Learning how to learn English:

from awareness to action

Elizabeth Betoldi; Judy Kollar, and
Ellen Ricard

This article describes a three-step process of autonomization designed for

adult students within the framework of an intensive ESL program of the
Canadian federal government. The process begins by raising students’
awareness of individual linguistic strengths and weaknesses. Next, stu-
dents are encouraged to set personal priorities for areas which require
most attention. Then, students take action in a variety of ways which suit
their learning styles and strategies. The article explains the way in which
the process is reinforced throughout the major components of the pro-
gram. Finally, the article examines a case study of one student’s experience
as he worked through this process.

Introduction With the increasing importance that has been placed on the adult language
learner’s autonomy in recent years, the role of teachers is not to pay lip
service to self-direction in learning, but rather to facilitate its development.
As Malcolm Knowles states:

... there is convincing evidence that people who take the initiative in
learning (pro-active learners) learn more things, and learn better than do
people who sit at the feet of teachers, passively waiting to be taught
(reactive learners) They enter into learning more purposefully and
with greater motivation. They also tend to retain and make use of what
they learn better and longer than do the reactive learners. (Knowles
1975:14)

In this article, we will discuss how the English section of the Advanced
Language Training Program (ALTP) endeavours to promote autonomy in
francophone learners during the four-month Academic Phase.1 A three-
step process, inherent in many of the program’s components, guides the
student from a relatively passive, teacher-dependent role to that of a more
self-aware, confident, and independent learner. The process involves:

-the growth of awareness in the learners so that they are sensitized to their
own strengths and weaknesses in the second language, as well as to a
range of resources and learning techniques;

-establishing personal priorities for areas of particular concentration deter-

mined on the basis of individual strengths, weaknesses, and professional
needs in the target language;

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articles welcome
 -taking action by selecting and using the most appropriate means to work
on their established priorities.

First we will show how this movement from learner awareness to action
occurs in three of the program’s components: Tutorials, Courses, and the
use of the Resource Centre. (See Table 1.) Then we will cite the experience
of one student as he worked through this process.

Tutorials Prior to his or her four-month Academic Phase, each incoming student is
paired with a teacher who then becomes that student’s individual tutor. It
is the tutor’s role to guide and encourage the student through the various
stages of learning a second language, with the inevitable ups and downs,
over a two-year period. During the Academic Phase, weekly individual
meetings between student and tutor are held for approximately one to two
hours per week. These tutorials form a series of meetings which arc care-
fully designed to promote student autonomy by taking the student through
the process of awareness to action.

Awareness At the beginning of the program, students complete a professional needs

analysis survey and take a series of in-house diagnostic tests.2 The needs
analysis survey (to which ALTP puchased the rights in 1982) was devel-
oped by a European multinational company to identify work-related lan-
guage skills common to a wide range of business, management, and
executive positions. These skills are grouped according to speaking, read-
ing, and writing tasks. In addition, in-house diagnostic tests provide stu-
dents with an overview of their linguistic strengths and weaknesses in such

Tutorials Needs analysis of Establishing order of Drawing up Language

professional needs priority re professional Training Plan
Diagnostic testing for and language learning
Preparing a Learning
linguistic needs needs
Project (oral and
Learning style written presentation)

Past learning Applying past strategies

experiences to present situation
Incorporating new
strategies

Courses Sensitization: Deciding which Using traditional or

strengths to cultivate or unorthodox techniques
-to language via
weaknesses to correct
authentic input
-to individual Choosing a manageable
number of priorities in
performance via
time available
feedback sessions
-to a pattern of
individual strengths
and weaknesses

Student Introduction: Choosing self-access Working at own pace

Resource -to range of self-study materials to meet according to
Centre materials priorities established recommended
-to reference materials procedures or in
-to hardware original ways

Table I

E. Bertoldi, J. Kollar and E. Ricard

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 areas as aural comprehension, pronunciation, grammar, impromptu
speaking, ability to summarize, and formal and informal writing.
The results of the students’ needs analysis survey and language tests then
become the focus of tutorial discussions. These sessions provide students
with an overview of their professional needs and their level of language
ability upon entry into the program. Moreover, the tutorial meetings at this
stage of the program promote students’ awareness of their learning styles.
Through discussions, students are asked to reflect on past learning experi-
ences and to identify the conditions under which they learn best. As Joy
Reid states, ‘Students should have the opportunity to assess their own
learning style preferences and should be encouraged to diversify their
preferences’ (1987: 101).

