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: Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Haingo Fanaperana Rajaonaritiana, & Volatiana Olivia
Rasoanindrina
Title: Learning Beyond the Classroom in an EFL Malagasy Setting: Two Student Teachers’
Experiences
Date of publication online: 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.LDJ6-7
Author contact: <razafindratsimba-d(at)kanda(dot)kuis(dot)ac(dot)jp>, <rajaonaritianah(at)gmail(dot)com>, & <volatianaolivia21(at)gmail(dot)com>
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:
Ambinintsoa, D. V., Rajaonaritiana, H. F., & Rasoanindrina, V. O. (2022). Learning beyond
the classroom in an EFL Malagasy setting: Two student teachers’ experiences. The
Learner Development Journal, 6, 97–113. https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.LDJ6-7
This 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.

PAPER
Learning Beyond the Classroom in an EFL
Malagasy Setting: Two Student Teachers’
Experiences
Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Kanda University of International
Studies, Japan <razafindratsimba-d(at)kanda(dot)kuis(dot)ac(dot)jp>
Haingoarinjaka Fanaperana Rajaonaritiana, University of
Antananarivo, Madagascar <rajaonaritianah(at)gmail(dot)com>
Volatiana Olivia Rasoanindrina, University of Antananarivo,
Madagascar <volatianaolivia21(at)gmail(dot)com>
In this paper, the three authors—a teacher and two student teachers (STs)—highlight the importanceof learners’ agency in learning beyond the classroom (LBC), drawing on the STs’ LBC experiences as EFL
learners in Madagascar. Through narrative accounts in the form of vignettes, the STs share their language
learning histories (LLHs) beyond the classroom, identifying their purposes and drives for learning English,
as well as their difficulties, strategies, and successes. The STs’ LLHs underscore the significance of intereststhat fed into their intrinsic motivation to continuously improve their English language skills and indicatethat they were capable of creating learning opportunities and resources in a learning environment that canbe considered as “under-resourced” (Smith et al., 2018, p. 8). The implications drawn from the LLHs include
the idea of integrating into the classroom learners’ interests and strategies beyond the classroom to boost
their motivation and the relevance of using LLHs in teacher education to help STs reflect on their learning
experiences and existing knowledge about learning, as well as understand the importance of consideringand responding to students’ genuine needs and interests. This paper breaks new ground in exploring LBC
and LLHs in that two of the authors are current students identifying themselves as both EFL learners andfuture EFL teachers in a Malagasy context. It also sheds light on how to promote LBC in a context where
resources can be seen as scarce.

本論文では、教師と2人の学生教師（ST）からなる3人の著者が、マダガスカルにおけるEFL学習者としてのSTの教室を超えた学習（LBC）経験をもとにLBCでの学習者のエージェンシーの重要性を強調する。
STは、教室外での言語学習の歴史（LLH）をヴィネット形式の物語で語り、英語を学ぶ目的や動機、困難、戦略、成功などを明らかにする。
彼らのLLHは、英語を継続的に向上させるための内発的動機につながる興味の重要性を強調し、「リソース不足」（Smith et al., 2018, p. 8）とされる学習環境において学習機会やリソースを作り出す能力があることを示している。
LLHから、学習者のモチベーションを高めるために、教室を超えた学習者の興味や戦略を教室に取り入れるという考え方や、教師教育におけるLLHの活用の妥当性などが示唆された。
本研究は、マダガスカル語の文脈の中でEFL学習者と将来のEFL教師を目指す学生が共同執筆しているという点で、非常に独自性の高いものである。
この論文は、
マダガ
スカルにおけるEFL学習者と将来のEFL教師である在校生の共著であり、彼ら自身の言葉によって、その声を直接的に伝える。
また本
稿では、資源が乏しいとされる状況において、LBCをどのように推進するかについても光を当てている。

Keywords
learning beyond the classroom (LBC), language learning history (LLH), agency, intrinsic motivation, interests
教室を超えた学習（LBC）、言語学習史（LLH）、エージェンシー、内発的動機づけ、興味関心

Vola, Fanaperana, and Olivia, the authors of this paper, have three common points ofreference: our home country, our love for English, and the desire to teach it. That loveand desire brought us together in a university in Madagascar in 2018, where Vola wasteaching a course on reflective writing to first-year student teachers, among whom were
Fanaperana and Olivia. At the time of writing, Vola was living in Japan while Fanaperana
and Olivia were entering their third year of teacher training in Madagascar. Despite theLearner Development Journal • Issue 6 • December 2022

