Junko Takahashi, Kanda University of International Studies
Abstract
This reflective paper offers an examination of three successive practice advising sessions with a proficient multilingual speaker, elucidating the challenges encountered and insights gleaned throughout the process. Despite initial uncertainties about my role as an advisor, the experience provided valuable insights into the nuances of individual differences in language learning, delving into factors such as motivation and learning beliefs. The incorporation of a motivation graph and intentional reflective dialogue proved instrumental in navigating the advisee’s beliefs and emotions, fostering a mutual understanding. In conclusion, this exploration underscores the significance of comprehending the advisee’s perspective as a foundational element for cultivating meaningful advising relationships.
Keywords: learner motivation, individual differences, reflective practice
I have consistently been curious about the positive effects that students can experience when they make well-informed decisions about their learning, aided by the guidance and support of both classmates and teachers. As an English teacher, I often find myself in the position of providing explicit directions in the classroom. However, it is common for students to rely on my instructions or seek quick answers rather than engaging in deep, reflective thinking. Over time, I have grappled with the challenge of fostering a more thoughtful and independent mindset among my students.
The concept of advising in language learning, defined as “the process of helping someone to become an effective, aware, and reflective language learner” (Kato & Mynard, 2016, p. 1), caught my attention when I took a Learner Autonomy class in graduate school. Realizing that this aligned with my aspiration to empower students to become independent learners, I eagerly embraced the opportunity to acquire advising skills. I wholeheartedly agree with the assertion that reflection is a crucial catalyst for the growth and progress of learners (Kato & Mynard, 2016). I am particularly drawn to the idea that language, as emphasized by Vygotsky (1978), serves as a powerful psychological tool, mediating higher-order mental processes such as attending, planning, and reasoning, because of its central role in fostering learner autonomy and self-awareness. In my teaching practice, I have observed how language not only facilitates communication but also helps students structure their thoughts, reflect on their learning, and make informed decisions.
However, I am aware that effective dialogue for fostering deeper reflection needs to be structured “intentionally” (Kato & Mynard, 2016, p. 6). To this end, I conducted three online practice advising sessions in English every other month via Zoom, each lasting around 30 minutes and recorded for my own review. The opportunity to revisit and analyze these sessions through the recorded videos provided invaluable insights. As emphasized by Mann et al. (2020), discussions and reflections centered around video extracts contribute significantly to teacher learning. The process enabled me to elevate my awareness regarding my discourse and actions during the advising sessions.
My Advisee
My advisee, May Ling (pseudonym), was a Taiwanese friend whom I met in Canada when I studied Teaching English as a Foreign Language at University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. At the time of the sessions in this paper, she had been teaching Chinese to international students at a Mandarin training center affiliated with a national university in Taipei. She had experience teaching Chinese in Japan, Russia, and Poland. Regarding her foreign language learning experiences, she could speak Japanese fluently because she majored in Japanese at university and had experience working in Japan. She was also fluent in English and could speak basic Russian and Polish well enough to survive in those countries. She could speak standard Chinese and Cantonese to a certain degree. She was multilingual and adept at mastering languages. She was highly driven and, as a teacher, knew good strategies to study languages. Even after returning to our respective countries, we had visited each other and occasionally talked on the messaging application LINE. Therefore, we had already established rapport. She had expressed her desire to come to Japan again in the near future to study at a university. Therefore, I asked her about her Japanese study.
Motivation Graph
In my routine casual dialogues with May Ling, opportunities for reflective discussions on our teaching and learning experiences, as well as our underlying values and beliefs, are seldom presented. Despite the fact that we often talk about our teaching situations and address common issues, these dialogues rarely delve into deeper reflections. However, the dynamics shifted during our initial advising session, where intentional reflective dialogue (IRD) became a pivotal tool. According to Kato (2012), IRD is a dialogue between a learner and an advisor structured intentionally to promote more profound reflection. Through this process, I began to develop a deeper understanding of my advisee’s current work circumstances and her approach to language learning.
During the first session, she expressed the challenge of time constraints, citing her busy schedule and exhaustion after work as hindrances to engaging in language studies. In the subsequent session, held 2 months later, I introduced the motivation graph (Kato & Mynard, 2016) as an affective tool, drawing on Yamashita and Kato’s (2012) insight that tools can foster reflection. A motivation graph usually illustrates how someone’s motivation levels change over time, displaying fluctuations that indicate periods of both high and low motivation. The choice stemmed from my initial uncertainty about her motivation for studying Japanese, and I aimed to discern whether her motivation had persisted over time.
