Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Kanda University of International Studies
Phillip A. Bennett, Kanda University of International Studies
Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Kanda University of International Studies
Welcome to Volume 7, Issue 2 of Relay Journal. In alignment with the Research Institute for Learner Autonomy Education, this journal is aimed at promoting research and practice in learner and teacher autonomy while fostering an active community of researcher-practitioners. This issue features contributions that embody this mission by applying theory to practice, with the goal of nurturing autonomous language learners.
One way to nurture learner autonomy is through advising. According to the literature, the aim of advising is mainly to help learners reflect and develop self-awareness, which enables them to make their own decisions and gradually take charge of their learning (Kato & Mynard, 2016; Shelton-Strong & Tassinari, 2022). Two papers featured in this issue’s Reflective Practice column demonstrate how advising can indeed foster deep reflection. The first paper, by Antonie Alm and Moira Fortin, reports on a collaborative reflective analysis of their advising session, in which Alm played the role of the advisor and Fortin that of the advisee. Using an advising tool called the Wheel of Language Learning (Kato & Sugawara, 2009; Yamashita & Kato, 2012), Alm was able to facilitate Fortin’s reflection on her French language journey, including factors such as time management, motivation, and time for reflections. The paper adds to the literature on the use and effectiveness of the Wheel of Language Learning and advising tools in general and highlights the importance of advising in language learning. In the second paper, Junko Takahashi reflects on her advising practice through an analysis of sessions in which she initially used an advising tool, a motivation graph, as a starting point to navigate her advisee’s beliefs and emotions about learning. The tool enabled Takahashi to encourage her advisee to explore not only her motivation, but also her underlying conceptualizations about the nature and definition of language learning. The article also demonstrates how advising can be relevant even for experienced language teachers and lifelong learners as well as how the advising process can lead to revelations for both advisor and advisee, as Takahashi discusses her own realizations on individual differences which arose through the sessions. .
Our third paper is by Satoko Kato, Walkyria Magno e Silva, Jo Mynard, Deirdre Ní Loingsigh, Scott J. Shelton-Strong, Maria Giovanna Tassinari, and Maria Clara Vianna Sá e Matos. It provides summaries of the presentations on advising in a symposium titled Advising in Language Learning: Preparing Learners and Educators for a Personalized Approach to Language Education, which was part of the 5th Psychology of Language Learning Conference in Madrid, Spain. Discussing how advising is conducted in different contexts (Brazil, Germany, Ireland, and Japan) and how it positively impacts learners, the authors emphasize the importance of expanding advisor education and doing more research on advising.
Finally, the fourth paper, written by Eduardo Castro and Ella Lee, reports on a week-long program meant to raise students’ awareness of well-being through different activities and resources at the Self-Access Learning Center of Kanda University of International Studies. By describing the activities and the adaptation of existing resources in the center, the authors give specific ideas on how educators and staff can provide students with opportunities to reflect on and nurture their well-being.
We would like to thank Kayo Hirono for her precious help in expediting the production of this issue. We also would like to thank all the reviewers for this issue for their time and valuable comments. Since Relay Journal operates on a post-publication open-review system, we encourage readers to provide feedback by commenting on the articles online at any time.
Notes on the editors
Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa is a senior learning advisor and lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies in Japan. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics (Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand) and an Ed.M in TESOL (State University of New York at Buffalo, US). Her research interests include learner autonomy, self-regulated learning, psychology of language learning, and advising in language learning.
Phillip A. Bennett is a senior learning advisor and lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies, specializing in learner autonomy, self-directed learning, and language advising. He holds an MA in TESOL and a BA in Sociology, with extensive teaching experience across all age groups, educational levels, and corporate training/facilitation contexts. His research and practice focus on advising, learner autonomy, and innovative approaches to language education, including the integration of music into learning.
Isra Wongsarnpigoon is a lecturer in the Faculty of Global Liberal Arts at Kanda University of International Studies. He holds an M.S.Ed from Temple University, Japan Campus. His interests include multilingualism and translanguaging in language learning, learning spaces and environments, and learner autonomy.
References
Kato, S., & Mynard, J. (2016). Reflective dialogue: Advising in language learning. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315739649
Kato, S., & Sugawara, H. (2009). Action-oriented language learning advising: A new approach to promote independent language learning. The Journal of Kanda University of International Studies, 21, 455–475. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237226385
Shelton-Strong, S. J., & Tassinari, M. G. (2022). Facilitating an autonomy-supportive learning climate: Advising in language learning and basic psychological needs. In J. Mynard, & S. J. Shelton-Strong (Eds.), Autonomy support beyond the language learning classroom: A self-determination theory perspective (pp. 185–205). Multilingual Matters.
https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788929059-013
Yamashita, H., & Kato, S. (2012). The Wheel of Language Learning: A tool to facilitate learner awareness, reflection and action. In J. Mynard & L. Carson (Eds.), Advising in language learning: Dialogue, tools and context (pp. 164–169). Longman. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833040