Presentation given to the Computers and Learning Research Group Conference at the Open Univerisity, Milton Keynes

1. Improving language learning and
transition into second language
learning, through the Language
Learning Support Dimensions
(LLSD)
Chris Edwards
Maria Luisa Pérez Cavana
CALRG 16 June 2015

2. BACKGROUND
LLSD
PILOT

3. “Learning a second language is a long and complex
undertaking. Your whole person is affected as you
struggle to reach beyond the first language into a new
language, a new culture, a new way of thinking, feeling
and acting. Total commitment, total involvement, a total
physical, intellectual, and emotional response are
necessary to successfully send and receive messages in a
second language”. (Brown, 2007:1)

4. Introduction
• Develop a tool useful to students learning a second
language.
–Context: adult language learners in distance education
• Importance of making students’ thinking visible and
focus on metacognition: “Learning how to learn must be
taught” (Gall et al, 2009)
• Combines and builds on three elements:
- The Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI)
- Research in Second Language Acquisition
- Lessons learned from the Good Language Learners
studies

5. Effective Lifelong Learning
Inventory (ELLI)
Inventory linked to a model of learning (Deakin, Crick et al.
2004) with seven dimensions of learning power (e.g.
Growth orientation, Critical curiosity etc.)
ELLI works with individual profiles and possibilities to
develop some areas.
The dimensions provide a language to discuss one’s
approaches to learning and reflect on their own learning

6. ELLI’s seven dimensions
•Being stuck & static
•Data accumulation
•Passivity
•Being rule bound
•Isolation & dependence
•Being robotic
•Fragility and dependence
•Changing and learning
•Meaning making
•Critical curiosity
•Creativity
•Learning relationships
•Strategic awareness
•Resilience
This inventory has recently been re-evaluated and re-
modelled and is now called CLARA…

7. Second Language Acquisition
• Second language acquisition (SLA) research over the
last thirty years
• Relevant factors that positively affect the efficiency in
Language learning.
• Good Language Learner (GLL) Studies developed in the
1970s and 1980s ( Rubin 1975, Stern 1975) further
developments (O’Malley & Chamot 1990, Oxford 1990,
Griffiths 2011, Brown 2007, Dörnyei 2005) integration of
sociological and cultural factors (Norton Toohey 2001,
Kramsch 1993)

8. BACKGROUND
LLSD
PILOT

9. The Language Learning
Support Dimensions (LLSD)
• LLSD are a reflective tool for individuals to assess their
own attitudes and dispositions towards, and to improve
their efficacy in language learning
• Main aim of the LLSD: to increase language awareness
in relation to the process of language learning
• To enable change and transformation in students
attitudes and skills

10. The LLSD
• Drive to communicate
• Ego flexibility
• Strategic self-regulation
• Creativity
• Social integration

11. Drive to communicate
Two main elements: willingness to communicate (WTC)
and willingness to make mistakes even to ‘appear foolish’
to get the message across.
• WTC was developed for L2 in the 90s: “Predisposition
toward or away from communicating given the choice”
McIntyre et al. 2001
• One of the main characteristics of the GLL ( Rubin,
1975, Naiman et al. 1978, Stern 1975)

12. Ego flexibility
• Two main elements: tolerance to ambiguity and the role
of the self in learning a foreign language (identity
conflict)
• Tolerance of ambiguity: ability to tolerate uncertainty or
ambiguity. Language learning always involves
uncertainty, ambiguity.
• Learning a language implies changes in the identiy.This
can lead to build sets of defences to protect the ego that
may impede success

13. Strategic self-regulation
• Use of learning strategies is one of the characteristics of
effective language learners (Oxford 1990, Chamot 2001)
• Learning strategies LS (Griffiths, 2008)
“Activities consciously chosen by learners for the
purpose of regulating their own learning”
• Self-regulation- self-management, self-adjustment

14. Social integration
• Two aspects: belonging to a community of practice and
awareness of social distance.
Sociocultural theories applied to the GLL studies:
how the social variable influences the success in L2
(Norton/ Toohey, 2001)
• Learning occurs as people participate in sociocultural
activities: willingness to participate in communities of
practice
• Social distance: cognitive and affective proximity of two
cultures within an individual (Brown, 2007)

15. Creativity
• Stern (1975) one of the main characteristics of the native
speaker’s knowledge at which L2 learners should aim:
using the language for productive thinking
• Evidence of relevance of creativity for language learning
(Runco 2004, Sternberg 2002)
• Sternberg (2002) Creative intelligence: how well an
individual can cope with novelty
• Learning a language always involves coping with novelty

16. BACKGROUND
LLSD
PILOT

17. Overview
• Aims- Test the dimensions, usefulness and relevance for
students
• Participants – PGCE students (11) between 35-60 years
old, fluent in 1-3 modern languages.
• Design: (May-June 2014)
Online Activity: to assess views, attitudes and skills in
relation to the dimensions and reflect on them.
In-depth interviews: (30-45 minutes) phone Skype, open
questions, phenomenological approach
Feedback questionnaire: about their experience working
with the LLSD, clarity of the questions etc.