Kato and Mynard (2016) propose a four-stage learning trajectory: (1) Getting Started, (2) Going Deeper, (3) Becoming Aware, and (4) Transformation. Each stage reflects a different level of learning awareness, and specific dialogues and tools can be implemented based on the learner’s position on this trajectory. At the “Getting Started” stage, learners generally have limited awareness of their learning processes and little understanding of their language learning needs. They often depend on advisors for solutions and seldom use metalanguage. As they progress to the “Going Deeper” stage, learners begin to develop a clearer awareness of their learning. With support, they are able to reflect more deeply and start incorporating metalanguage into their thinking. In the “Becoming Aware” stage, learners grow more confident in their abilities, becoming better at reflecting on their own learning processes and more comfortable using metalanguage. Finally, at the “Transformation” stage, learners have a strong awareness of their learning processes. They independently suggest alternative strategies to address focus areas, effectively managing their own learning. Their use of metalanguage becomes natural. Given her natural use of metalanguage and heightened awareness of her learning processes, I concluded that my advisee had reached the Transformation stage in the learning trajectory, where students possess the metalanguage to articulate the thoughts and processes, as they are undergoing and can control their learning (Kato & Mynard, 2016). Therefore, I decided to shift the focus towards affective factors rather than learning strategies.
I asked her to chart her motivation for Japanese studies on a graph to describe her self-perceived level of motivation at a certain moment in life and to explain the reason behind it (see Figure 1 below). Through the use of the motivation graph and IRD, I endeavored to unravel her current sentiments and perceptions toward her Japanese studies.
Figure 1
May Ling’s Motivation Graph
In a preceding session, she had elucidated her motivation changes, conveying a desire to learn despite being overwhelmed with busyness. She admitted to persistently watching Japanese TV programs even in moments of diminished motivation, echoing sentiments expressed in the initial session. It is important to mention that excerpts have been lightly edited for grammar, vocabulary, etc., for clarity.
Junko (Advisor): Seems like you keep motivated.
May Ling (Advisee): Because I am interested in Japanese culture, and I watch those programs to understand the culture and to know a lot of things. (Pause) I think the motivation comes from a habit. I watch those TV programs. If I didn’t want to learn, I wouldn’t watch those programs, right?
Before understanding her personal definition of motivation, I found myself in a misconception, erroneously believing that she lacked the motivation to study Japanese. This misinterpretation stemmed from a misalignment between her definition of motivation and my preconceived notions. My perspective was grounded in the assumption that a motivated individual would dedicate specific hours to focused study at a desk. In our first session, when she repeatedly mentioned being too busy to study, I erroneously concluded that her motivation for learning Japanese had diminished.
However, I later discovered that my interpretation was inaccurate. Despite her demanding schedule, she consistently watched Japanese TV programs, even if only briefly, driven by a desire to explore Japanese culture. It became evident that her actions and her personal definition of motivation contradicted my initial assumption. While she acknowledged not having high motivation, her consistent engagement with Japanese media exemplified an enduring motivation to learn, albeit in a different form than what I had pictured.
Grateful for her articulate definition, I now have a clearer understanding of her motivations for studying Japanese, dispelling any earlier misconceptions and allowing me to appreciate the nuanced nature of her motivation. Using the Motivation Graph allowed me to naturally ask May Ling about her views on motivation, and her motivation had remained over time. The combination of the Motivation Graph and IRD helped me understand that each person has their own unique definition of motivation.
Broadening Perspective
According to Kato and Mynard (2016), employing “what if questions” can prove effective in encouraging learners to engage in deeper thinking and view a particular situation from a broader perspective. These questions are particularly useful within the broadening perspective approach, wherein an advisor challenges a learner’s existing beliefs and assumptions, fostering deeper critical reflection (Kato & Mynard, 2016). In the initial session, I was unable to pose a what if question, but recognizing their potential, I integrated such questions into subsequent interactions.
J: What would you say if you had the opportunity to offer advice to your past self?
M: If I were to give myself some advice, I think I would tell myself in the past, ‘Try to stay one year in Japan.’ Whether it’s one year, two years, or even half a year, for studying in Japan. Last time, I also told you that I want to do that in the near future, having an opportunity to practice more and to understand the culture more.