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distance, we have kept in touch through email and social media. We decided to write
about learning beyond the classroom (LBC) together because we believe that LBC was
the key to our mastering English in Madagascar, where English classes mainly focus ongrammar, reading, and writing, and where learning resources can be seen as limited.
We also believe that it is especially beyond the classroom that learners can develop andexert their learner autonomy or their “capacity to take control over [their] own learning”(Benson, 2011, p. 2), as they are the decision-makers of what and how to learn. Therefore,
for us, promoting learner autonomy necessarily involves LBC.
Our first aim is to give insights into LBC in an EFL Malagasy context, using the language
learning histories (LLHs) of Fanaperana and Olivia (referred to as “student teachers” or“STs”). By doing so, we give voice directly to students, as this is to our knowledge, thefirst paper co-authored by students in this context. The second aim is to highlight what
we can gain from the LLHs in terms of ways to help learners learn beyond the classroom
and maintain their motivation in and outside class. Our final aim, which is related to thesecond, is to better promote learner autonomy in the Malagasy context and beyond.
We first describe the context followed by a brief background of the STs. Then, we givesome theoretical background and explain the method used for this paper. Next, the STs
discuss the necessity and challenges of LBC in the EFL Malagasy context before describing
and reflecting on their EFL language journeys beyond the classroom through their LLHs.
In addition to their LBC experiences, they reflect on their own future teaching, as they
prepare for their teaching practice. Drawing from the STs’ learning experiences, Vola
finally provides some practical ways in which LBC can be promoted.

Theoretical Background: LBC, LLH, Agency, and Context

LBC is necessary for learners to succeed in their language learning, as the affordances
for learning in the classroom can be limited due mainly to time constraints and thenon-flexibility of the curriculum (Richards, 2015). It can even be argued that most learning
takes place outside the classroom (Benson, 2017). When researching LBC, areas that canbe addressed are the affordances and constraints of the settings, the processes involved,
including learners’ experiences and strategies, and the teacher’s role in supporting LBC(Reinders & Benson, 2017). One way to research learners’ experiences and strategies isthrough LLH writing�
LLH writing benefits both learners and teachers. It enables learners to reflect on theirlearning and to reveal some of the causes of their motivation and attitudes towards thelanguage (Reinders & Benson, 2017). Additionally, LLHs allow both learners and teachers
to know learners’ perceptions and beliefs related to their language learning and their“seeds” of agency (Murphey & Carpenter, 2008), the latter being an important factor in
LBC�
Agency is a significant dimension of learner behavior (Mercer, 2011). In language
learning, it is viewed as a starting point for the development of autonomy (Benson, 2007)
or as a component of learner autonomy. Gu (2009), for instance, includes learner agency
in his conceptualization of learner autonomy, which also includes volition, proactiveness,and self-initiation. Self-initiation is identified as the combination of initial motivation
to learn and effortful behaviors (Nguyen, 2008). Agency is, thus, the characteristic thatenables learners to make the decision to learn and to pursue the learning regardlessof their context. It is undeniable that the context or learning environment influences
learners (Benson, 2021; Benson et al., 2018; Lamb & Murray, 2018), as “all learning is98

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Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Haingo Fanaperana Rajaonaritiana, & Volatiana Olivia Rasoanindrinasocially situated and culturally constrained” (Little, 1999, p. 16). However, learners are not
only reactive to the context; they can also shape their learning environment (Bandura,
2008; Benson, 2021; Carter & Sealey, 2000; Mercer, 2011), i.e., they can contribute toimprovements of their own learning environment by exercising their agency, which
explains the importance of agency in LBC� As agency involves self-initiation promptedby motivation, it can be argued that agency is related to interest. Interest is a positive
emotion integrating affective and cognitive components; it is said to be the cause of
self-initiation and persistence (Mynard & McLoughlin, 2020). In LBC contexts, finding
and developing interest is an effective way to maintain and regulate learners’ motivation(McLoughlin, 2020; Mynard & McLoughlin, 2020).

