CHAPTER 9. Designing, Assessing, and Adapting Materials for Autonomous Learning
Christian Ludwig, Diane Malcolm and Maria Giovanna Tassinari
Abstract
There is a continuing discussion concerning how students’ autonomy should be fostered in formal educational contexts. Although pre-designed materials are believed to hinder autonomy, they are often used in institutionalized foreign language learning contexts. Given this background, this chapter deals with adapting and designing materials for autonomy-fostering learning environments. First, it discusses selected principles of a language pedagogy for autonomy. It then establishes selected criteria for adapting and designing learning materials. It concludes by providing some ideas for encouraging learners to create their own learning materials to provide opportunities for authentic, motivating, and meaningful interaction.
Resumen
Diseñar, evaluar y adaptar materiales para el aprendizaje autónomo
Se sigue debatiendo sobre cómo se puede fomentar la autonomía de los estudiantes en contextos educativos formales. Aunque se cree que los materiales prediseñados dificultan el desarrollo de la autonomía, se utilizan con frecuencia en contextos institucionalizados de aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras. Con estos antecedentes, el capítulo propone como adaptar y diseñar materiales para entornos de aprendizaje que fomenten la autonomía. Primero se analizan algunos principios de una pedagogía para la autonomía. Después se establecen algunos criterios para adaptar y diseñar materiales. Se concluye aportando algunas ideas para animar a los aprendientes a crear sus propios materiales de aprendizaje para ofrecer oportunidades de interacción auténtica, motivadora y significativa.
About the Contributors
Christian Ludwig (PhD) is currently Visiting Professor of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. His research interests include, among others, learner autonomy, teaching literature, graphic novels, and moving images. He is the coordinator of the IATEFL Scholarship committee.
Diane Malcolm (PhD), from Canada, was formerly Head of the English Unit at Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain, where she taught English to first year medical students for many years and established a self-access centre. She has a Doctor of Applied Linguistics degree from Macquarie University, Sydney, and has also taught ESL/EFL in Canada, Portugal, and Saudi Arabia. Her publications concern learner autonomy, learner motivation, identity, self-access learning and academic reading strategies and beliefs.
Maria Giovanna Tassinari (PhD) is Director of the self-access centre at the Language Centre of the Freie Universität Berlin. She is Joint Coordinator of the Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group (LASIG) of IATEFL, and an active member of several international networks. She is interested in autonomous language learning, advising, emotions and feelings in language learning and advising.
Citation
Ludwig, C., Malcolm, D., & Tassinari, M. G. (2023). Designing, assessing, and adapting materials for autonomous learning. In C. Ludwig, M. G. Tassinari, A. Ruiz Guerrero, & K. Nagao (Eds.), Developing learner autonomy in foreign language learning: Papers from the Independent Learning Association Conference, Mexico, June 2021 (pp. 174–186). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/29/9
There is a continuing discussion concerning how students’ autonomy should be fostered in formal educational contexts. Although pre-designed materials are believed to hinder autonomy, they are often used in institutionalized foreign language learning contexts. Given this background, this chapter deals with adapting and designing materials for autonomy-fostering learning environments. First, it discusses selected principles of a language pedagogy for autonomy. It then establishes selected criteria for adapting and designing learning materials. It concludes by providing some ideas for encouraging learners to create their own learning materials to provide opportunities for authentic, motivating, and meaningful interaction.
Resumen
Diseñar, evaluar y adaptar materiales para el aprendizaje autónomo
Se sigue debatiendo sobre cómo se puede fomentar la autonomía de los estudiantes en contextos educativos formales. Aunque se cree que los materiales prediseñados dificultan el desarrollo de la autonomía, se utilizan con frecuencia en contextos institucionalizados de aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras. Con estos antecedentes, el capítulo propone como adaptar y diseñar materiales para entornos de aprendizaje que fomenten la autonomía. Primero se analizan algunos principios de una pedagogía para la autonomía. Después se establecen algunos criterios para adaptar y diseñar materiales. Se concluye aportando algunas ideas para animar a los aprendientes a crear sus propios materiales de aprendizaje para ofrecer oportunidades de interacción auténtica, motivadora y significativa.
About the Contributors
Christian Ludwig (PhD) is currently Visiting Professor of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. His research interests include, among others, learner autonomy, teaching literature, graphic novels, and moving images. He is the coordinator of the IATEFL Scholarship committee.
Diane Malcolm (PhD), from Canada, was formerly Head of the English Unit at Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain, where she taught English to first year medical students for many years and established a self-access centre. She has a Doctor of Applied Linguistics degree from Macquarie University, Sydney, and has also taught ESL/EFL in Canada, Portugal, and Saudi Arabia. Her publications concern learner autonomy, learner motivation, identity, self-access learning and academic reading strategies and beliefs.
Maria Giovanna Tassinari (PhD) is Director of the self-access centre at the Language Centre of the Freie Universität Berlin. She is Joint Coordinator of the Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group (LASIG) of IATEFL, and an active member of several international networks. She is interested in autonomous language learning, advising, emotions and feelings in language learning and advising.
Citation
Ludwig, C., Malcolm, D., & Tassinari, M. G. (2023). Designing, assessing, and adapting materials for autonomous learning. In C. Ludwig, M. G. Tassinari, A. Ruiz Guerrero, & K. Nagao (Eds.), Developing learner autonomy in foreign language learning: Papers from the Independent Learning Association Conference, Mexico, June 2021 (pp. 174–186). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/29/9
Information About the Book
Title: Developing learner autonomy in foreign language learning: Papers from the Independent Learning Association Conference, Mexico
Editors: Christian Ludwig, Maria Giovanna Tassinari, Adelina Ruiz Guerrero, and Kazuko Nagao
Publication date: December 2023
Read more...
Title: Developing learner autonomy in foreign language learning: Papers from the Independent Learning Association Conference, Mexico
Editors: Christian Ludwig, Maria Giovanna Tassinari, Adelina Ruiz Guerrero, and Kazuko Nagao
Publication date: December 2023
Read more...