Although my attempt to pose the question did not lead to any new insights from her, I did uncover a new fact in her response. After expressing her thoughts in the previous excerpt, she shared that her motivation had significantly waned during her time in Japan, a revelation that caught me by surprise, as I had not perceived this despite meeting her in Japan occasionally. I had assumed that she was motivated to study Japanese because living in Japan was her dream. She attributed this decline in motivation to factors within the work environment, including the demanding workload and interactions with colleagues:
M: I didn’t have very high motivation because the environment makes me unhappy. I think it’s similar when I stayed in Russia. I didn’t like the environment, so I didn’t have the motivation to learn something. I don’t want to know the language, maybe the culture I want to understand, but not the language.
J: It seems like, to you, the environment is really important.
M: I think so. I think so. The environment and how the place makes me feel. But I’m not the exception, right? Because if you like the place, I think you’ll try to know something more.
The provided excerpt highlights the significant role of the environment in her language learning experience. Notably, her motivation to learn the language diminished when she found the environment unfavorable. What added an intriguing dimension was her apparent emphasis on culture over language, as she expressed a continued interest in exploring a culture even when the environment was not to her liking. Furthermore, she revealed that one of her motivations to return to Japan had been to gain a deeper understanding of the culture. This dialogue has provided valuable insights into her perspective on the interconnectedness of culture, environment, and language, shedding light on the intricate dynamics that influenced her language learning journey.
Her perception of language learning and motivation
In our first and second sessions, May Ling had consistently emphasized her commitment to watching Japanese programs despite being busy and tired. Given that our previous discussions centered around her motivation using the motivation graph, I initiated our third session by inquiring, “How is your motivation toward your Japanese study?”. To my surprise, she reiterated her enduring motivation, attributing her perceived challenge to a lack of time.
Further probing into her perspective on studying a foreign language, I asked, “What does studying a foreign language mean to you?” Her response revealed a seamless integration of Japanese learning into her daily life, describing it as something she can do any time, particularly through watching TV programs. Additionally, she highlighted the practical aspect of communication, expressing that she can connect with her Japanese students who struggle with Chinese or English:
J: It seems like for you … Some people think that studying a language means sitting at a desk and learning from the textbook, like grammar, and vocabulary. Some people rely on a vocabulary book, right? For you, what does studying Japanese… it doesn’t have to be Japanese … what does learning a foreign language mean to you?
M: For me, language learning is like something you learn from daily life if you have some basics. If I don’t know about the language, if I’m a total beginner, I think I will do the same as other students, go to the class, sit in front of the desk, and try to get some basic things. But now Japanese learning is like any time. I can watch TV programs, or this term, I have a student from Japan and she’s a beginner. Sometimes I need to communicate with her in Japanese because she doesn’t speak good English. I still notice that the problem is my listening is better than my speaking.
J: OK…
After that, there was a pause. I did not know what to say. Despite her clear dedication and ongoing opportunities for language use in daily life, I found myself grappling with confusion and a sense of helplessness. It became apparent that she was already positioned at the Transformation stage, and her primary hurdle was time constraints. She used metalanguage naturally and was conscious of herself and her learning processes, which characterizes learners at the Transformation stage (Kato & Mynard, 2016). This realization left me uncertain about how I could further assist her, as her commitment and learning strategies appeared robust, and the perceived obstacle seemed beyond my control.
Discrepancy between her hope and hesitation
As our dialogue unfolded, she brought up the topic of her fluency, expressing dissatisfaction with her proficiency. Curious to understand her perspective, I posed the question, “What do you mean by fluency?”. Although she began explaining her definition, the dialogue took an unexpected turn when she abruptly shared her mixed feelings about being a fluent speaker:
M: But, Junko, it’s funny. Sometimes, I don’t want to be very fluent in a language.
J: (Overlaps) Why?
M: Because I want to keep some distance.
J: Interesting. Distance?
M: Yeah, for example, I think it’s very obvious in Japan that if you are too fluent in a language, they will expect you to follow the same standards.
J: For example?
M: For example, if I speak like a Japanese, I think they will use the Japanese standard to ask me to do a lot of things. Maybe even expect me to follow the same principles; for example, what Japanese people do, they might assume I should know what to do. If I know the language, but not perfectly, if I show I know like 70 or 80 %, they will think I’m still a foreigner. They will have more tolerance for me. I enjoy that part.
J: You enjoy that part?
M: Yeah, I enjoy that part.
As evident from the excerpt, I made concerted efforts to seek clarification from her intermittently, recognizing that some of her expressions introduced new concepts to me, requiring a precise understanding. To navigate through this unfamiliar terrain, I periodically sought to clarify her messages, ensuring an accurate comprehension of her intended meanings.