Priorities After identifying professional needs and becoming aware of linguistic

strengths and weaknesses, students work with their tutors to establish an
order of priority in both these areas. Students rank the professional skills
required for their jobs in order of importance. In the light of this ordering
and of the results of the language tests, each student, with the tutor’s
guidance, decides on the language skills which require most attention.

Action In the tutorials, students and tutors work on three areas simultaneously.
First, they draw up a Language Training Plan which specifies professional
and linguistic priorities in terms of objectives and activities. At the same
time, the students, with the guidance of their tutors, begin the preparation
of a Learning Project which will be presented both orally and in writing
towards the end of the Academic Phase. The goal of this project is to
integrate both professional and linguistic priorities into one major learning
task. Finally, ongoing discussions in tutorials encourage students to explore
their learning styles by examining successful past learning strategies and
their application to present learning situations. If they choose, students can
also experiment with and incorporate new techniques, ideas, and sugges-
tions. According to Reid, ‘More recent research has demonstrated that
young adult and adult learning styles are moderately strong habits rather
than intractable biological attributes, and thus can be modified and
extended’ ( 1987: 100).

Courses The English section of the ALTP offers students a comprehensive program
of courses during the Academic Phase that may be divided roughly into two
categories: those that provide a linguistic backbone for other courses, and
those that deal mainly with work-related needs.
The backbone includes Notional Grammar, Phonology, and Idiomatic
English. In Notional Grammar, major structures of the language are
presented with emphasis on those areas of greatest concern to advanced
students. Phonology provides an overview of aspects of the English sound
system with special emphasis on strategies and techniques to help students
take on the responsibility for the improvement of their pronunciation after
the course. Idiomatic English fills a major gap in most students’ knowledge
of informal English by familiarizing them with a wide range of common
idioms in the spoken and written language.
The work-related courses are tailored to the common needs of our
students. They include Writing, which is a course based on the writing
tasks which managers and professionals generally perform in government
departments, and several shorter courses focusing on the spoken language,

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 including Meetings, Presentations, Using the Telephone, Conferences,
Discussions, Social English, and Face to Face, which is a course covering
language for face-to-face dealings with colleagues, employees, supervisors,
and the public.
A common thread in all these courses is the integration of the process of
student autonomy with the subject area. Since a detailed description of this
process in each course is beyond the scope of the present article, we would
like to provide instead a general outline of how the process works. For
details of three ALTP courses, see articles by Bertoldi (1986), Kollar
(1986), and Ricard (1986).

Awareness In all of the courses, students are sensitized to language and to their own
performance. They are sensitized to the language by the input provided in
the courses from authentic spoken and written sources such as newspapers,
radio, TV, magazines, books, government publications, taped conver-
sations and talks, government letters and memos, and reference materials.
This input allows students to compare their own performance in English
with that of native speakers and writers of the language.
Through individual feedback sessions with the course teacher, students
are encouraged to analyse samples of their own performance in English,
whether a taped conversation or talk, or a piece of writing. They do this by
identifying their own errors, explaining difficulties, and expressing satisfac-
tion with specific areas.
This sensitization of the students to their own performance may also take
place via classroom discussion or small-group work. It is a gradual one,
with the teacher giving less direction as time goes on. The main benefit in
terms of learner autonomy is that students gradually learn to evaluate their
own performance by identifying the recurring patterns of their own individ-
ual strengths and weaknesses.

Priorities Once students have identified strengths and weaknesses, they must select
the areas they would like to work on in a specific course. They may choose
to concentrate on their strengths; for example, to expand an already strong
vocabulary by increasing the range of colloquial language. Conversely, they
may prefer to focus on their weaknesses; for example, to tackle errors, such
as faulty pronunciation, that cause communication problems. The majority
of students establish priorities that focus on some strengths and some
weaknesses. In either case, students need to decide on a realistic, manage-
able number of items that can be dealt with in the time available.