18. The findings
Participants views on the LLSD
• 31 statements related to the five dimensions.
• Responses were collated and arranged in descending
order of agreement.
• Three main groups of responses: “Entirely positive”,
“Mostly positive” and “Equally balanced or negative”
“I think that LLSD would certainly help anyone who is embarking
on language learning or teacher trainees of languages who
haven’t yet had the experience of thinking through aspects of
language learning themselves”

19. Participants’ views on the LLSDs
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Strategic self-
regulation
Creativity Drive to
communicate
Ego flexibilty Social
integration
Bal/negative
Mostly positive
Positive

20. Responses to the dimensions1
• Strategic self-regulation (SSR)
All students agreed on the importance of using
strategies and being pro-active.
LL Strategies is one topic in their study programme, but
LLSD made them reflect on their use of strategies.
“Perhaps what I am not doing as much as I could is
writing. This question has made me realise that, and I
will need to address it.”
Self-regulation was not so clear or not so familiar. No
reference to making adjustments after monitoring

21. Responses to the dimensions 2
• Creativity ( C )
Most of the students value creativity as willingness to try
new things and adapt to new situations
They did not refer to language, but to creativity in
general
Need to explain the link between LL and creativity
• Drive to communicate (DTC)
Most students found that WTC plays a relevant role in
LL however, their willingness to make mistakes was
more problematic.
“Although I really hate the feeling to appear stupid, (…) I am
willing to accept that because this is the only way to achieve a
very good level of English”

22. Responses to the dimensions 3
• Ego flexibility
Participants had a good disposition to remain open to
new situations,
the role of identity in learning a language and the
importance of tolerance of ambiguity was not so clear
for some of them.
• Social integration
Highest percentage of disagreement. Not familiar with
the terms “social distance”, “belonging to a community
of practice”. The term “Social integration” needs to be
better defined. Different interpretations.

23. Topics identified
Increased language awareness:
• Cognitive domain
“…doing the questionnaire did help me articulate what I
knew on a more subconscious level”
“It did help positioning myself on a spectrum for each
dimension and highlight some important issues in learning
a language which are not just encountered by myself”
“I think that I already knew how I best learn a language,
(…) but I learnt how it can be ‘labelled’.”

24. Topics identified
• Affective domain
“I think that my willingness to communicate is not great. I
am hindered by the fear of making mistakes and making
my conversation partner annoyed or bored when I am
trying to express myself. (…) I think it is important to
realise our ways of learning a language, our weaknesses
and strengths in learning and probably challenging the
weaknesses is also very important in making progress.”

25. Topics identified
• Social domain ( sense of identity)
“Originally ‘my ego battle’ was that I wanted to express
myself in the third language like in the second and first
language. But in order to be successful (…) I had to use
whatever strategies I had to communicate (…) Also I
decided to adopt that learning a language is about
gaining another identity and whilst I was building this third
new identity, I would need to accept that I would make a
lot of mistakes.”

26. Insights from the pilot
• The LLSD are complex and have different aspects.
• The responses to the statements have shown that the
participants agreed, or were familiar with some elements
but not with others.
• The engagement with each dimension could be
described using different levels of mastery (basic,
intermediate and advanced)
• Responses suggest conflicts between the different roles
of the participants: as language learners and as
language teachers
• Some terms have to be more clearly defined, e.g.
“Social distance”.

27. Next steps
• Establish LLSD as a valid construct
–Clarify dimensions
–Validate
• Create descriptors in three levels
• Create OER, perhaps using an e-portfolio

28. Thank you!
Chris Edwards MSc, The Institute of Educational
Technology, The Open University, UK.
Chris.Edwards@open.ac.uk
Dr. Maria Luisa Pérez Cavana, Faculty of Education and
Language Studies, The Open University, UK
Maria-Luisa.Perez-Cavana@open.ac.uk