To enhance mutual understanding and establish a shared perception of May Ling’s thoughts and feelings, I adopted a strategy of summarizing from Kato and Mynard (2016). After the comments presented in the above excerpt, I took a moment to summarize the key points she had conveyed up to that juncture, as shown in the next excerpt. This served a dual purpose: first, to “check understanding of how the learner is feeling and thinking” (Kato & Mynard, 2016, pp. 21–22), and second, to convey my comprehension back to her. This reflective summarization facilitated a shared understanding of the evolving dialogue, and she affirmed her agreement with the summaries provided:
J: You enjoy that part means that they still have tolerance for you because you are not that fluent. ‘Oh, she’s a foreigner. Of course, she makes mistakes.’ People should be tolerant, but if you are too good, maybe ‘You should behave like this.’
M: Yes. Yes. Since you [people in general] are so fluent, you must know our culture and maybe our private rules so well that you should know what to do. Don’t you think so?
She elaborated on her perspective, revealing that she deliberately refrained from aspiring to be overly fluent in Japanese. Her rationale lay in the belief that maintaining a certain level of proficiency allowed her the flexibility to make mistakes without excessive scrutiny. During her time in Japan, she had consciously sought to avoid unintentionally offending others. Her Asian appearance combined with her native-like Japanese proficiency, she explained, could diminish the tolerance extended to her by others. She expressed a desire to avoid appearing as someone lacking common sense. As our dialogue progressed, she delved deeper into the reasons behind her need for distance and personal space:
M: I want to have some chance to make some mistakes so I can remember what I can do or what I can’t do in Japan or in other countries. Maybe they forgive me, but I will remember. That’s my personality, but I don’t want to be blamed for my accidental mistake.
She articulated the need for personal space and distance, expressing a preference not to become too closely connected with people, particularly in Japan, despite her deep love and respect for the country. She further elaborated that, at times, Japan elicits feelings of discomfort within her. Eager to comprehend the nuances behind her use of the term “uncomfortable”, I inquired about specific factors or situations that might contribute to her sense of discomfort:
M: I don’t want to be too close to people in different countries, especially Japan. Although I like Japanese culture and people, your society sometimes makes me uncomfortable, so I need some distance, not to be like the Japanese.
J: You said something makes you uncomfortable. What kind of things make you uncomfortable?
M: Like some private rules, like office, the relationship with other people, ningen kankei (a Japanese word describing a relationship in English). I’m really like my pace (a Japanese pseudo-loanword adapted from English describing a person who does things at his own pace), so I don’t want to do things I don’t want to do. But in Japanese society, it doesn’t seem that way. You have to do what you don’t like to do. If I’m too fluent, they expect me to know the culture.
Upon hearing her explanation, I gained a deeper insight into the underlying source of her apparent contradiction. While she held immense respect for Japanese culture and its people, she recognized that her own personality and identity deviated from the societal expectations within Japanese culture. Surprisingly, she expressed a preference for being treated as a foreigner, a status that enabled her to maintain her distinct identity and provided flexibility in language and cultural errors. Embracing the belief that mistakes serve as valuable learning opportunities, she saw them as a means to identify areas for improvement and enhance her language proficiency.
Teacher belief about language learning
After the excerpt above, she discussed individuals who casually and fashionably wear the traditional dress of a foreign country, such as tourists visiting Japan donning a kimono or someone dressing like a Tibetan monk, often without understanding the cultural significance behind it. She expressed her discomfort with their attitude, stating, “They disgrace the country’s culture.” In the course of conversation, she reflected on her own identity, remarking, “Although I appreciate Japanese culture and its people, I also value my own heritage. I want others to recognize that I am Taiwanese and have a deep understanding of Japanese culture, without wanting to assimilate into it completely.” Recognizing the significance of cultural awareness for her, I employed a strategy known as intuiting, also referred to as reflective feelings, wherein advisors utilize their intuition to prompt learners’ reflection (Kato & Mynard, 2016):
J: Maybe, for you, I sensed that learning a language and learning a culture means the same.
M: (Overlaps) Mean the same. I think, as a language lecturer, I think it’s important when you learn the language, you [people in general] need to know the culture, too, so that you won’t make unnecessary mistakes, you know. I think it’s also easier to understand what they are thinking, and it helps you to learn the language faster.
