English Reflections

1. English Reflections An Interactive, Reflective Learner Journal

2. Learner journals are valuable educational tools which can raise student awareness of learning. Learner Journals help learners to: reflect on the learning process; make sense of their experiences; identify their strengths and weaknesses in English; document their progress; identify effective language learning strategies and materials; and establish goals for future independent learning.

3. In English Reflections, the interactive/ reflective learning journal which will be examined in this workshop, students: perform interactive learning-related activities in class time, and then reflect individually upon the issues raised by these activities in their own time. Twin goals of interaction and reflection are achieved in a learner-centred, group/individual infrastructure.

4. Attitudes to learning and the perceptions and beliefs which determine them, have a strong influence on learning behaviour and on learning outcomes. Successful learners develop insightful beliefs about language learning processes, their own abilities and the use of effective learning strategies, which have a positive effect on learning. Because of this, English Reflections focuses on attitude change in an interactive and then reflective setting. A number of research instruments were adapted from the ELT literature and incorporated into this learning journal. Their purpose was to stimulate discussion by presenting the issues involved:

5. A Measure of Autonomy and Self-Direction Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory Classroom Environment Questionnaire (Actual and Preferred) Classroom Environment Scale Classroom Learning Environment Deficiency Analysis Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale Language Learning Ideas Language Skills Self-Assessment Learning Contract Learning Preferences Learning Style Inventory Multiple Intelligences Survey Self-Assessment Strategy Inventory for Language Learning Student Perceptions About Language Learning Students� Needs Study Styles Teachers� Needs

6. Results Evidence of improved confidence, motivation, responsibility and writing skills has been identified in the weekly individual reflections made by the students. A number of trends have been identified over the past three years:

7. Results weekly entries in the journal increased in length over the course of the semester; the number of grammatical inaccuracies decreased without teacher-correction; the individual reflections gained in depth as students became more articulate; topics of the individual reflections became more oriented to language learning (students wrote about whatever they felt to be important to them); there was a noticeable shift in the entries from initial confusion (about the future) and lack of confidence, towards determination to "do my best"; and individual reflections showed encouraging indications of positive attitude change.

8. Results The interactive/reflective learner journal was a definite factor in attitude change for a number of reasons: By being both interactive and reflective, the journal gave students a framework in which to discuss issues which had not previously been explored by them in any depth. By allowing students to reflect individually upon whatever they found to be important, and by stressing that there were no "correct" answers and that every opinion was valid, the journal encouraged growth of confidence and self-esteem in students who had previously labeled themselves as poor learners.

9. Results By allowing groups to proceed through the journal at their own pace, students were allowed to spend time on issues that they found relevant and meaningful, thus giving validity to their perceptions. By bringing teaching/learning-related issues to the attention of the students, the journal promoted cooperative exploration of beliefs, leading to positive modification of attitudes to learning. By encouraging students to make individual reflections on a regular basis, without correction by the teacher, the fear of "making mistakes" was disabled, and writing skills were allowed to improve simply through extended practice and occasional peer-feedback.

10. Thank you The video shown during this presentation can be viewed online at: www.finchpark.com/videos/alt_assess/index.htm English Reflections can be viewed online at: www.finchpark.com/books/index.htm. Dr. Finch can be contacted at: aef @ knu.ac.kr Thank you for your time. Good browsing!