THE LEARNER DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL
学習者ディベロップメント研究部会誌
ISSN: 2433-5401
https://ldjournal.ld-sig.org

The Learner Development Journal Issue 6:
Learner Development Beyond The Classroom
Authors: Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Phillip A. Bennett, & André Parsons
Title: Introduction to Learner Development Journal 6: How We View Learner Development
Beyond the Classroom
Date of publication online: 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.LDJ6-1
Author contact: <isravw(at)gmail(dot)com>, <razafindratsimba-d(at)kanda(dot)kuis(dot)ac(dot)jp>, <bennett-p(at)kanda(dot)kuis(dot)ac(dot)jp>, & <parsons.andre(at)h(dot)hokkyodai(dot)ac(dot)jp>
Published by the Japan Association for Language Teaching
Learner Development Special Interest Group, Tokyo
https://ld-sig.org/
Copyright 2022 each respective author
This article can be cited as:
Wongsarnpigoon, I., Ambinintsoa, D. V., Bennett, P. A., & Parsons, A. (2022). Introduction
to Learner Development Journal 6: How we view learner development beyond theclassroom. The Learner Development Journal, 6, 2–12. https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.
LDJ6-1This article is part of a collection of practitioner research on the theme of “Learner
Development Beyond the Classroom” for Issue 6 of the Learner Development Journal (LDJ6),
edited by Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Phillip A. Bennett, and André
Parsons. Published once a year, each issue of the Learner Development Journal follows a
Community of ractices approach over a period of approximately 18 months in which
contributors work together, under the guidance of the editors, to share, respond to, anddevelop their research and writing.
Articles are published in the Learner Development Journal under a Creative Commons Attribution
License (CC BY), of which CC BY 4.0 is the most recent version. Under this agreement, authors
grant users the right to unrestricted dissemination and re-use of the work. They ask only thatproper attribution is given to the work.

INTRODUCTION
Introduction to Learner Development Journal 6:
How We View Learner Development Beyond
the Classroom
Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Kanda University of International Studies,Japan <isravw(at)gmail(dot)com>
Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Kanda University of International
Studies, Japan <razafindratsimba-d(at)kanda(dot)kuis(dot)ac(dot)jp>
Phillip A. Bennett, Kanda University of International Studies, Japan<bennett-p(at)kanda(dot)kuis(dot)ac(dot)jp>
André Parsons, Hokkaido University of Education, Hakodate
Campus, Japan <parsons.andre(at)h(dot)hokkyodai(dot)ac(dot)jp>
The editorial team for the Learner Development Journal Issue 6 (LDJ) have all known eachother well for some time, and when we came together for this issue, we were awarethat we shared a devotion to supporting the development of our learners in theirlearning beyond the classroom (LBC). Isra, Phillip, and Vola work together as learning
advisors in the Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) at our university, where we aim tofoster our learners’ autonomous learning, which usually involves making the most of theentire worlds they live in. We had also had conversations with André about self-access,advising, and autonomy at various conferences over the past several years, and we had
all completed the learner advising courses offered by the Research Institute for Learner
Autonomy Education. Although we have different experiences and working contexts, ourshared interests and background fueled our excitement to collaborate on this theme.
Our unique experiences with LBC led to productive discussions in which we were able toco-develop the theme and this issue�
We knew that we were all familiar with the topic of learner autonomy and devoted
to fostering it in learners. Still, we realized that despite the growing attention to learnerautonomy in the field, much of the literature and presentations we saw locally tended tofocus on how teachers could promote it within their classrooms. In our work as teachers
and advisors, and additionally from our own life experiences, we knew how much of anindividual’s development as autonomous, agentive, fulfilled learners was engenderedthrough actions taken outside of class, or outside of formal institutions. On the other
hand, as Benson (2011) puts it, “As classroom teachers, we become accustomed to theidea that classrooms are the ‘natural’ place for learning to take place. Out-of-class learning
processes are also often ‘invisible’ to classroom teachers” (p. 8); this passage resonateddeeply with us� We felt that many educators were missing out on opportunities toappreciate their learners’ development outside of the limited periods during which they
were in direct contact� It was therefore our hope that the theme of Learner Development

