Autonomous learning in a group

(How) can we make that work?

(How) did I make it work?

Kaatje Dalderop

Münster, March 2016

Autonomous Learner’s competencies

• Learning management and awareness

• Problem posing and goal setting

• Planning

• Selection and realization

• Monitoring and evaluation

One-to-one coaching

• Is expensive (time consuming)

• Sometimes hard to organise

• What could we do in a group? (How can we make it work?)

Why focus on autonomous learning?

• Koepel (prison) was meant as a short stay facility;

• Policy says: no language learning;

• Result: no facilities for learning;

• Focus on management of own learning and on finding resources.

Coaching in groups

What did we do?

Talking about language learning

– Resources

– Strategies

• Talking about vocabulary

– Related to language levels

• Expectations about learning

• ‘Teaching on demand’

• What’s app

What worked?

• Teaching: only for a short while.

• What’s app

– Sharing

– Practicing

Sharing resources

Vocabulary learning

Communication…

about …

… a very important…

…question (about a Syrian dessert)

My role

• Invite them to reflect, be aware, be in charge;

• Explicit about my role: you are learning, I’m only supporting you;

• Expectations of the learners: management??

• Ownership & responsability

– Lower skilled learners

Stage II

• Learners would stay longer (asylum procedures started)

• The room was not appropriate

• We moved!

– Internet

– Learning materials

What did we (try to) do?

• Choose your materials to work with, find out what you like & what works for you

• Find your learning partners

• Use the computer and the copier

• Make sure that you have enough materials to work with during the week

What worked?

What worked?

• They seemed to find a book they liked;

• The book was suitable for self study;

• The book suited the lower skilled learners;

• They worked together back ‘home’, the stronger learners supporting the weaker ones.

What did not work?

• Individual learning paths

• Working in my house

• The work with the more experienced language learners

• ……….

My role and my challenges

• Dealing with group dynamics

• Expectation management

• Coaching without sharing a language

• Ownership

To conclude

• The learners made a number of choices;

• They work together;

• They are (more) aware of their strategies;

• They manage their learning processes;

• They have …. learned;

• I feel they know they deserve the credits for it.

• Coaching is not just easy…