ESL Learners’ Autonomous Development
of Communication Strategies Through
Conversation Exchange
JUNKO UENO (UNION COLLEGE)
N Y S T E S O L 3 5 TH A N N U A L A P P L I E D
LINGUISTICS WINTER CONFERENCE
M A R C H 1 ST, 2 0 1 4
Purpose of this study
 To examine the learning process of ESL learners
through the conversation exchange
 How the conversation exchange contributes to their
autonomy
 To explore a possible way to help learners get
engaged in a more active and independent learning
Beliefs of natural language acquisition abroad
 Learners’ beliefs in general – an extended time
abroad is a necessity for successful language learning
(Ryan & Mercer, 2011).
 Spending time in a country of the target language ->
the ultimate, autonomous, independent learning
experience (Amuzie & Winke, 2009; Malcome, 2011).
 Attributing agency to the learning environment (i.e.
being abroad) may demotivate and dispower learners
(Ryan & Mercer, 2011).
Natural language acquisition abroad
 Study abroad program’s positive impact on students’
language development (Reynolds-Case, 2013; Yager,
1998)
 The quality of interaction with the native speakers ->
within chance encounters (Allen, 2010; Kinglinger,
2008)
 The key of success in an immersion setting ->
interacting with native speakers
Conversation exchange project
 ESL participants – 3 native speakers of Japanese
 Conversation exchange (Japanese – English) based
on short readings over the period of ten weeks
 A weekly meeting with a partner (30 minutes to an
hour) with a submission of a weekly reflection
journal (1 page long)
 An exit interview
Interview Questions
 How have you been studying English besides this conversation
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exchange?
In your opinion, what are the overall gains from the conversation
exchange?
How did the conversation exchange session help you in terms of
your nervousness about interacting with native speakers?
How do you think the conversation exchange has changed your selfconfidence in using the language?
How has this experience affected you with regard to your
engagement with native speakers outside of this conversation
exchange?
Have you noticed any change in terms of your speaking/listening
skills and your use of speaking/listening strategies over the course
of the conversation exchange sessions?
What suggestions do you have regarding how to improve this
conversation exchange project in the future?
ESL participants’ backgrounds
 Spouses of Japanese engineers
 Temporary stay in the U.S. (6 months to two years)
 Children go to an American school.
 Receiving some ESL instruction that mainly focused
on grammar
 Participant A – ESL class (once a week) + informal
conversation class (once a week)
 Participant B – ESL tutorial (once a week)
 Participant C - ESL class (three times a week) +
informal conversation class (once a week)
Findings and discussion (1)
 Overall gains from the project
 An opportunity to speak with a native speaker (all)
 Having an ‘imperfect’ partner (participant A)
 Increased motivation towards reading and speaking
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(participant C)
Confidence/nervousness
Nervousness decreased slightly (all)
More confident (participant A), no change in confidence
(participants B and C)
More confidence and less anxiety -> a possible
foundation on building learner autonomy
Findings and discussion (2)
 Finding communication strategies they want to continue
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using beyond this conversation exchange
Requesting to repeat (all)
Stopping translating from Japanese to English (participants A
and C)
The use of shorter sentences (participant A)
Rephrasing/ circumlocution (all)
Guessing the meaning by connecting the words they
understood (participants B and C)
Focusing on key words in listening (participants B and C)
Autonomous process of developing their own strategies
Enhanced metacognition -> stand back and assess their
learning and how they go about it (Ridley, 1997)
Conclusion and pedagogical implications
 The importance of an environment where learners
need to be independent
 Creating opportunities for the learners to experiment
with the target language and to assess themselves
(Ridley, 2003)
 Learner collaboration may also be helpful to certain
students – a need to consider cultural variation in
the concept of autonomy (MacIntyre et al, 2009)
 Learner anxiety may be a factor that hinders student
autonomous learning.