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Beyond the Classroom would allow contributors to undertake such explorations andreaders to reflect on their own learners and contexts.
In formulating our theme, Phil Benson and Hayo Reinders’s work (e.g., Benson &Reinders, 2011; Reinders & Benson, 2017) helped us to frame the focus of the contributions
we hoped to encourage in this issue. They provide a framework (Benson, 2011) for
LBC containing four dimensions: location (i.e., where and when learning takes place),
formality (i.e., the connection between the learning activities and formal organizedcourses or qualifications), pedagogy (i.e., the amount of instruction involved), and locus
of control (i.e., who makes decisions regarding learning). This framework was key in ourclarification of the theme. Particularly, we appreciated the idea that location was not
the only factor in determining LBC (it is, after all, learning beyond the classroom and not
outside the classroom). We also realized that LBC did not have to be totally informal andunguided; Benson’s (2011) clarification that such learning does not preclude the presenceof instruction resonated with us. Furthermore, Reinders and Benson (2017) emphasizethat “LBC does not exclude the classroom but rather CONNECTS WITH it [emphasis in theoriginal]” (p. 563). Indeed, they have identified a need for explorations of how teaching
and the classroom environment can link to LBC (Benson, 2011; Reinders & Benson, 2017).
For LDJ 6, we have hoped that by providing a venue for authors to explore how LBC
connects to their own contexts, whether as teachers, other practitioners, learners, or
researchers, they might discover new insights into how it also connects with learnerdevelopment� These discoveries might in turn lead to future innovations in their(or readers’) support of learners� We also felt this dovetailed nicely with the Learner
Development Journal’s mission of connecting research and practice�

Our Connections to LBC

Having introduced our conception of the issue’s theme as a group, in keeping with our
enthusiasm for narrative exploration and LDJ’s encouragement of expressing personal
voices, we will share each editor’s personal connections to LBC.

Isra

While planning and discussing this issue over the last two years, I have realized the degree
to which, like my colleagues, LBC has been a consistent thread throughout my personal
and professional life. Although I was always fairly successful in language classrooms, when
I got to university, I found it hard to connect my (elective) Japanese classes with my otherstudies and my life; eventually, I stopped studying Japanese in order to focus on my major.
A few years after graduating, I started learning Japanese again informally by focusing on
my personal interests, using music, videos, and the internet; this reignited my enjoymentof the language. After moving to Japan, knowing I had this capacity in me helped me tocontinue my own self-directed learning of the language�
While teaching in Japanese public schools, I found that the classroom environment wasinsufficient in providing access to authentic communicative language or opportunities forstudents to establish personal connections with English. My students who thrived in theirEnglish learning were usually those who sought exposure to language beyond the confinesof the classroom, in their own worlds. When I became a language learning advisor, I wasworking with learners in the inherently “beyond-the-classroom” environment of the SALC,
and I realized how fulfilling it was to help learners discover ways to learn successfully
and take ownership of language in their own lives. Even though they had chosen to study
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languages at a university specializing in international studies, I found that many of thesestudents nevertheless faced obstacles imposed by the requirements of formal study or
mandatory standardized exams; still others held ingrained beliefs that their teachers
knew best and, even when they were not very engaged in the content of their classroom
learning, could find no other alternatives. Through both reflection and learning from theliterature, it became clear that flourishing as a language learner and user hinged on morethan just possessing innate language ability or motivation. Both as a teacher and as anadvisor, I found that the learners who achieved the most fulfillment, and often success,in their learning tended to be those who actively learned beyond the classroom, exploredtheir language environments, and took advantage of the affordances available in them.
Given my experiences as a learner and educator, I hoped that by encouraging explorationof LBC in this issue, I could help both contributors and readers to reach some of the same
realizations.

