Papers by Katherine Thornton
Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 2023
In line with foreign language instruction in general, foreign language provision in self-access l... more In line with foreign language instruction in general, foreign language provision in self-access learning centres (SALCs) has been dominated by English language learning. This is largely due to the nature of the internationalisation agenda in Japan, termed kokusaika, which emphasises English as the most important international language, the learning of which can facilitate Japanese economic advancement (Hashimoto, 2017; Kubota & Takeda, 2021). Largely missing from this narrative is a promotion of multiculturalism within Japan between different migrant populations, for many of whom English is as much a foreign language as it is for Japanese nationals (Tsuneyoshi, 2018). In order to truly internationalise, Japan must understand and embrace the linguistic and cultural diversity within its borders. Therefore, international education should focus on more than simply English education. This is as true for self-access facilities as it is for the mainstream curriculum. While there is some provision in some facilities for languages other than English (LOTE), as yet, no systematic investigation into the degree and nature of this provision has been conducted. Using data from a survey administered with coordinators of SALCs across Japan, this study investigated the degree to which SALCs in Japan are focusing on LOTE and the different ways in which they support these languages. The results revealed increasing focus on LOTE in some SALCs, in terms of materials and services offered, and significant linguistic diversity among SALC staff. However, common heritage and indigenous languages in Japan are largely absent, and a tendency to see language provision primarily as the appropriate balance between English and Japanese still persists in some SALCs.
JASAL Journal, 2022
Her research interests are learning space design and learning beyond the classroom. Clair was pre... more Her research interests are learning space design and learning beyond the classroom. Clair was president of JASAL between 2019-2022 and is currently in charge of JASAL's membership.
Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 2016
Despite the frequent presence of language learning spaces (LLSs) at institutions across the world... more Despite the frequent presence of language learning spaces (LLSs) at institutions across the world since the 1990s, there is still no consensus on how to evaluate such centres. With the exception of Morrison (2005), we do not even have a good number of well-documented approaches or frameworks for those wishing to conduct an evaluation to draw from. The very nature of a self-access centre, with its fluid population of users pursuing a diverse variety of learning goals, makes the task considerably more challenging than a course evaluation, which usually has clearly defined objectives and a fixed group of participants. This problem has been recognised since self-access first emerged as its own field (Riley, 1996), but recent surveys of the field reveal a similar picture today (Gardner & Miller, 2015; Reinders & Lazaro, 2008).
Self-access centers (SACs), social learning spaces which combine support for language learning wi... more Self-access centers (SACs), social learning spaces which combine support for language learning with a strong focus on fostering learner autonomy, are becoming popular in tertiary institutions in Japan. While they have much in common with language centers (LCs) in the US, the two fields have, until recently, remained largely unaware of each other. This chapter introduces SACs, specifically explaining how they have evolved in the Japanese context, and the organization which has been established to support SACs, the Japan Association for Self-Access Learning (JASAL). Firstly, the origins of self-access language learning (SALL) and characteristics of SACs are explained, with a comparison to US-based LCs. Particular attention is given to the ways in which SACs support learners in developing both their language skills and their capacity as autonomous learners, often through professional learning advisory services. This is followed by an introduction to JASAL and a discussion of the ways in which JASAL has supported SALL in Japan over the last 15 years. Drawing on data from a survey of JASAL members, the authors then explain the extent to which JASAL has been able to achieve its aims and identify the challenges it still faces to keep SALL relevant to Japanese learners in the 21 st century.
Otemon Gakuin University Bulletin of Institute of Liberal Arts, 8,, 2021
The Covid−19 pandemic has resulted in a re-evaluation of all aspects of life and human interactio... more The Covid−19 pandemic has resulted in a re-evaluation of all aspects of life and human interaction. Social learning spaces and self-access centres, which rely to a great extent on bringing learners together in a physical space, are no different, and in March 2020 English Café at Otemon E−CO had to rapidly reassess its functions to be able to keep supporting students at Otemon Gakuin University effectively. This paper documents the actions that were taken in Spring 2020 to move E−CO's activities online, and the challenges that were faced in doing so. Affordances for future operations, facilitated by this forced move online, are also highlighted.
Autonomy in language education: Present and future avenues.
Japan Association for Self-Access Learning Journal, 2020
where she works as a learning advisor. She is the director of E-CO (English Café at Otemon), the ... more where she works as a learning advisor. She is the director of E-CO (English Café at Otemon), the university's self-access centre, and a former president of the Japan Association of Self-Access Learning, currently serving as its events coordinator. Her research focuses on language policy and practice in self-access language learning.