Following our discussion, she shifted the dialogue to her experiences with beginner students arriving far from Taiwan, seeking assistance in adapting to life in Taiwan. She shared the advice and guidance she consistently imparts to these newcomers:
M: That’s what, how Taiwanese think, and I tell them, ‘That’s how we think.’ So you need to understand. Otherwise, you would never learn the language. For example, if I learn some expression in Japanese, but I always feel it’s weird, I never accept it.
J: If you don’t know the culture.
M: Yeah, if I don’t know the culture, and I don’t try to understand why they think that, I think I will never understand, never accept the language.
J: Yeah, yeah. Language is based on culture, right?
I: Yeah, yeah, I think it’s really, really related.
After restating her perspective on language learning as “learning a language and learning a culture mean the same,” she continued speaking with unwavering enthusiasm. It became evident that she was impassioned about sharing her teacher’s beliefs regarding language acquisition. I discerned a strong emphasis on incorporating culture into both the teaching and learning of language. Teacher beliefs are defined as “unconsciously held assumptions about students, classrooms, and the academic materials to be taught” (Kagan, 1992, p. 65, as cited in Farrell, 2007). Uncovering these beliefs can be challenging unless explicitly addressed (Farrell, 2007). However, she willingly articulated her teacher beliefs during our dialogue. Recognizing the significance of her teacher beliefs, I realized that they served as a fundamental framework for understanding her perspectives on language learning, shedding light on what holds paramount importance to her in the language learning process.
After the final advising session, I asked her to verbally reflect on the process. She admitted that she rarely thought about her language learning unless prompted, and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to do so. I also requested a written reflection via email after all the advising sessions were completed. In her email, she mentioned that the experience of being asked about her learning made her question whether she had put in enough effort to learn Japanese. In reflecting on the sessions, she described herself as “not very motivated in studying,” but concluded that “studying and learning are actually a little bit different.” She emphasized that “learning can happen anytime, anywhere, and even in a relaxed way,” and explained that she consistently tried to expose herself to a Japanese-speaking environment. This insight helped me better understand her perspective on the distinction between “learning” and “studying.”
She also noted that she is satisfied with her current approach to learning, which is free from pressure. However, she acknowledged the need to review previously learned grammar patterns and to seek more opportunities for speaking practice. Although confident in her listening skills, she acknowledged that her speaking ability falls behind. Her use of metalanguage in her reflection reinforced my observation that she is in the “Transformation Stage” (Kato & Mynard, 2016) of her learning journey. While she identified areas for improvement, it was through our dialogue that she was able to articulate these realizations.
Though I am still uncertain about the overall effectiveness of the advising sessions, I can say that through mediational dialogue, I was able to “uncover expectations, motivational factors, prior beliefs, experiences, individual differences, and preferences” (Mynard, 2012, p. 34). I hope these sessions prompted her to reconsider what language learning means to her.
Final Thoughts
As I reflect on the series of advising sessions with my friend and advisee, a professional language instructor fluent in multiple languages, I grappled with the question of what value I could add to someone already well-versed in language learning. I felt uncertain about my role as an advisor. However, this experience offered me valuable insights into the significance of individual differences in language learning, as suggested by Benson (2011). Exploring various factors such as motivation, affective state, and learning beliefs revealed the nuanced ways in which these variables influence learning outcomes.
Despite being friends for two decades, the practice advising sessions uncovered aspects of her thinking and motivations that I had never considered before. The motivation graph proved to be a powerful tool, facilitating a deeper understanding of her perspective on language learning, motivation, and the interplay between language and culture. Through the integration of the motivation graph and IRD, we navigated through the complexity of her beliefs and emotions, fostering mutual understanding.
The experience also underscored the importance of keeping an open mind, as per the principles of transformational advising (Kato & Mynard, 2016). Despite our shared roles as language teachers and the bond of friendship, it became apparent that we hold distinct perspectives and approaches. This realization emphasizes the likelihood that prospective advisees may possess even greater differences from my own, underlining the importance of acknowledging and navigating diverse perspectives in the advising process. Avoiding assumptions based on personal experiences and continuously expanding my toolkit, as suggested by Yamashita and Kato (2012), emerged as crucial aspects of effective advising. While these sessions highlighted our differences, they also emphasized the necessity of recognizing and appreciating individual values and beliefs. Ultimately, understanding the advisee’s perspective remains a challenging yet essential goal, paving the way for meaningful advising relationships.
Notes on the Contributor
Junko Takahashi is a lecturer at Kanda University of International Studies. She holds an MA in TESOL from Kanda University of International Studies. Her research interests include reflection, motivation, and learner autonomy.
References
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