ALMS Autonomous Learning Modules Kirby Vincent University of Helsinki

Does anything look familiar? Lack of …. Lack of motivation Student voice Every other course has had teachers’ assignments and therefore clear routines. I find this kind of learning experience passivating and behaviourist Lack of engagement Lack of emotional engagement

Why? Cookie cutter Pace Learning belongs with the teacher and classroom

Essence of ALMS but... what when where how with whom Student voice Students decide what when where how with whom Student voice I learned that studying could really be very creative, and you should enjoy it. I realized that I learn the best by doing something I really like. Evaluate their own learning through reflection but... they are supported Supports life-long and life-deep learning

Student voice Well, it obviously gives you a lot of freedom to do what you want with your learning. However, it comes with a great responsibility. Especially at first it was hard to decide what to do with the course and what sort of things would support your learning. Just because of that, I think ALMS is such an instructive experience. It forces you to take responsibility for your actions and your own learning which requires reflection. Reflection again gives you a big amount of feedback of what you have done, and with this helps you to find different things to work with – some better, some worse.

ALMS in numbers All faculties (12) 2 rounds per year (Autumn & Spring) 250 students per round 12 groups per round 21 students per group 4 (sometimes 2) ETCS = 108 hours of work 10 teachers/facilitators/councellors 600 hours of teacher/facilitator/councellor work per round

ALMS Structure 2 opening sessions (mandatory) 1st = What is ALMS and where am I 2nd = How to do and where to go from here 3 counselling sessions (mandatory) 15 minutes each Various support groups DIY groups = 10 hours 98 hours left (1 mandatory)

Example Time Line Autumn 1st counselling session 2nd counselling session Final counselling session 1st opening session September October November December 2nd opening session 108 hours of work

Students ... Reflect on their level, needs and goals Do the CEFR Kaleidoscope (http://kaleidoscope.helsinki.fi/) Do the CEFR Create a plan Create a log, diary, blog, vlog... Work and have fun Reflect on their work Discuss the work with the counsellor

Support groups 28 different types of support groups Showers: 1 meeting, usually ’how to’ Reading, grammar, vocabulary… Kickstarts: 2 meetings with teacher, then students run it Conversation, book club, field trip… Groups: Several meetings with teacher Essay writing, drama, debating, vocabulary…

Counselling One-on-one 15 minutes First session Second session Check understanding and plan Second session Check progress and discuss/question what is being done Final session Feedback

Counsellor’s role Check understanding Keep students on track Student voice When I started this course, I had difficulties with vocabulary and courage to speak English. I was kind of a perfectionist, I knew I was OK in English, but my delivery wasn’t as fluent as I wanted it to be. I actually thought that I was really good in English, but when I started this course and I had to speak out loud to my friends, I froze and felt embarrassed. The feeling was so strong that it was devastating. Counsellor’s role Check understanding Keep students on track Provide guidance and suggestions Provoke the students to question and evaluate what they do and why Act as a therapist

Concerns Exams Work done? Student level Student voice I have to honest and say that I choose ALMS because I thought it would be easier than normally course with teacher. I was wrong. This course made me think about more my own learning. I had to push myself much harder to do things than usually. However the most important is that now in the end of this course I think it was really good that I did that ALMS course. I learnt to face my fear to speak English and I start thinking that nothing happens if I make mistakes when I speak English. Or that isn’t really the truth. There is something that happens when I make mistakes I will learn of them and next time it will go better. So this ALMS taught me to think more positive about me as a user of English. Exams Proof of what? Already studied? Teaching matters? Work done? Student level We’ve done it!

Final reflections ALMS helps students... find their motivation engage emotionally in learning develop their language skills in areas they are interested in/need learn about themselves as learners develop their skills of reflection develop skills for life-long learning But ... not for everyone

Final student voice … I have learned many ways that seem to suite me as a learner. … and I found for me practical methods seem to work well. I just don’t feel comfortable studying with grammar and exercises who don’t connect into anything in my life. When I get to read and study materials that have a straight impact of my knowledge and knowhow of my future work, I feel that studying English makes sense. In this way the language improvement and my other goals can combine and benefit from each other. During the course I realized that the best way to learn English is to surround myself with it. In this way I can start thinking in English, which is the proper way for me to learn. I also found that enjoyment plays a major role in learning.

Student voices the most important thing is, that I finally feel, that I don’t need to be perfect in grammar or pronunciation, the main thing is to be understood. This course gave me a chance to focus in learning and what I individually really needed. I have learnt a lot of new ways how to improve my English skills and I now am more motivated to improve them in the future also. I learned that making learning fun is a great way to make learning motivating. Studying languages doesn’t have to be about memorizing grammar and vocabulary, you can motivate yourself or even your students in the future by for example playing games, watching movies and reading good books.