ALMS STORIES
Our students in ALMS (http://www.helsinki.fi/kksc/alms/index.html)
have three face-to-face counselling sessions with their own
counsellors during their programme. These sessions take place
at the beginning, the middle and the end of the module. Before
they come to their first counselling session, we ask them
to reflect on their previous language learning experiences
and histories. They can do this by writing a free text for
which we give some guidelines (see below). Alternatively,
they can go to the ALMS website and participate in the online
Kaleidoscope “dialogue”. Kaleidoscope (http://www.uiah.fi/virtu/kaleidoskooppi/intro.php)
obliges them to focus on specific areas (Needs, Skills, Motivation;
Personality and Learning History), and then to write about
each one, thereby building up their learner profile.
The counsellors read these texts or profiles
and then the students’ plans for the programme are negotiated
in the light of their histories, needs and expectations. The
sharing of stories by learners and counsellors provides an
opportunity for listening and co-telling and as such forms
a good starting point in the process of reflection on learning
that the students are expected to engage in during their programmes.
Instructions for a free text:
ALMS REFLECTION ALMS REFLECTION
Now that you have spent some time thinking
about the process of language learning, it is time to sit
back and REFLECT. You might find this useful when you plan
your programme of work. Use this page to put down your thoughts
about yourself as a language learner. Think and write about
your experiences, your feelings and memories, your personal
beliefs and views on yourself and your learning. Remember
that it is your story!
Reflect and write about
YOUR LANGUAGE LEARNING HISTORY – for example, teachers
and teaching; classrooms; methods used; testing and feedback;
support and encouragement; easy/difficult aspects of learning;
your personality and learning style; self-study, learning
outside the classroom; successes and failures and how you
felt about them.
YOUR WISHES AND EXPECTATIONS – for example, your main
goal for the ALMS module; your expectations of yourself as
a learner of English; your expectations of the programme.
FINALLY, YOUR CURRENT SKILLS. Begin the process of SELF-EVALUATION.
Try using the self-assessment grid (Common European Framework
of Reference for Languages) to assess your English language
skills. Read it carefully and decide where you fit into the
levels.