Vola

My interest in LBC mainly stems from my own language learning experience. I havelearned three languages in addition to the two official languages I grew up with in
Madagascar. Of the three languages, I love English the most. I loved it so much that I
decided to become a teacher of English when I was about 19 years old, even though theprofession of teaching itself was not appealing to me. My goal was to use English as muchas possible, and teaching it was the best way I could imagine to do that, as I lived in acountry where English was barely used. In order to become a teacher, I knew I needed
to work a lot on my English. I was aware that what I learned from secondary school
was not enough to pass the competitive exam to enter the Teacher Training College at
the University of Antananarivo, as only 20 first-year students were accepted for eachdepartment every year. Therefore, I took courses at two different English language centers
for about 2 years in total. The courses were helpful in terms of the development of mylanguage skills. However, I felt that the courses were not sufficient for me to attain someof my specific goals, such as being able to understand the BBC News on TV and on theradio (the only English listening resources I had outside of class at that time), to read
English magazines and newspapers without constantly consulting a dictionary, and tointeract with foreigners. Thus, I decided to take charge of my own LBC.
My English LBC was key to my success in entering the Department of English of the
Teacher Training College, which was the gateway to a career and an adventurous life that
I had never thought I would have. To ensure that I would succeed, I set a detailed weekly
schedule that I had to follow at all costs� This schedule included activities and resources
to use at the language center library and at home, the times allocated to each activity, andthe target language skills involved in each activity. Without the dedication I put into LBC, I
would not have become a teacher of English in the first place and would not have received
scholarships enabling me to further my education abroad. That is why I strongly believein the importance of LBC and of taking charge of one’s own learning, which is referred toas “learner autonomy” (Benson, 2011). In my learning experience, it was only beyond theclassroom that I felt autonomous, as I was in total control of my learning. Therefore, forme, LBC and learner autonomy are very much interrelated.
After receiving my master’s degree in the US, I returned to Madagascar and taught
English in the center where I used to study. After teaching for 5 years, I decided to learn
more about the promotion of learner autonomy, because I realized that many of my4

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students were not autonomous enough in their English learning. In other words, theywould attend classes and do the assignments I gave them, but they would not necessarily
do any extra activities to improve their English. That was how the idea of doing a PhD
focused on learner autonomy came to me. Since then, I have been researching learnerautonomy and promoting it to my students through teaching and advising�For me, then, the topic of LBC is deeply close to my heart due to my personal
experience. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity not only to be part of the editorial
team of this issue focusing on LBC, but also to co-author one of the articles with two of myformer students, who have the same background as I do, and who share their English LBC
journeys.

Phill

LBC may elicit a spectrum of ideas varying from person to person. This subjective view canbe explained through the concept of Umwelt, which is simply explained as experiencing
our subjective universe while sharing the same environment (Chang, 2009). As in theJapanese proverb 十人十色 [jūnin toiro; 10 people, 10 colors], each individual’s own idea
of LBC is influenced by their learning histories, values, customs, beliefs, and an infinite
number of other variables.
LBC holds a particular place in my learning history, as it is how I would summarize,
for better or worse, the majority of my lifelong learning experience. This is due to mylearning preferences coupled with institutional and structural barriers that I have faced
in my learning journey. I would like to share two very general but personal aspects of my
LBC experience which are in some capacity touched on in this issue. First, in relation tolearning preferences, LBC is something that I have always valued as a learner because
it led to opportunities for hands-on learning in real-life situations� It’s one thing to domath problems in class or homework assignments; however, applying a subject of study(math, language, chemistry, etc.) takes on a new life when using it to solve real-world
problems. Related to this concept, in junior high school, I would help my father do tile
work in people’s kitchens and bathrooms. Although the math was basic, it gave me an
appreciation for how what I was learning in class could be utilized outside of it. In otherwords, LBC helped me understand the value of what was being taught in the classroom.
Another insight is that LBC can provide learners with greater opportunities for selfexpression (e.g., language use, behavior that is taboo in classroom settings, and more
freedom for exploration); I learned how to play instruments and genres of music thatwere not taught in school by starting bands with friends, playing live shows, and recordingalbums. This experience gave me the opportunity not only to learn electric bass andguitar, but to also learn an array of skills ranging from songwriting and music production
to project management and sales.
The second aspect of LBC that connects to my learning history is that it helped mitigate
the effect of barriers that impeded access to in-classroom learning opportunities. Thesebarriers included environmental factors closely tied to social class and more intangible
concepts of cultural capital (Block, 2014; Bourdieu, 1986), such as identity, beliefs,
behaviors, etc. With regards to social class, the barriers I experienced were related tothe cost of access to educational opportunities and lesser public educational resources
relative to the surrounding communities. When discussing issues of cultural capital, access
was also levied institutionally and structurally due to my being part of a racial and ethnic
minority in the United States (e.g., prejudice based on my accent, dialect, hair style, dress,
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and skin color). Although I was never legally barred from educational resources, throughracial profiling, dress codes, and otherizing, learning environments such as libraries,
student groups, and classroom discussions were at times quite unwelcoming. However,through accessing websites, belonging to local music scenes, and learning various skills
at part-time jobs, I was able to gain the skills and knowledge which were paramountin gaining access to and satisfying standardized levels of academic achievement andcertifications.
Lastly, one major factor of LBC which I would like to add is the importance of therole teachers, mentors, and peers all play in LBC, because without the key componentof community, learning, in my opinion, is impossible. Although not a panacea, LBC
opportunities generally allow less expensive options for access to education (e.g., massive
open online courses, or MOOCs) or at the very least opportunities to continue learning at no
additional cost. Further, as practitioners, it is crucial that we support and promote students
in LBC because it allows them to learn in spaces that they find safe, welcoming, and familiarand can mitigate the effects oflearning environments that result in alienation. These are justsome of the many ways LBC can be operationalized as you will see in this issue.

