Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Kanda University of International Studies
Welcome to Volume 8, Issue 1 of Relay Journal. This journal aims to promote research, best practices, and reflection in learner autonomy, teacher autonomy, self-access, and advising in language learning. With that aim, the journal also provides a platform for authors and reviewers to engage in dialogue by means of its post-publication peer review system. This issue includes one featured article and two papers related to reflective practice focusing on advising and mentoring.
The featured article is authored by a group of authors and researchers, Jo Mynard, Bethan Kushida, Chris Arnott, Kodiak Atwood, Phillip A. Bennett, Eduardo Castro, Adam Garnica, Michelle Jerrems, Hao Jingxin, Ella Lee, Ewen MacDonald, Peter Macdonald, Emily Marzin, Scott Shelton-Strong, Robin Sneath, Jamison Taube-Shibata, Haruka Ubukata, Isra Wongsarnpigoon, and Allen Ying. Their study explores various elements that affect how students engage with and perceive English language use in the Self-Access Learning Center at Kanda University of International Studies. Based on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017), their research specifically investigates how autonomy, relatedness, and competence influence how students use English or not in the center. Their findings reveal that students’ perceptions of lack of competence constitute a barrier to their use of English and that the feeling of relatedness is not necessarily conducive to interactions in English. The researchers conclude with practical recommendations that aim to promote the use of English without having to enforce a stricter “English only” policy.
The first paper in the reflective practice column is authored by Tiffani Blatchford. The paper describes an advising session that Blatchford had with an adult learner of Japanese, and includes her reflection on her own development as a learning advisor. In the session, Blatchford focused on using three specific advising strategies: repeating, empathizing, and asking powerful questions. By means of the use of the strategies, she had a reflective dialogue (Kato & Mynard, 2016) with her advisee, from which she was able to understand the importance of listening and supporting learners in developing their learner autonomy. The second paper, written by Junko Takahashi, also highlights the power of reflecting with another person. More specifically, Takahashi used mentoring by means of an advising tool, called the Wheel of Reflection, for her colleague’s professional development. The mentoring session facilitated by the use of the tool enabled Takahashi to help her mentee reflect on areas that need improving in her teaching profession after having taken a break from teaching for several years. The session also allowed Takahashi to notice what areas she, herself, would like to improve, implying the mutual influence and growth that relational mentoring can bring about (Ragins, 2011).
I would like to thank Phillip A. Bennett and Eduardo Castro for their help on editing the reflective columns for this issue. I also would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Kayo Hirono and Tamiko Tsukinoki for their crucial role in expediting the publication of this journal issue. As mentioned above, Relay Journal operates on a post-publication open-review system. Therefore, readers are encouraged to review any of the papers in this issue by leaving comments in the “Leave a reply” boxes under each paper.
Notes on the editor
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.
References
Kato, S., & Mynard, J. (2016). Reflective dialogue: Advising in language learning. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315739649
Ragins, B. R. (2011). Relational mentoring: A positive approach to mentoring at work. In K. Cameron & G. Spreitzer (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of positive organizational scholarship (pp. 519–536). Oxford University Press.