Context: Resources, Languages, the Place of English, and Background of
the STs

Madagascar is among the poorest countries in the world (Osborne, 2016; UNICEF, 2018;
Venart & Reuter, 2014) and can be referred to as “under-resourced” (Smith et al., 2018, p.
8) regarding education. Basic resources in pedagogy and infrastructure are considerably
lacking. Beyond the classroom, libraries (with books) are mostly the only resources
provided by schools and institutions in urban locations. Resources that may be taken
for granted in schools in other countries, such as self-access centers, ICT resources (e.g.,
computers, CD players, unlimited Wi-Fi), or simply any human resources outside classare generally scarce in the Malagasy context. In order to use the Internet, most people,
even those at universities in big cities, go to cyber cafes and pay for limited connections.
However, many Malagasy people can use Facebook, as it is possible to use it on cell
phones at a cheaper price than other Internet services. Nevertheless, such connections
are limited�
Malagasy and French are the official languages, and English is a foreign language. While
French is mainly used as a language of instruction at school and in most administrative
areas, Malagasy is used in everyday life outside school and workplaces. Both languages
are used on TV (e.g., news), and most foreign movies and documentaries are dubbed in
French. In general, English is taught as a compulsory school subject from the beginningof secondary school� What is taught in class throughout the 7 years consists mainlyof grammar rules, reading comprehension, and writing on given topics (e.g., sport,
environment); these skills are also what is assessed at school and in national examinations(at the end of Grades 9 and 12). Teachers often predominantly focus on forms and use
grammar drills. For example, when they teach the passive voice, they only teach about
how to turn the active form into the passive and vice versa but not about when to use
them. English is thus taught as a subject that students must learn for exams, but not as ameans of communication. As a foreign language, its use is mainly confined to the English
classroom�At university, English is still a mandatory subject but generally remains an academic
subject (consisting of reading and writing) among others that students study topass exams in departments other than English (e.g., French, law, physics). In English
departments like the one where the STs studied, all English skills are taught separately
along with literature, civilization, and other subjects.
Beyond the classroom, private tutoring and English language centers may exist in somecities, but they are not typically affordable for the general Malagasy population. English
clubs created by volunteers (teachers or students) can be found within language centers
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and in a few schools in cities. The aim of such clubs is mainly to enable learners to practice
speaking. However, there are very few of them, and their existence and functionality
heavily depend on the availability of the volunteers leading them, which does notguarantee their consistency (see Vignette 9).
Prior to university, the two STs, Fanaperana and Olivia, had 7 years of English insecondary school, like most Malagasy students do. Having lived in the capital, they havebeen more fortunate than students in other areas in terms of learning resources, as
they can still have some limited access to the Internet and are more exposed to different
media, such as social media and television. Also, they had opportunities to join English
clubs and register at English language centers.
The STs were entering their third year at a teacher training college in Madagascar at thetime of writing this paper. Although they had not had practical teaching experience yet,they had learned about theories of different teaching methods and approaches. In theirfirst 2 years at college, they also attended different courses aiming to help them improve
the four language skills.

Methods

Our aim is to enable readers to hear the voices of actual learners on LBC in their context
and to learn directly from them. We thus chose to use Fanaperana and Olivia’s LLHs inan autoethnographic approach (Ellis et al., 2011) or “self-narratives” allowing readers to“understand the ways in which individuals situate themselves and their activities in theworld” (Barkhuizen et al., 2014, p. 2).
To help Fanaperana and Olivia write their LLHs, Vola provided them with prompts
about activities, settings, times, and views on the effectiveness of their LBC activities. That
first step served as a brainstorming activity in a shared Google Docs document. Secondly,
Fanaperana and Olivia collected evidence of their LBC from several years of learning
English. The evidence included items such as translations of song lyrics, a poster for aplay, and diary entries. While collecting evidence and gradually writing their LLHs, we had
back-and-forth question-and-answer exchanges within the same Google Docs document
for further elaboration and reflection. When Fanaperana and Olivia were satisfied with
their LLHs, we divided them into vignettes to make them easier to read. We were awarethat autobiographical vignettes are said to enable teachers to reflect on their teachingpractices (Ambler, 2012). Though Fanaperana and Olivia were not teaching yet at the timeof writing this paper, writing the vignettes allowed them to reflect on their learning, linkthem to their future teaching, and develop their reflective practice, which is considered“a crucial element of education” and “an essential skill that needs to be nurtured in allteachers” (Farrell, 2019, p. 5). We, thus, believe in the value of LLHs in relation to LBC andto teaching�The STs’ Views: Necessity and Challenges of LBC in the EFL Malagasy
Context