André

As both a language learner and a language teacher, I have always believed in theimportance of LBC. When I first began working at a conversation school here in Japan, I
was asked not only to teach English but French as well. Thanks to this opportunity, I began
reviewing a language I had not studied for a couple of years as my focus had turned toJapanese. Going back to French and basically relearning it to teach my students gave me
the opportunity not only to build my skills once again using a wide range of materials, but
it also allowed me the chance to interact with French speakers online. Later, in order todevelop my language skills further, I decided to take part in a short-term study abroad
program in the south of France. During my time as a conversation school teacher, I alsodecided to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and would spend hours every
day studying and reviewing kanji, grammar, and vocabulary and practicing reading
and listening using a wide range of resources� Based on my own learning experienceswith both languages, I started encouraging all my students to study or review on theirown using as many resources as they could find, knowing firsthand that just practicing
once a week would not lead to fluency. Indeed, it was during this time that I was able tostrengthen both languages, which was the result of much learning beyond the classroom.
Upon becoming a lecturer, I was able to learn even more advanced Japanese throughmy daily interactions with faculty and office staff and the various paperwork I had to fillout. I still remember having to learn words such as 購入する [kōnyū suru; purchase] insteadof 買う [kau; buy], as that was the vocabulary commonly used in the office. It was also quite
motivating when some of the faculty who had known me before heard me speak Japanesea few years later and told me they were impressed at how much I had improved�It was also at this time that I opened our university’s first self-access language learning
center to provide students with a space and a variety of resources and services to foster
more autonomous learning. Over the last couple of years, however, I have started to lookbeyond the physical space and have embraced online learning with its wealth of resources
and possibilities. By doing so, I believe I can help remove the barriers that exist in physicalspaces and allow students more freedom to take control over their learning beyond theclassroom�
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It is with this mindset and experience in both my own learning and now supporting mystudents’ learning beyond such physical spaces that led me to participate in this project.
By reading and commenting on the various papers in this issue, I have gained new insights
into this topic as well as learned new ways of possibly helping my students become better
learners beyond such physical spaces.
In our narratives above, we, the four editors, have explained why LBC is important to us
and why we promote it as teachers and advisors� Although our personal and learning
experiences are quite different in terms of interests and contexts, we have all used LBC toattain our individual goals. André, Isra, and Vola’s LBC experiences were especially related
to language learning involving personal interests and motivation. On the other hand, Phill’s
experience shows that LBC is not just limited to language learning but is also necessary forother areas of life. Together, we feel that our experiences as well as our writers’ have helped
to develop this issue into a cohesive unit which readers will be able to relate to.