Action Through the individual feedback sessions previously mentioned, as well as

group discussions and brainstorming, students are encouraged to take a
multi-faceted and conscious approach to establishing new language habits.
Some students may take action in a fairly traditional way, by reviewing
class notes or practising with tapes. Others may experiment. Some students
write new language items on index cards and place them in prominent spots
at home, such as the refrigerator door, in order to jog their memories. Other
students use the travelling time to and from school to listen to the car radio
and devise their own techniques to work on comprehension, pronunciation,
or vocabulary expansion. Others may ask a teacher to record a passage
from a current book on management so that it can be used as a model for
pronunciation. Newspapers or magazines can be read with an eye to
finding idiomatic expressions, or to discovering the uses of a specific verb

160 E. Bertoldi, J. Kollar and E. Ricard

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 tense. In general, classroom teachers encourage students to do what works
for them, no matter how traditional or how unorthodox, because they
believe that such ‘Action’ is a necessary and positive antidote to the
helplessness and frustration that students sometimes feel when faced with
the awareness of their weaknesses in the second language.

Student resource The Resource Centre is a key component in helping learners acquire the
centre knowledge and skills needed for learning how to learn English. Reporting
on a study of a number of language-teaching institutions, Francis Carton
(1984: 30) points out that one of the important means for developing
student autonomy is ‘l’accès libre à un centre de ressources dans lequel les
usagers apprennent à se repérer et à choisir ce qui leur convient en fonction
de leurs stratégies d’apprentissage’ (‘free action to a resource centre in
which users learn to assess themselves and to select those features that best
suit their learning strategies’).
The Student Resource Centre is organized to create an inviting informal
atmosphere, with plants, posters, open shelves, work tables, and a small
area with comfortable armchairs for reading. Next to the main room are a
few small rooms, some equipped with headphones and audio-cassette
machines for individual listening, others with tables and chairs for individ-
ual consultation or speaking activities. In addition, a teacher/facilitator is
on hand to guide students in the selection of material suited to their needs
and learning styles and to provide suggestions and feedback when required.
The Centre is open early every day and students are encouraged to use it
during self-directed learning periods (one to two hours per day), as well as
before and after their classes.
The Centre contains a wide variety of materials and tapes suitable for
individual use, all displayed on open shelves with a simple, clearly marked
classification system. The materials fall into three major categories: refer-
ence materials, commercial materials, and in-house materials. Included in
the reference materials are: English and bilingual dictionaries, as well as
dictionaries of idioms, synonyms, and specialized language; in addition
there are copies of reports, manuals, and other publications from various
Canadian government departments. Commercial materials consist of a
wide range of advanced ESL materials. There are also some training
materials and publications designed for native speakers, mainly on topics
such as business writing, making oral presentations or conducting meet-
ings. Finally, in-house materials are developed by the ALTP teaching/
tutorial staff to fill special needs that are not met by existing published
materials. For example, a grammar/writing package based on authentic
government correspondence was designed to improve students’ knowledge
and use of such areas as verb tenses, articles, and modals in the context of
government writing. All materials, both commercial and in-house, contain
clear instructions and answer keys. These materials can be used in the
Centre or can be signed out for use at home or at work.

Awareness At the beginning of the Academic Phase, to ensure that students are well-
acquainted with the basic tools of the independent language learner, the
Resource Centre facilitator offers ‘Tools of the Trade’, a course introducing
the Centre. The course systematically introduces students to a range of self-
study materials; basic reference works such as the thesaurus, the diction-
ary, and books on usage; and hardware such as the video recorder and
camera, the tape recorder and fast copier, and the language lab. These tools

Learning how to learn English 161

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 are introduced through discussion, analysis, a variety of exercises, and
hands-on experimentation.
In addition, teachers of various courses introduce students to specific
materials in their areas. For example, early in the Academic Phase, one
phonology class is held in the centre where the teacher and students review
commercial and in-house phonology texts and tapes. The teacher provides
a bibliography and has the students browse through the materials and ask
questions. Finally, teacher and students discuss how these materials might
best be used. As a follow-up, the teacher encourages learners to provide
feedback on the materials they found most useful.