From our own experiences as students, we can say that LBC is necessary, especiallyregarding speaking and listening skills. What students learn in class is quite limited, as
previously described. As English is taught as an academic subject and is assessed only
through reading and writing in exams, speaking is neglected in class. Students are used
to seeing the language rather than speaking it. Teachers do not even speak English mostof the time, as they think explaining in the mother tongue or in French helps the students
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better than using the target language. That is why most students are not used to listening
to English or using it as a means of communication�
LBC is necessary but also challenging for EFL Malagasy students. The first challenge is
to find time. Students have class from early morning to evening, and at home, they mainly
have time only for their homework and lesson reviewing. Furthermore, LBC requires ahuge amount of independence, which implies that they should be capable of managing
their time. The second challenge is the lack of materials. What they can find in libraries
are mainly grammar books and dictionaries. Most students do not have access to theInternet, which would provide them with different listening resources. Additionally, therarity of resources such as English clubs makes it difficult to practice speaking. The thirdchallenge is to keep motivation. This may be related to the lack of practice opportunities
for students who want to be able to speak English. Also, in LBC, students may feeldemotivated, as there is no one to encourage them and no deadline to push them. Theymay give up easily if they do not have the patience and willingness to make constanteffort. Despite these challenges, LBC is possible if students are determined to learn and to
improve their English skills, as demonstrated in our LLHs in the following section.

The Two STs’ LBC Experiences

In this part of our paper, we share extracts from Fanaperana and Olivia’s LLHs in theform of vignettes so that readers may directly learn from them about their experiences of
LBC. Six vignettes from Fanaperana are first presented, and these are followed by sevenvignettes from Olivia. The vignettes are included in this section without commentary, sothat readers may directly encounter the voices and experiences of Fanaperana and Olivia.

Fanaperana’s LLH
Vignette 1: Learning for the Test

If someone asked me how long I have been learning English, I would answer 7 years. That
was when I started to learn English outside the classroom. In school, English was learned
like some other subjects such as math and history. What did I learn at school? English
grammar rules, some vocabulary, and expressions related to given themes, such as sports
and the environment, which I had to memorize for tests, but which I did not use at all
outside the classroom. What I learned at school aimed exclusively to help me pass exams,
without considering my understanding and the usefulness of such content in my life� I did
not have the opportunity to practice speaking English, which is crucial when learning alanguage�Vignette 2: Westlife

It was in the first year of high school when I started to learn English beyond the classroom.
My mother bought me a mobile phone with many English songs preloaded in it, such asWestlife’s. I loved their songs as I felt they had some kind of depth. Their voices were so
nice to hear, and the songs reminded me of my childhood when I often listened to them.
However, I did not understand what the songs meant. At that time, I thought if I could
meet Westlife one day, I would like to be able to talk to them. That was when I decided to
get two notebooks: one for the lyrics and one for the translation (see Figures 1 and 2). At
that time, I did not have access to the Internet. Therefore, to have song lyrics, I had to buy
them from a store near my school. Then, I began to translate them into French by using
a bilingual dictionary. Doing the translation activities triggered my motivation to learn
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English. Though the quality of my translation still needed a lot of improvement, it madesense somehow. Translating was particularly useful in terms of learning new vocabulary.
As the vocabulary items were included in songs I enjoyed listening to, it was easier tomemorize them. Furthermore, after the translation, I started to understand what thesongs were about. It was great because I started to sing with the correct words and at thesame time, I felt what the lyrics meant.

Figure 1. Fanaperana’s First Song Translation

Vignette 3: Learning While Having Fun

In the second year of high school, my mother installed the Internet on my mobile phone,and I started to watch videos on Youtube, particularly Westlife’s interviews on talkshows (for example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4DaYeeEl_A). Frankly, I did notunderstand anything, but I just liked watching them having fun. I downloaded many of
their interviews on my phone� The urge to understand what they were saying resulted in
the willingness to learn more to improve my English� I thus decided to engage in otheractivities. From my experience translating lyrics, I understood that I learn best while
having fun. Therefore, I began to read comics in English on MangaToon (a free application
for reading manga and comics) on weekends. Through pictures, I was able to guess themeaning of the dialogues. Furthermore, reading the comics improved both my reading
skills and my vocabulary. I was able to learn simple English expressions that I could use indaily life�

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Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa, Haingo Fanaperana Rajaonaritiana, & Volatiana Olivia Rasoanindrina

