Using Port fo l ios to IntegrateSelf-access in the Curr iculum

JASAL 2016 Annual Conference December 10, 2016Konan Women’s University

Marcel Van AmelsvoortJuntendo UniversityFaculty of International Liberal Arts

Sufficient engagement

200,000 words

→ Reading speed improvements(Beglar and Hunt, 2014)

300,000 words

→ TOEIC score improvements(Nishizawa, Yoshioka, & Fukada, 2010)

University Student Time and Study Allotment in Japan 2007

Weekly out-of-class study hours: Japanese and American students

Japanese student daily time allotment

4.6 hours per day for classes and studying

Part-time job

Club

Reading, etc.

Thesis

Classes

Class-related studying

Total studying time

4.6 hours/day

Portfolio

What’s the metaphor?

A Repository or bankof work (usually writing) To be shown at a later

date for assessment

Construction of (an) artifact(s) to demonstrate skill

Data to make progress visible to the learner, peers, teachers, administration, and parents.

Berger, R, Rugen, L., and Woodfin, L. (2014). Leaders of their own learning: transforming schools throughstudent-engaged assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Our Program

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Writing Presentation

Writing Presentation

Teacher A Teacher B

Educational Accountability-clear rationale

-clear program expectations (institutionalized)

-clear and sufficient requirements

-no excuses

Socio-cultural context-safe and comfortable community

-peer/group sharing, and social accountability

Visibility-models

-peer performance

comparison

- formative feedback

-success experiences

Pleasantness-appropriate challenge

level (regular success)

-cognitive and

emotional appeal

Elements in a successful learning context

Some challenges we face…

The Future Self ProblemThe Culture of Context ProblemThe Habitual Use ProblemThe Sufficient Engagement Problem

For new behaviors to really take hold, they must occur often and there must be perceived utility. Eyal, 2014

Vitamin or Painkiller?

Autonomy emerges from established habits formed in the context of a social setting into which learners become socialized and whose reality they come to accept and trust.

→ First we must establish habits and a system that underlines the value of those habits→ Then get them to reflect upon this

An institutionalized portfolio system with clear goals and community support

Rationale→Requirements →Onboarding → Progress Tracking → Habit formation →Autonomy

Elements of our portfolios

Profile documents Tracking forms Student writing and presentation

documents Reflection sheets

Profile documents

Language and intercultural experiences Test profile Goal-setting pre-counseling form

Profile documents

Preflection and reflection documents

Pre-initial counselling, pre-intervention forms (goal-setting)

Term-end reflection (for counselling)

Preflection and reflection documents

Tracking forms

Extensive reading task sheet and reading record forms

Vocabulary quiz task sheet and performance graph

Quick writing task sheet and performance graph My Choice self-study task sheet and record forms

Extensive Reading- minimum of 100,000 words per term

Vocabulary Quizzes- two quizzes per week

Quick Writing- 6 minutes at the beginning of class twice a week

Student’s choice tool use- weekly use

But you could use anything: reading speed, writing errors, conversation table visits, speaking lengths, extensive listening, etc.

Tracking forms

Student writing and presentation documents

Pockets for keeping writing assignments and presentation assignments Including drafts and peer feedback

forms

Reflection sheets

Goal achievement report and reflection forms to assess performance this term and look ahead to the next stage To be completed in preparation for the

final counselling session

Managing Portfolios

Paper or digital? Parking forms and binders Tracking sheets are used regularly and

so are kept by teachers until the end of term

Managing portfolios

Leveraging Portfolios

Integrate into classes→as many as possible

Use for reflection Portfolio presentations

Extensive Reading- minimum of 100,000 words per term

Vocabulary Quizzes- two quizzes per week

Quick Writing- 6 minutes at the beginning of class twice a week

Student’s choice tool use- weekly use

Data Tracking in portfolio

Portfolio Presentations

Thank you very much

amelsvoort@juntendo.ac.jp

@Marcelva

Photo Credit: 松岡明芳 -松岡明芳, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11701874

References• Berger, R, Rugen, L., and Woodfin, L. (2014). Leaders of their own learning: transforming schools through student-engaged assessment. San

Francisco: Jossey- Bass

• Eyal, N. (2014). Hooked: How to build habit-forming products. New York: Portfolio Penguin.

• Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we co and how to change. London: Random House.

• Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambirdge: Cambridge University Press.

• Little, D. (1991). Learner autonomy 1: Definitions, Issues, and Problems. Dublin: Authentik.

• Pigott, J. D. (2011). Self and motivation in compulsory English classes in Japan. In A. Stewart (Ed.), JALT2010 conference proceedings (pp. 540-50). Tokyo: JALT.

• Thaler, R., and Sunstein, C. (2009). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New York: Penguin

• Yashima, T. (2914). Self-regulation and autonomous dependency. In Garold Murray (ed.). Social dimensions of autonomy in language learning (pp. 60-77).