Priorities Having established their language-learning priorities in tutorials and

coursework, students similarly draw up priorities for self-access materials
that will best meet their needs. However, they are often so caught up with
the day-to-day workload of their courses that the use of self-access materials
in the Centre assumes a low priority, and reference materials may be all that
learners actually use as they complete assignments. A notable exception
was a learner who had to present a paper at a conference in England at the
end of his Academic Phase. Because of the high personal and professional
priority of this task, he spent considerable time using Resource Centre
materials relevant to attending conferences and making presentations.

Action Ideally learners take action by selecting and using Resource Centre
materials, either during specified self-directed learning periods or after
hours. They work at their own pace, according to recommended pro-
cedures or in original ways that complement their personal learning styles.
As mentioned above, due to the pressures of course work, and individual
Learning Projects, learners often have little time to take such action during
the Academic Phase. Realizing this, one tutor has instituted the practice of
providing each learner with an individual ‘refresher tour’ of the Centre at
the end of the Academic Phase, and reviews the original priorities and
objectives set at the beginning of the program. Tutor and student then
discuss which materials look most relevant for the learner to tackle during
the work assignment phase. Learners are thus encouraged to follow
through with their priorities and to sign out, use, and report back on
materials in the Centre.

Variations on a Thus far we have described the process within the program on a fairly
theme: one case global level. At this point we would like to present a case study. Mr D., a
study shipbuilding engineer in a management position with the Canadian
Department of Supply and Services, found his evolution from a teacher-
dependent learner to a more self-directed learner interesting, though initi-
ally not smooth. His educational background dictated traditional expec-
tations about the role of students and teachers, and at first he was reluctant
to adopt a different approach. He expected his teachers and tutors to be
authority figures who teach, evaluate, provide correction, prescribe pro-
cedures, and make decisions for him on his learning process. His past
learning experiences led him to believe that this would be the most effective
way for him to improve his English.

162 E. Bertoldi, J. Kollar and E. Ricard

articles welcome
 Wee& One: Beginning In the professional needs analysis survey which Mr D. completed upon
the process beginning ALTP, he identified three major needs. First he wanted to use
more persuasive language in meetings. Second he felt he lacked sufficient
vocabulary to handle complex issues in meetings and presentations. Finally
he stated a need to improve his memo and letter writing skills.
The in-house diagnostic testing and discussions with his tutor revealed
that he was at a very advanced level of English language learning. They
also partially confirmed his stated needs. In addition they revealed a couple
of new areas for consideration. First, in the area of vocabulary expansion
the tests showed a need, not at the formal level, but rather in the informal
register, particularly in the area of two-word verbs and idiomatic expres-
sions. His diagnostic writing test showed a correct, concise, and sophisti-
cated use of English suitable for very formal correspondence; however, once
again, a lack of range in his register gave a stuffy and distant tone to the
routine memos and letters required of him in his work. According to the test
results, the third area which needed improvement was Mr D.‘s pronuncia-
tion, particularly syllable stress and vowels, both of which occasionally
impeded immediate comprehension.
Mr D. was somewhat surprised by some of the findings of the diagnostic
tests. He had scored very high on structural accuracy and fluency; a
perfectionist, he had always underrated his proficiency in both these areas.
The feedback on his vocabulary in both writing and speaking also surprised
him. He tended to overuse familiar French cognates (e.g. ‘approbation’;
‘comprehend’) which fall into the formal register in English. He had no idea
to what extent this could affect the tone of his English. On the other hand,
the feedback on Mr D.‘s pronunciation was not unexpected; he was aware
that his accent sometimes slowed down communication.
Looking over the objectives in his professional needs survey and the
feedback from his diagnostic tests, Mr D. told his tutor that he expected the
four-month Academic Phase to rid him of his weaknesses in English; for this
to occur, he would follow the tutor’s instructions and expected the tutor to
direct and monitor his work closely. The tutor suggested that Mr D. and she
view each other as partners in his learning process and that he too was
responsible for providing direction and assessing his own performance. Mr
D. restated his need for a demanding pedagogue who took charge and
pushed him to success.