Figure 2. Fanaperana’s Third Song Translation

Vignette 4: Creating More Learning Opportunities

I discovered that English is an international language. Therefore, I started chattingwith foreigners on Facebook to get opportunities to practice English and learn new
expressions. I also started practicing speaking by myself and with my sister. Then, after
graduating from high school, I decided to attend an English language center because I
thought I needed improvement in my English learning in general, and I would be able tomeet some friends to speak to. I realized that my effort to improve my English speaking
paid off when I was able to enter the center as an intermediate student (after a speaking
placement test). Attending classes at that center influenced my LBC. First, I had friends
with whom I could practice speaking. We decided to speak to each other in English afterclass when we went home. We did not choose to talk about any specific topics, but we just
had free conversations in English. Second, my teacher recommended different websites,in which I was able to read books in epub formats (e.g., https://english-e-reader�net/) andpractice listening (e.g., https://www.esl-lab.com/)�

Vignette 5: Willingness to Become a Teacher of English

It was from my improvement and my love for English that I decided to study at the
Teacher Training College to become a teacher of English. Due to the fiercely competitive
examination, I had to study English even harder. Therefore, at home, I watched English
programs, such as BBC News and English movies, which are available on paid TV channels.
I read English books, and I often practiced speaking to myself in order to improve myEnglish speaking skills.
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In college, we rarely had class and hardly spoke in English. Once more, LBC has beena necessity. To improve my reading skills, I read many books. Fortunately, I had an
acquaintance who used to be an English teacher, and she was very pleased to give mesome of her English books (see Figure 3). Reading the books has improved my reading
skills, as one book is about reading many texts with comprehension questions. Other
books, such as classic and detective novels, have enabled me to learn a wide variety ofvocabulary.

Figure 3. Fanaperana’s Book Collection

Vignette 6: Back to Westlife

One day, during the lockdown, I looked through my old downloads, and I watchedWestlife’s interviews again. I was amazed to see how much I was able to understandcompared to 6 years ago, when I first downloaded the videos and had just enjoyedwatching them speaking and laughing without knowing what was funny. At that time, I had
just said to myself that I would understand someday after hard work and a lot of time, andI was right! I realized that thanks to all the listening practice I had done, I was able to makeconsiderable progress.
To sum up, most of my English learning happened beyond the classroom. The simple
desire to understand song lyrics became a great desire to pursue my studies in an Englishspeaking country.

Olivia’s LLH

Seven vignettes (Vignettes 7–13) follow from Olivia below.

Vignette 7: “How to Master English Within Just 10 Minutes,” a Lie!

Excelling at English has always been my goal since I was in junior high school. I used
to admire those English singers and motivational speakers on TV and radio with their104

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accent and fluency. For me, the fact that they could speak English so fast that I could notunderstand anything meant that they had mastered the language. However, I did notknow the steps and challenges the people went through before becoming who they are.
I thought that learning a language would be easy due to the unreal brilliant-sounding
straplines I saw on the Internet saying how to master English within just 10 minutes. It wasonce I committed myself to it that I realized the time and effort required. I will put forward
all my processes during my experiences about learning English beyond the classroom.

Vignette 8: “Practice Makes Perfect”

I am best known as a talkative girl, and I am sure that this behavior has helped me
throughout my study. The first time my love for English appeared, I chatted with English
speakers on Facebook. I always bore in mind what my former teacher taught me, thatpractice makes perfect, and it worked. I could apply what I was taught in class, learned
new lexical items, and had my grammatical mistakes corrected. So, I can say that it was auseful opportunity. At first, I was afraid that they would not agree to text chat with me, but
I pretended to be interested in their stories. Unfortunately, it did not last long, but I was
not discouraged�
When I was home, I tried to simultaneously interpret what my siblings said from
Malagasy to English, and I continued doing that though they were angry. They thoughtthat I was mocking them, and they treated me like a silly girl. I did not care because I only
focused on my goal. I was not good at translating or interpreting at that time, but I havebeen trying my best. It allowed me to increase my vocabulary.