Relay Journal, 3(2)
Self-access learning centres (SALCs) provide vital support for learner autonomy and language lear... more Self-access learning centres (SALCs) provide vital support for learner autonomy and language learning, but can struggle to attract students whose attention is divided between classes, assignments, clubs and societies, and paid work. While interested in using the facilities to improve their language skills, students may feel intimidated by an unfamiliar environment populated by people they perceive to be more confident or proficient in foreign languages than themselves. They may also be confused about the services on offer and how to access them. To encourage these students, many self-access learning centres (SALCs) offer incentive programmes or reward schemes such as stamp cards for using the self-access facilities. These incentives can even be tied to class grades, effectively being a required element of the curriculum. This study investigates the effect of one such self-access incentive scheme through the lens of cognitive evaluation theory, a mini-theory from within selfdetermination theory, which addresses the role of rewards on intrinsic motivation to learn (Deci & Ryan, 2017). At one institution in Japan with a small SALC, an incentive scheme called the passport was introduced for first year students studying English as their major. Over three years, a differing level of incentive was offered, linked to student grades for a compulsory class. Data on service engagement in both the years that students were offered the incentive and the following year are used to investigate the effect of introducing the incentives, and survey data from students provide some insights into their attitudes to using the incentive.
Otemon Gakuin University Bulletin of Institute of Liberal Arts, 7, 63-78. , 2020
The result of this collaboration has been a colourful and comfortable space with different areas ... more The result of this collaboration has been a colourful and comfortable space with different areas for different kinds of language study with attention paid to learning space design concepts such as noise flow and facilitating interaction between learners.
Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal
As self-access centres become increasingly social in function, the language of the interactions w... more As self-access centres become increasingly social in function, the language of the interactions which take place in such language learning spaces (LLSs) and the guidelines or policies which guide their use have become increasingly important. Despite this, little research has been conducted into language policy. This preliminary study surveyed 50 self-access language learning practitioners in 30 institutions around the globe about their language policies and how they are received by different stakeholders, including learners. A range of approaches to language policy are in place, from strict policies that only permit the target language, to more flexible ones that allow or encourage learners’ first languages. Around a third of institutions reported no official policy in place. The data reveals that LLSs with strict policies tend to be found more in EFL contexts, but the factors governing policy choice are complex and depend on local context. While support for all kinds of policies is...
To cite this article Thornton, K. (2014). Understanding self-regulated learning: Thoughts from at... more To cite this article Thornton, K. (2014). Understanding self-regulated learning: Thoughts from attending the self-regulated learning symposium in shimonoseki.
In the fourth installment of the column following the self-directed learning curriculum developme... more In the fourth installment of the column following the self-directed learning curriculum development project at Kanda University of International Studies, Japan, Satoko Watkins, Neil Curry and Jo Mynard detail the process of conducting a pilot of a possible self-directed learning curriculum for freshmen students, that would meet the needs and principles established in the previous two installments. This pilot represents quite a shift for the learning advisors (LAs), as it would bring what has up until now been a largely self-study course into the mainstream classroom environment, taught by LAs. The installment offers an insight into the strengths and potential weaknesses of such a course, and how students responded to it.
Takahashi, K., Mynard, J., Noguchi, J., Sakai, A., Thornton, K., & Yamaguchi, A. (2013). Needs analysis: Investigating students’ self-directed learning needs using multiple data sources. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 4(3), 208-218. As explained in the first installment of this report , the learning advisor (LA) team at Kanda Un... more As explained in the first installment of this report , the learning advisor (LA) team at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) has engaged in redesigning a curriculum for the Self-Access Learning Centre (SALC) by following a framework adapted from the Nation and Macalister (2010) model. This framework, which is based on an investigation of student needs, aims to establish criteria in the shape of clear principles and goals. Following the Environment Analysis stage, detailed in the previous installment of this column (Thornton, 2013),
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Papers by Katherine Thornton
This presentation will discuss the evolution of such language learning spaces in Japan and the affordances they offer for language learning in an EFL environment, as well as the challenges they face in the 21st century.
This presentation will report on the Needs Analysis stage of this evaluation. While many methods for collecting information on learners’ linguistic needs are found in the literature, little has been written about effective Needs Analysis for self-directed learning. I will discuss the challenges which have faced the team in developing instruments which accurately pinpoint learners’ needs and the solutions we have found, sharing our instruments and our findings.
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This short presentation reports on a social networking tool, NING, and how it was used to facilitate reflection and interaction during a course of self-directed learning undertaken by 24 third year university students at KUIS. Learners set goals, planned and implemented three hours of self-directed learning each week, then used the blog function in NING to share their reflections on their work, which were then read and commented on by other members of the group, in addition to a learning advisor. The presentation will first describe how the project was designed, and then, using data from the reflection blogs, comments, and the course evaluation survey, report on the way in which the members of the group chose to use the comment function, and their perceptions of sharing their reflections, commenting on others and receiving comments on their own work from classmates.