Week Four: Awareness A discussion in a tutorial at the beginning of the fourth week revealed a
and priorities change in Mr D.‘s attitude. His tutor had so far refrained from assuming an
authoritarian role, despite Mr D.‘s expectations. Mr D. was somewhat
frustrated by this seeming lack of direction and also because he felt he was
not using his time as efficiently as he could.
In this discussion he analysed his progress thus far: he referred back to
the items on his needs analysis survey and diagnostic test results; he said he
was making steady progress in his memo and letter writing skills; he
realized his oral skills in formal business meetings and presentations were
in fact much better than he had originally thought; he also realized that he
already had a solid basis in advanced grammar. On the other hand, he had
become sensitized to the deeply ingrained problems in his pronunciation.
Through the coursework he had also grown aware of his lack of register
range, and greatly wanted to expand his repertoire of commonly used
idiomatic vocabulary.
He said he found the variety of courses on his timetable stimulating, but

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 had a greater need for some than for others. The aspect he found particu-
larly frustrating was the realization that, for adults, learning a language is a
gradual process, particularly at the advanced level. Thus he had to adjust
his objectives in order to make them more realistic.
This discussion indicated a significant turning point in Mr D.‘s attitude;
he had resisted discussions on self-assessment of progress in the past and
had continued to want the tutor and teachers to plan his time and activities
for him. However, he realized that without his input he couldn’t derive
maximum benefit from the program. He and his tutor arranged to meet the
following week to lay out a course of action.

Week Five: Priorities to The following tutorial was also a fruitful one. Mr D. and his tutor con-
action cluded that, given Mr D.‘s strengths and weaknesses, a tailor-made
individualized schedule would be the most beneficial for him. They decided
that Mr D. would not attend the courses related to areas in which he was
particularly strong, such as Grammar and some of the formal work-related
oral courses. In their place he would work on additional phonology and
idiomatic language to supplement the program’s Phonology and Idiomatic
English courses, with weekly tutorials as a support to the process. He would
continue with all of the other courses and would arrange to receive hand-
outs regularly from the courses he wasn’t attending.

Weeks Six to Sixteen: The remaining ten weeks evolved into a stimulating period of learning with
Action a self-directed focus. With the tutor’s guidance Mr D. decided on the
materials, approach, and strategies he would use to work on his priorities.
For the idiomatic language he selected a practice book from the Student
Resource Centre, which contained an excellent range of common expres-
sions and solid exercises with an answer key. He completed one unit each
day, kept a personal card file of new idioms, and tried to incorporate them,
as naturally as possible, into actual conversations in English. He evaluated
his performance by his interlocutor’s reactions and also by his increased
comprehension of colloquial English.
For pronunciation Mr D. decided to work on audiotapes available in the
Student Resource Centre, using the oral reading techniques introduced in
the Phonology Course; he listened, imitated, repeated, recorded himself,
and listened back critically to his pronunciation; he eventually recorded his
‘best performance’ and submitted it to the tutor for feedback. He occasion-
ally listened back to his earlier recordings ‘to observe and compare [his]
present manner of pronunciation to [his] previous manner’ (Ricard 1986:
249). Once again, whenever possible, he monitored his pronunciation in
authentic interactive contexts. He kept a log of problematic pronunciation
items.
The third activity that Mr D. selected was listening to recent audiotapes
of a weekly half-hour comedy program on radio that featured a variety of
satirical sketches on Canadian current events. This was topical, entertain-
ing authentic material which incorporated a great deal of colloquial lan-
guage and varieties of English pronunciation. This material gave Mr D. a
range of pronunciation models and idiomatic input, and tickled his funny
bone! He generally listened to each program twice, frequently stopping the
machine, replaying sections, repeating aloud, and taking notes. On his own
he realized that often he had not totally understood spoken English due to
unknown idiomatic language combined with ‘relaxed’ pronunciation. This