Vignette 9: Motivating English ClubIn my high school, our teacher created an English club, which I joined. The club met once aweek and we had activities such as games, songs, and debates in English. Later, I became
one of the English club leaders and was responsible for creating and leading the activities.
We had opportunities to have native-speaker guests from time to time. Talking to themwas challenging, as I was afraid to make mistakes in front of them, but it was motivating
because I was dazzled by their accents. I said to myself that I shall master this language
at any cost. One lesson I learned from those experiences was to never be ashamed ofmaking mistakes. I knew that none of us was born bilingual and making mistakes was
normal for everyone�Leading the club was not an easy task, as I constantly had to find new enjoyable
activities to keep the club members interested. Also, I was still a high school student
and had to focus on my studies. Therefore, I had difficulty managing my time. There
were times when I had to cancel club meetings, which resulted in members leaving the
club. Nevertheless, leading the club was helpful in many ways, and especially as a futureteacher, the greatest benefit for me was learning how to talk in front of many people.

Vignette 10: Learning Vocabulary Through Comics and Song Lyrics

Apart from practicing speaking, I read comics on the weekends. I found them funny andattractive, as the pictures were close to reality. I could also learn new vocabulary. The
more words I learned, the higher my desire to learn became. I tried to remember at least
one word a day and used it when I was speaking at the club and in class. I had to makethat effort because I wanted to make a good impression, and that contributed to myself-improvement. My wish to improve my English skills became more and more intense.
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As I like English songs, I checked the translation of the lyrics of my favorite songs on theInternet, not only to understand the songs but also to know more words and expressions.
Though it was an effective way to learn vocabulary, I did not always have the chance to
use them, and sometimes, I was not able to use some words appropriately since themeaning of one word could vary according to the context. From then, I started to doublecheck before using a word to make sure that I used it correctly.

Vignette 11: The Hard Work Paid Off

As I began to gradually refine my skills, I started to watch English cartoons and movies
with subtitles to consolidate my listening skills and to acquire the accent, since I haveindelibly dreamt of sounding native. The big struggle was the fact that I could not focus
on the subtitles and the image at the same time. I was not even able to concentrate on
what the characters were saying. My goal was not achieved then, but I carried on watching
English movies�
Later, when I watched videos of motivational speakers on Facebook, I felt thatsomething had changed as I began to understand what they were saying even without
subtitles. I appreciated their amazing accent and their fluency, and the messages they
conveyed were crystal clear. I realized that all my hard work of translating, practicing
speaking, and learning vocabulary had paid off. And these were all due to the fact that I
like the language itself.

Vignette 12: “Vakivakim-piainana” [hardship]

I recognized the impact of attending the English club when I volunteered to perform ina play (see Figure 4) with my classmates at the university. I had to articulate and speak
aloud. I also learned new vocabulary because my classmates and I had to translate thescripts from Malagasy to English, as the original book, Vakivakim-Piainana, is in Malagasy.
From the collaboration with my classmates, I learned other ways to translate ideas. As weonly had about one month and a half to get prepared, we rehearsed almost every day.
It really contributed to the improvement of my speaking skills because every mistake wemade was corrected by the teacher, whether it was grammar or pronunciation. I learned
to speak clearer and louder and to use body language as well as facial expressions, which
are necessary skills I need as a future teacher. Preparing for and performing the play wasan effective way to improve my English and to have fun at the same time.

Vignette 13: Learning on My Own for Self-Satisfaction

As an EFL student, I understand the importance of and the difficulty with autonomous
learning. There were times when my motivation was low, especially when I saw people
younger than me speaking fluently with an American accent. However, I said to myself,“If I stop now, all my efforts will be in vain, and I will bitterly regret it.” Rather than seeing
the younger people as a barrier, I should view them as a source of motivation to enhance
my strong determination for learning English. Now, I can see the benefits of my devotionin the past through all the improvements I have made. I know the significance of learningwith friends. It took me so many years to be able to speak English. I learned from myexperience that I can be what I want to be, but I must be patient and persevere beyond
the classroom to achieve my goal�

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Figure 4. The Poster for the Play

What to Implement in Our Future Teaching

In the previous section, we described our LBC experiences, including our goals,
activities, resources, and feelings by means of the vignettes. Taking our experiences
into consideration, we will briefly discuss what we would like to implement in our futureclasses�Fanaperana’s Plan

LBC was crucial for my English learning� That is why I will encourage my future students
to learn beyond the classroom. I will give them assignments requiring personal research,
for example, a reading assignment requiring them to look for unknown vocabulary. I
will also share resources with them where they can learn English effectively, such asuseful websites. Lastly, from my experience, I believe that motivation is very important.
Therefore, I will do my best to enhance my students’ motivation by integrating topics thatinterest them into my lessons. Moreover, I will help them discover their own motivation tolearn English by asking them questions about their interests and future goals and talking
about opportunities they may have if they master English (e.g., future jobs or scholarship
opportunities)�

