Language Learning" (Jeremy Fox); "Hypermedia and Cognitive Tools" (Terry Mayes); "Preparing Learners: Toolkit Requirements for Preparing/Orienting Learners" (Leslie Dickinson); "Learner Support: Interacting with Learners" (Edith Esch); "'Whatever Is Worth Knowing Can Never Be Taught' (Oscar Wilde)" (Peter Forbes, Anny King); "Self-Access, Not Self-Service: Tesco versus Taylor's" (Edith Each); "From Continuing to Higher Education: Open-Access Learning at Anglia Polytechnic University" (Anne If e); "A Unique Resource-Based Language Learning System" (Ritva-Liisa Cleary, Lucila Makin); "Learner Telesupport: Language Advising by E-Mail" (Lucile Makin); "Learners' Search Criteria and Cataloguing Language Learning Material: Demands Imposed onDatabases" (Ritva-Liisa Cleary); "Files and Catalogues: Meeting and Answering Learner Queries in a Resource Centre" (Sam M. Cembalo);"Implementing a Support System for Language Learning in a ResourceCentre on an Industrial Site" (Daniel. Abe); "Self-Access Language Centres: Implications for Managers, Teachers and Learners" (JackLonergan); "The Language Learning Centre at the University of Central Lancashire: A Case Study" (Stella Hurd); "Preparing Teachers for Self-Access: Hong Kong Experiences" (Herbert Pierson); "A Study of Independent Learning: The Learner Training Programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong" (Beatrice Ma); "Keeping Contact with Learners" (E'ra Fung-kuen Lai); "Using Computers for Authentic Communication" (Linda Mak); "Developing Materials for the Independent Learning Centre at the Chinese University of Hong Kong" (Emma Yuen-wai Poon); and "Comments from an Adult Language Learner"(N. W. Barlow>. (MSE) .,=zeck. e Its7- -` *.r., jet61-1* t.* 00 rn .67 417.7 - Nrfg,' IL ,711111111Pr -.$ 7-"'S.'7.4.1.4:7"-'7,"+"...-'7 ;7Wl ;;V71,4;4'1",-A77 . A,-"Asft, Z1.. Vell.EVkleitt, .77 F:41164111111k-' .770110111... S. v.. 7'' 11111/1111, 1 , 7 r ,4"34'""" L Leadam Askamb, Edited by Edith Esch REPRODUCE THIS cy, PERMISSION TO BY MATERIAL HASBEEN GRANTED U It DIEVARTUtior ner goucayloo. Orc ol Ecfocaloorwt R: 7 and hhafewhilsont ON)ti --L C k- EDUCAPONAL RESOL LT .:$ ihIEORMATION CENTER aalIC1 0 Qfilheocumet has berm roroauCed RESOURCES r MO TO THE EDUCATIONAL *trod from MO pigeon 'DI 09147.11111001 (ERIC)." orlaniarev a INFORMATION CENTER 0 Armor chimp's 1'14_ boon ',Wks le 1004/1fte tft.007.7C174701 0a7410 Pomis or um,. or 0000000mesa In MO 00Cu ,0100 00 not 00cefilarily 'Witsof 1011001 OEM Dosoon of Policy 12:TilMgS2g and the adult language learner edited by Edith Esch 0 CELT 3 The views expressed in this book are those of the editor andcontributor; and do not necessarily reflect the views of CILT. Acknowledgements I would like to thank all those who have contributed tothe making of this book and, more particularly, Ute Hitchin from CILT, who managed to engineer mostof the important editorial decisions with exemplary determination and tactfuldiplomacy. First published in 1994 Copyright © 1994 Centre for Information on LanguageTeaching and Research ISBN 1 874016 36 4 Cover by Neil Alexander Printed in Great Britain by Bourne Press Ltd Published by the Centre for Information on Language Teachingand Research, 20 Bedfordbury, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4LB. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permissionof the Copyright owner. Page Foreword Introduction 1 SECTION 1 Access: realities and dreams 5 1Aspects of learner discourse: why listening to learners is so important Philip Riley 7 2Demystifying IT in second language learning Jeremy Fox 19 3Hypermedia and cognitive tools Terry Mayes 28 SECTION 2 Engaging the process 37 4Preparing learners: toolkit requirements for preparing/orienting learners Leslie Dickinson 39 5Learner support: interacting with learnersEdith Esch 50 6'Whatever is worth knowing Peter Forbes and can never be taught' (Oscar Wilde) Anny King 54 SECTION 3 Providing resources: the principle ofrelevance 61 7Self-access, not self-service: Tesco versus Taylor's Edith Esch 63 8From continuing to higher education: open-access learning at Anglia Polytechnic University Anne Ile 68 9A unique resource-based Ritva-Liisa Cleary language learning system and Lucila Makin 73 SECTION 4 Learner support systems 81 10Learner telesupport: language advising by e-mail Lucila Makin 83 11Learners' search criteria and cataloguing language learning material: demands imposed on databases Ritva-Liisa Cleary97 12Files and catalogues: meeting and answering learner queries in a resource centre Sam Cembalo 104 13Implementing a support system for language learning in a resource centre on an industrial site Daniele Abe 108 SECTION 5 Institutional issues: staff and management training 117 14 Self-access language centres: implications for managers, teachers and learners Jack Lonergan 119 15 The Language Learning Centre at the University of Central Lancashire: a case study Stella Hurd 126 SECTION 6 The Hong Kong experience 135 16 Preparing teachers for self-access: Hong Kong experiences Herbert Pierson 137 17 A study of independent learning: the learner training programme at The Chinese University of Hong Kong Beatrice Ma 140 18 Keeping contact with learners Eva Fung-kuen Lai 146 19 Using computers for authentic communication Linda Mak 152 20 Developing materials for the Independent Learning Centre at Emma The Chinese University of Hong Kong Yuen-wai Poon 159 Conclusion Comments from an adult language learner N W Barlow 165 List of contributors 166 Periodically in the development of human thought, certainkey words have become so widely used that they seemalmost meaningless, exercising a kind of tyranny over rational discussion. In the field of language learning,for example, 'communicative' and 'autonomous' are both words which have meant somuch to so many that any precise meanings have often become blurred.Quite frequently the one has been used in opposition to 'accurate' and the other as a synonymfor 'directionless'. Something similar is taking place in relation to oneof the key phrases of the 1990s 'self-access language learning'. The concept is of coursefar from new. As many of the contributors to the present volume point out,all successful language learning (possibly all learning) must involve self-access in someform. We have all, in some way and to some degree, madelearning choices, selected materials and preferred approaches, learned rather than been taught.Why then is 'self-access' an issue? Why the need for discussion? What is the pointof this book? This is almost certainly related to the constraintsand conditions of our age. Never, it would seem, has the demand andperceived need for language learning been so great. The linguist's dream ofuniversal language learning, or massificationdes langues as it has been powerfully, if ratherinelegantly, described, appears to be within reach. Yet the human and material resources tosupport such a major social development are limited. On one level, therefore, the self-accessapproach may appear to be the answer to a resourcing andadministrative difficulty. This probably doesmuch to explain the current vogue for the term inmanagerial circles. It would be easy for linguists to beover-dismissive of thisthe 'policy maker's approach'. Easy, but perhaps mistakenfor therein, slightly refashioned, lies a key challenge for educators. For us the question is not:how do we deliver less to more for the same? it is rather: how do we providethe 'mass learner' with the learning competences, opportunities andchallenges which are traditionally associated with the education of the few? How can Plato'sSymposium be translated into the world of mass communication? This question, it seems to me, is at the coreof the many specific discussions, descriptions and case studies contained withinthis book. It is