164 E. Bertoldi, J. Kollar and E. Ricard

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 realization was a significant step in Mr D.‘s growing facility for self-
assessment.
Every Friday morning Mr D. met with his tutor for a one-hour tutorial.
Each tutorial usually followed a mutually determined pattern: first, a
discussion on the work done on the above-mentioned since the last tutorial,
including problems, solutions, and assessment of progress; then, a brief
discussion of the work to be done in the coming week; and finally any other
topics of concern to the student or tutor.
Mr D. continually expressed surprise and satisfaction with his ability to
learn English in this self-directed mode. Gradual but steady progress in
both register and pronunciation was in fact evident to learner, tutor, and
Mr D.‘s other regular interlocutors. The results encouraged Mr D. to think
positively about the benefits of the process. He admitted, ‘I’d thought I
could only learn with a teacher at the front of the classroom.’ It was evident
that once Mr D. accepted the responsibility and became involved in
planning and assessing his own learning, not only did he make progress,
but he also developed the awareness and skills to continue learning English
on his own after the Academic Phase.

Conclusion To summarize, a student does not become an autonomous learner over-

night. As Virginia Griffin states, ‘Adults don’t think much about how they
learn. They are not aware of their learning processes . . However, con-
fronted by the need to make choices, and to be responsible for their own
learning, the awareness of themselves as unique learners grows fast’ (1979:
32). Our experience has shown that the process is not automatic, even with
motivated adult language learners. As students are introduced to the
process, there may be surprise, resistance, or confusion. We agree with
Smith and Haverkamp in that ‘one does not ordinarily bring about change
in basic orientations to learning without some conflict or antagonism. . .’
(1977: 14). Yet, once they get started, many learners develop original,
innovative techniques to approach language learning on their own. The
three steps-from awareness to priorities to action -enable students to
manage their learning process better and thereby make significant
progress. Learning how to learn English is not an end in itself, but a
beginning. q
Received November 1987

Notes Carton, F. 1984. ‘Systemes “Autonomisants”

1 For the majority of participants this intensive four- d’Apprentissage des langues.’ Mélanges Pédagogiques,
month phase precedes a twenty-month Assignment CRAPEL, Université de Nancy II, France.
Phase during which the learners work in a profes- Griffin, V. 1979. Self-Directed Adult Learners and Learn-
sional environment mainly in the target language. ing, The Design of Self-Directed Learning, Part 2.
2 Needs Analysis Survey: originally SKF Scales of Toronto: OISE Press.
Attainment, developed by the English Language Kollar, J. 1986. ‘It’s not a simulation. It’s real!’ TESL
Teaching Unit of Oxford University Press in collab- Canada Journal, Special Issue 1:235-42.
oration with a European multinational company. Knowles, M. 1975. Self-Directed Learning. New York:
In-house diagnostic tests: ARELS Oral Examin- Association Press.
ations, Diploma Level, London, England. Reid, J. M. 1987. ‘The learning style preferences of
ESL students.’ TESOL Quarterly 12/1:87-111.
References Ricard, E. 1986. ‘Beyond fossilization: A course on
Bertoldi, E. 1986. ‘Mieeting the writing needs of strategies and techniques in pronunciation for
advanced ESL learners.’ TESL Canada Journal, advanced adult learners.’ TESL Canada Journal,
Special Issue 1: 279-89. Special Issue 1:243-53.

Learning how to learn English 165

articles welcome
Smith, R. M. and K. Haverkamp. 1977. ‘Towards a involved in curriculum development, student resource
theory of learning how to learn.’ Adult Education centres, and teacher training. Judy Kollar has taught
XXVIII/1:30-47. ESL in West Germany and in Canada. She has worked
on projects involving materials design and develop-
ment and program planning. Ellen Ricard has taught
The authors ESL in France, the USA and in Canada. She has
Elizabeth Bertoldi has taught ESL in Montreal, experience in program planning, materials develop-
Quebec and in Ottawa, Ontario. She has also been ment, and teacher training.

166 E. Berto1di, J. Kollar and E. Ricard

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