Olivia’s Plan

Just as I did with my own LBC, I will give my students opportunities to link their learningand their interests so that they do not consider LBC as a burden. I will ask them to workin groups and to present topics of their interests for which they have to do some research
and acquire new knowledge using the target language. Moreover, to demonstrate that
English is a means of communication, not just an academic subject, I will create speaking
opportunities allowing for LBC, such as English clubs, drama clubs, or even singing clubs.
Once they master the language, creating opportunities for contests with awards is also a
way to raise their motivation�
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Implications and Conclusions: Vola’s Contribution

The STs’ vignettes remind me of my LBC experiences related to English when I lived
in Madagascar. Like Fanaperana, I translated songs from French into English and viceversa. Also, I valued every resource I could use to improve any of my language skills. For
instance, I remember I had to run home every day so that I could watch the BBC Newson the national television network at 5 p.m., which was one of the very rare TV programs
in English in those days. Like the STs, I agree that those LBC activities were crucial for mylanguage development�
Believing in the importance of LBC and drawing from the STs’ descriptions of andreflections on their LBC experiences, I will present three significant implications in thissection that include ideas on how to promote LBC and learner autonomy to learners andto help learners maintain their motivation in and out of class. As reflection is essential
to develop learner autonomy (Gregersen & MacIntyre, 2014; Little et al., 2017), each
implication includes written and/or oral reflective activities.

Raise Students’ Awareness of Their Interests Related to Language Learning

In writing and reflecting on their LLHs, both Fanaperana and Olivia emphasized that theirinterests pushed their willingness to learn and to seek different ways to improve theirlanguage skills beyond the classroom. They also linked their interests to their learning,which motivated them more� This mirrors the literature on interest as an enhancer ofmotivation and performance (e.g., McLoughlin, 2020; Mynard & McLoughlin, 2020; Silvia,2008). Therefore, it is important that learners are aware of their interests related to thelanguage they learn�Not all learners have a clear idea of their sources of interests or their language-learning
goals. Apart from the need to pass exams, they may not have any interest in English andmay not realize the potential benefits of knowing English in their lives unless they areprompted to reflect on them. One way to help them reflect would be to have them discussand write those benefits down in class along with activities they are doing or can dooutside class to improve their English. Having students create posters like the one in Table
1 is recommended by Little et al. (2017), as posters serve “an indispensable awarenessraising function” (p� 28)�Table 1. Poster on “Why and how do I learn English”
Why do I learn English?

How do I learn English?

•••

watch English / American films
read English (books, newspapers)
speak English when I have to and when I
want to.
via projects
by doing grammar exercises••

talk to people in other countries
for education / a “must”
main language / nearly everybody canspeak it / international language
need it when I grow up / pilot
I like English.

Note. This table was adapted from Little et al. (2017, p. 28).

Use Available Resources and Create Learning Opportunities

With the STs’ strong motivation driven by their interests, they developed their agency
by using available resources and creating learning opportunities. They understood their
responsibilities to seek learning opportunities in a context where “the target language is a108

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scarce resource � � � and the learner must go out and construct an environment in which it ispresent” (Benson, 2021, p. 97). As they were aware of the lack of speaking opportunities inclass, they looked for ways to practice speaking outside, such as speaking to themselves,
siblings, classmates, and even strangers on social media. Furthermore, they used any
resources they had at hand. Fanaperana, for instance, made use of her favorite songs
to learn vocabulary and to develop her interest in English. Olivia used her siblings as“interpreting resources,” though they might not be seen as obvious resources andapparently did not want to be used as such. The STs thus demonstrated that language
learning resources in various forms can be created or adapted by learners themselves.
The implication would be to help learners think of possible resources around themand share those resources along with strategies they already use. They can be asked not
only to consider accessible resources at school (e.g., library, books, and other materials)
but also to reflect on their interests and hobbies, their daily activities, the people aroundthem, and the places where they usually are, and then, to try to connect those resources
beyond the classroom with their learning. An adapted version of the poster in Table 1 canbe used as a brainstorming tool, which might result in an initial checklist of resources,
strategies, and activities. Later in the academic year, time to share and reflect on learners’
LBC resources and strategies in class is necessary. Sharing can be done through group
discussions or peer interviews making use of the checklist. Learners should be remindedthat their peers are valuable resources.
Teachers can also help learners create learning communities (e.g., speaking clubs) andprojects allowing them to engage themselves. However, teachers should ensure thatstudents make decisions about and feel ownership of the communities and projects. An
excellent example is staging a theater performance, as mentioned by Olivia, in which
she and her peers were responsible for the translation of the play and most of theorganization of the performance.