Development of This Issue

The writing process for the Learner Development Journal differs somewhat from otheracademic publications; this finished product represents the culmination of a 2-year
process. The issue began not with a call for papers, but for proposals for submissions.
Writers initially shared brief proposals for an inquiry they planned to undertake or a
topic they wished to explore more. This allowed for a diverse group of contributions;although some of our authors had their research clearly planned out and were alreadyunderway, others were still working through their ideas. We sought proposals for longer“explorations” as well as for “practice-based reviews.” The latter differed from traditional
academic book reviews in that we were hoping for authors not only to review a book(or a portion of one), but to include reflections on their own practices (as educators,
researchers, or even as learners themselves) and use those reflections as a lens throughwhich to view the piece in question�
We on the editorial team selected a group of contributors we were excited to workwith and grouped them into “response communities,” or small groups within which
the authors could provide feedback to, and share reflections with each other as theirpapers developed. Members of the editorial team also joined each community toscaffold discussions and provide support from a slightly more objective standpoint
for fostering the development of the papers� These communities are a unique featureof LDJ. In line with constructivist theories of learning, we felt through interacting withothers, sharing different perspectives, and coming to understand those perspectives,
writers might re-shape their existing understandings and create new meanings together(see Fosnot & Perry, 2005). That this type of shared learning conforms favorably withconstructivist and sociocultural theoretical perspectives also seemed appropriate for thefour of us as editors, as both theoretical viewpoints play important underlying roles in
the field of language advising (Mynard, 2012), which is a major part of our professional
practices. Furthermore, in Isra’s case, the feedback and interaction with members of hisgroup in the previous issue of this journal (LDJ5) had been valuable in crafting his paper(Wongsarnpigoon & Imamura, 2021).
After the formation of the communities, the authors started commenting on eachother’s proposals using Google Docs and met online in Zoom to share and discuss their
upcoming work with each other in March and April 2021. They then began their writing
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process, sharing their first partial piece of writing within their communities in May 2021,
again commenting on each other’s work in Google Docs and meeting online over thefollowing month� These meetings and comments ideally gave the authors momentum tocontinue their writing during the summer vacation period, after which they submitted afull (or nearly full) working draft in September 2021.
Contributors’ working drafts were each reviewed by two members of the LDJ Review
Network. Authors were asked to select either open (non-anonymous) or double-blind
review. In either case, we attempted to match each author with reviewers who would bewell suited to provide feedback on their paper due to their areas of expertise or previous
research. In the autumn of 2021, the reviewers provided supportive feedback on each
paper, in line with the journal’s and the Learner Development SIG’s goal of helping todevelop the writers and their writing. Similar to the dialogic process of building newunderstandings in the response communities, a key part of this review process was ourdesire to facilitate a constructive dialogue, and as such, we encouraged the authors to
respond to the reviewers’ comments and pose questions of their own�Using the reviewers’ feedback, the authors submitted revised full drafts in February
2022. Although we on the editorial team had posed questions and given encouraging
comments throughout the process, at this point we stepped in and positioned ourselvesin a more traditional editorial stance. Throughout the spring of 2022, we provided
editorial direction and feedback on all papers; the LDJ Steering Group also gave their own
feedback. We had been present throughout the development of the papers from thestart, and so receiving this feedback from the members of the Steering Group, who werereading the papers with fresh eyes, was highly valuable. After spending the summer of2022 responding to the feedback in revising and writing, the authors submitted their final
drafts in September 2022. Two subsequent rounds of proofreading and final revisions
resulted in the completed finished works you see here.
Throughout this process, as editors, our focus has been on supporting our contributors
in developing not only their pieces but also their own voices as authors of their inquiries
into learning beyond the classroom. The contributors to this issue have varying degrees ofexperience in writing, but it is fair to say that all of the pieces have changed and evolved
during this publication process. As editors, seeing this growth has been one of the mostsatisfying parts of working on this issue. It is also a huge credit to our writers that they
have taken all feedback in the positive spirit of the journal and used it to their benefit.

