1. ALMS Autonomous Learning Modules
Kirby Vincent
University of Helsinki

2. Does anything look familiar?
Lack of ….
Lack of motivation
Student voice
Every other course has had teachers’ assignments and therefore clear routines. I find this kind of learning experience passivating and behaviourist
Lack of engagement
Lack of emotional engagement

3. Why?
Cookie cutter
Pace
Learning belongs with the teacher and classroom

4. Essence of ALMS but... what when where how with whom Student voice
Students decide
what
when
where
how
with whom
Student voice
I learned that studying could really be very creative, and you should enjoy it. I realized that I learn the best by doing something I really like.
Evaluate their own learning through reflection
but...
they are supported
Supports life-long and life-deep learning

5. Student voice
Well, it obviously gives you a lot of freedom to do what you want with your learning. However, it comes with a great responsibility. Especially at first it was hard to decide what to do with the course and what sort of things would support your learning. Just because of that, I think ALMS is such an instructive experience. It forces you to take responsibility for your actions and your own learning which requires reflection. Reflection again gives you a big amount of feedback of what you have done, and with this helps you to find different things to work with – some better, some worse.

6. ALMS in numbers All faculties (12) 2 rounds per year (Autumn & Spring)
250 students per round
12 groups per round
21 students per group
4 (sometimes 2) ETCS = 108 hours of work
10 teachers/facilitators/councellors
600 hours of teacher/facilitator/councellor work per round

7. ALMS Structure 2 opening sessions (mandatory)
1st = What is ALMS and where am I
2nd = How to do and where to go from here
3 counselling sessions (mandatory)
15 minutes each
Various support groups
DIY groups
= 10 hours
98 hours left
(1 mandatory)

8. Example Time Line Autumn
1st
counselling session
2nd counselling session
Final counselling session
1st opening session
September
October
November
December
2nd opening session
108 hours of work

9. Students ... Reflect on their level, needs and goals Do the CEFR
Kaleidoscope (
Do the CEFR
Create a plan
Create a log, diary, blog, vlog...
Work and have fun
Reflect on their work
Discuss the work with the counsellor

10. Support groups 28 different types of support groups
Showers: 1 meeting, usually ’how to’
Reading, grammar, vocabulary…
Kickstarts: 2 meetings with teacher, then students run it
Conversation, book club, field trip…
Groups: Several meetings with teacher
Essay writing, drama, debating, vocabulary…

11. Counselling One-on-one 15 minutes First session Second session
Check understanding and plan
Second session
Check progress and discuss/question what is being done
Final session
Feedback

12. Counsellor’s role Check understanding Keep students on track
Student voice
When I started this course, I had difficulties with vocabulary and courage to speak English. I was kind of a perfectionist, I knew I was OK in English, but my delivery wasn’t as fluent as I wanted it to be. I actually thought that I was really good in English, but when I started this course and I had to speak out loud to my friends, I froze and felt embarrassed. The feeling was so strong that it was devastating.
Counsellor’s role
Check understanding
Keep students on track
Provide guidance and suggestions
Provoke the students to question and evaluate what they do and why
Act as a therapist

13. Concerns Exams Work done? Student level Student voice
I have to honest and say that I choose ALMS because I thought it would be easier than normally course with teacher. I was wrong. This course made me think about more my own learning. I had to push myself much harder to do things than usually. However the most important is that now in the end of this course I think it was really good that I did that ALMS course. I learnt to face my fear to speak English and I start thinking that nothing happens if I make mistakes when I speak English. Or that isn’t really the truth. There is something that happens when I make mistakes I will learn of them and next time it will go better. So this ALMS taught me to think more positive about me as a user of English.
Exams
Proof of what?
Already studied?
Teaching matters?
Work done?
Student level
We’ve done it!

14. Final reflections ALMS helps students... find their motivation
engage emotionally in learning
develop their language skills in areas they are interested in/need
learn about themselves as learners
develop their skills of reflection
develop skills for life-long learning
But ... not for everyone

15. Final student voice
… I have learned many ways that seem to suite me as a learner. … and I found for me practical methods seem to work well. I just don’t feel comfortable studying with grammar and exercises who don’t connect into anything in my life. When I get to read and study materials that have a straight impact of my knowledge and knowhow of my future work, I feel that studying English makes sense. In this way the language improvement and my other goals can combine and benefit from each other. During the course I realized that the best way to learn English is to surround myself with it. In this way I can start thinking in English, which is the proper way for me to learn. I also found that enjoyment plays a major role in learning.

16. Student voices
the most important thing is, that I finally feel, that I don’t need to be perfect in grammar or pronunciation, the main thing is to be understood. This course gave me a chance to focus in learning and what I individually really needed.
I have learnt a lot of new ways how to improve my English skills and I now am more motivated to improve them in the future also.
I learned that making learning fun is a great way to make learning motivating. Studying languages doesn’t have to be about memorizing grammar and vocabulary, you can motivate yourself or even your students in the future by for example playing games, watching movies and reading good books.