In This Issue

Reinders and Benson (2017) suggest a research agenda for LBC with several strands.
These include:
1. explorations of settings for LBC (e.g., how it connects with the classroom, or
how learners may tie opportunities for LBC in their own environments with theclassroom),2� the processes involved (e.g., the experience of LBC or the strategies or technology
involved), and3. teachers’ support for LBC (e.g., teachers’ beliefs or how teachers may prepare
learners for LBC)

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We believe that the seven papers assembled in this issue—six longer explorations of LBC
and one practice-based review—each apply to one or more of these strands in variousways�

Ann Flanagan, “Building a Critical Reflective Practice With High School
Language Learners”

In our first paper, Ann Flanagan explores her efforts to promote critical reflection inhigh school students. She provided support for her learners’ goal setting, and they kept
reflective journals on their learning activities beyond the classroom, as well as on theirprogress towards their goals. Ann examines how two particular students’ reflections
helped them to more closely examine their own study strategies, habits, and resources,
as well as how she was able to foster their reflective practice. She also muses upon thenature of the feedback she can provide in order to improve students’ reflection.

Gretchen Clark, “Extensive Listening in the Time of COVID-19: Supporting
Students so They Can Become Self-Reflective, Independent Learners”

In her paper, Gretchen Clark describes how extensive listening combined with digitaljournal writing helped a group of university students develop their metacognitive skills
and increase their opportunities for listening practice beyond the classroom. Although thepractices she describes were specially designed due to the pandemic when face-to-faceclasses were not being conducted, they can be equally helpful even after the COVID-19
pandemic, as they enable students to gradually develop their autonomy.

Jon Rowberry, “Agency in and Beyond the Classroom: Learners’ Selection of
Resources for Self-Directed Language Learning”
In the third paper, Jon Rowberry describes how two learners in a self-directed learning
course called SDLU take charge of their learning by making use of the affordances forlearning in SDLU. Through the two case studies, Jon shows the differences between theways the two learners selected their resources and the amount of support they neededfrom others. Jon ends his paper by considering some challenges teachers and learning
advisors may have when facilitating self-directed learning courses, and sharing some
unexpected realizations about the two learners’ agency.

Chika Hayashi, “A Case Study of Collaborative Online International
Learning Between Finnish and Japanese University Students: Learning
Beyond the Classroom”

In her paper, Chika investigates the potential for collaboration through an out-of-classonline activity involving students in Finland and Japan participating in a Collaborative
Online International Learning (COIL) project. Using a case-study approach that included
analysis of one of her Japanese students’ exchanges with a Finnish student over fourmonths, and interviews with her student at the end of the project, Chika shows that while
the student was able to work together with the Finnish student, her language learning
anxiety, especially with regards to accuracy, prevented her from fully engaging in the
project. Nevertheless, the project did help the student better understand her needs andaided her motivation. Chika concludes by suggesting some implications for teachersinterested in setting up such projects.
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Aya Hayasaki, “Beyond the Classroom, Beyond the Track: The Role ofEnglish in the Transformation of Career Perspectives in Three Females in
Rural Japan”

In this paper, Aya Hayasaki addresses topics which deserve serious consideration but are
sometimes overlooked in language education, especially in Japan: the barriers imposedon academic and career prospects by inequalities tied to gender, socioeconomic, andregional differences. Aya writes about how project-based language learning beyond theclassroom helped three female high school graduates from rural Kagoshima, Japan tosurmount such constraints. Drawing on Trajectory Equifinality Modeling, Aya discusses
how they were affected by social and educational inequalities, as well as the specificfactors brought about through LBC that helped them to discover their own paths. She also
compares the three women’s circumstances with her own background.

Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Haingo Fanaperana Rajaonaritiana, and Volatiana
Olivia Rasoanindrina, “Learning Beyond the Classroom in an EFL Malagasy
Setting: Two Student Teachers’ Experiences”

In their paper, Vola, Fanaperana, and Olivia discuss the importance of learning beyond theclassroom in Madagascar, a context that so far has been little researched. Through theuse of language learning histories (LLHs), they show how one’s interests, not just in thelanguage itself but also in the culture of the places where it is spoken, can help a learnerstrengthen and maintain their motivation to continue studying a foreign language� Basedon their findings, they argue that teachers should consider ways to incorporate suchinterests and strategies used outside the classroom into the classroom, and that teacher
education should include more reflection on student teachers’ LLHs as this can benefit
future teachers’ practices�Mizuka Tsukamoto, “Some Thoughts on Implementing a New Teaching
Approach: A Review of Clarke’s ‘Exploring Autonomous Learning . . .’”In the final piece, Mizuka Tsukamoto provides a chapter review that explores apractitioner’s approach to teaching a university English class. Mizuka details her
experience implementing similar concepts to those in Clarke’s chapter with the aim ofcreating a student-centered classroom. In reviewing Clarke’s account of her practice andresearch, Mizuka reflects on some of the parallels and differences with her own teaching.
Through this reflective process, Mizuka was able to answer some of her questions aswell as uncover new ones related to creating a classroom that is student centered andfacilitates learner autonomy.

Commentary
Phil Benson and Mayumi Kashiwa, “Space Matters: Language Learning
Environments Beyond the Classroom in the Post-COVID World”

In their dialogic commentary on this issue, Phil Benson and Mayumi Kashiwa discuss
LBC with regard to spaces in the post-COVID world. They explore the conceptualizationof space (see Benson, 2021), learner perceptions of learning environments, and thecomplexity of digital spaces in relation to learning environments both in and beyond
the classroom� Drawing out fascinating connections and questions to do with learner
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development, Phil and Mayumi point readers towards intriguing pathways for future
research on learning beyond the classroom.

Acknowledgements

The editors would like to thank everyone involved in the publication of this journal. We
would first like to thank the reviewers for taking the time not only to check the papers
but also offer valuable comments to the writers. We would also like to thank Stuart
Warrington for his contribution in the initial stages of this journal, as well as Kayoko Horaifor helping to proofread and edit the Japanese abstracts, and Ivan Lombardi for the layout
and design. Next, we would like to express our gratitude to both Mayumi Kashiwa andPhil Benson for their insightful commentary on the issue. Finally, we would like to give a
special thanks to all the contributors for sharing their various experiences with language
learning beyond the classroom. We hope the research herein will offer new insights andopen new venues for research in this ever-expanding and important field.
— Isra Wongsarnpigoon, Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa,

Phillip A. Bennett, and André Parsons
December 2022

References

Benson, P. (2011). Language learning and teaching beyond the classroom: An introduction
to the field. In P. Benson & H. Reinders (Eds.), Beyond the language classroom (pp. 7–16).
Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230306790_2
Benson, P. (2021). Language learning environments: Spatial perspectives on SLA. Multilingual
Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788924917
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Learner Development Journal • Issue 6 • December 2022

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Introduction to Learner Development Journal 6

LD Journal 6 Reviewers
Andy Barfield, Chuo University, Japan
Alice Chik, Macquarie University, Australia
Simla Course, Akdeniz University, Turkey
Huw Davies, Lancaster University, UK
Donna Fujimoto, Osaka Jogakuin University, Japan
Shu Hua Kao, Chihlee University of Technology, Taiwan
Jo Mynard, Kanda University of International Studies, Japan
Hugh Nicoll, Miyazaki Municipal University, Japan (retired)Louise Ohashi, Gakushuin University, Japan
Ted O’Neill, Gakushuin University, Japan
Colin Rundle, Soka University, Japan
Katherine Thornton, Otemon Gakuin University, Japan
Stacey Vye, Saitama University, JapanLD Journal 6 Japanese Editing and Proofreading
Kayoko Horai, Sojo University, JapanLD Journal Steering Group
Andy Barfield, Chuo University, Japan
Oana Cusen, Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan
Dominic Edsall, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
Tanya McCarthy, Kyoto University, Japan
Layout and Design
Ivan Lombardi, University of Fukui, Japan

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Learner Development Journal • Issue 6 • December 2022