Integrate Learners’ Own Interests and Activities Inside and Outside Class

The third implication is related to the first two and to the promotion of learner autonomy.
To foster learner autonomy in the classroom, learners’ prior knowledge should beconsidered and integrated (Dam, 2019). This concerns not only their knowledge about thelanguage itself, but also learning strategies and activities they already use to improve thelanguage. As Little et al. (2017) state, “Engaging the knowledge, interests and skills thatlearners bring with them is a prerequisite for getting them involved in their learning. . . . It
is also central to inclusive pedagogy” (p. 161). Encouraging learners to share their interests,
goals, and existing LBC activities with the class and continue using them outside class andgiving them opportunities to use the activities in class are ways to acknowledge learners
as whole beings and enable them to “bring their other portable selves into learning
experiences” (Magno e Silva, 2018, p. 221). In other words, besides being a language
learner, a student is composed of different “selves,” such as a Westlife fan, a tennis player,
a theater performer, and others. If these selves are integrated in their language learning
experiences, learners will find their learning more meaningful, and their autonomy will be
more enhanced (Magno e Silva, 2018).
There are different ways to integrate learners’ interests. One option is to enable themto present the latest news about their favorite singers, sport teams, actors, or anything
they are passionate about once a month. That can be used as a warm-up activity and does
not take much class time. Another option is to allocate time to talk about their interests
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Learning Beyond the Classroom in an EFL Malagasy Settingin groups. If learners like translating songs, they can do that as homework along withpaying attention to some specific grammar points, for instance. Also, asking learners what
activities they would like to do (as a warm-up or closing activity) from time to time can behighly appreciated�Help Learners Maintain Motivation Through Reflection

Fanaperana and Olivia’s LLHs demonstrate that their engagement to the LBC activities
came from their intrinsic motivation. However, motivation can fluctuate (Dörnyei,2020), and not all language learners have strong motivation. Even Olivia admitted that
her motivation was not always high, especially when she compared herself to otherfluent speakers. To increase her motivation, one way was to think about how much
her persistence had paid off through all the progress she had made. Fanaperana alsomentioned her tremendous listening improvement as the fruit of her persistence� As
Dörnyei (2020) puts it, “the tangible sense of progress has a potent energy-yielding
capacity” (p. 144). It is thus necessary for learners to notice and acknowledge theirimprovement and the outcomes of their persistence so they can maintain motivation�
One way to help learners notice their improvement and effort is having them regularlyreflect on their learning via journal writing and discussions. The checklist mentioned
above can be helpful. Then, a few times a year, there should be opportunities in class
to discuss improvements, other positive points such as enjoyment vis-a-vis language
learning, and updates on sources of motivation or demotivation. Additionally, teachers
should help students highlight their own improvements by giving them individualized
positive progress feedback (Dörnyei, 2020), indicating specifically the effort made.

Writing LLHs in Teacher Education

Through their LLHs, Fanaperana and Olivia were able to identify their purposes and drives
for learning English and notice their difficulties, successes, and strategies and approaches
to overcome the difficulties. They participated in what Nelson and Bishop (2013) refer toas “conversation about teaching and learning to improve [their] practice and concrete
responsive pedagogy” (p. 19). Though Nelson and Bishop refer to collaborative action
research with learners in this statement, it can also be applied to collaborative narrative
writing, involving retrospective reflections and plans for future teaching. Writing
the LLHs also raised the STs’ awareness of the constraints of the classroom; of theirself-empowerment, which they gained from LBC; and of practices they would like toimplement in their future teaching. I would like, therefore, to conclude this paper byoffering a suggestion related to the relevance of writing LLHs in teacher education.
In addition to the introduction and practice of different commonly used teachingapproaches and methods, teacher education should also build on student teachers’
existing knowledge and experiences. Student teachers have rich language learning
experiences, which should be explored and used as resources. Gregersen (2022) states
when referring to student teachers, “Take a look at what people can bring and make thebest of what they brought.” Integrating STs’ learning experiences and existing knowledge
about learning in the planning of their future teaching is a way, firstly, to empower themand help them understand the importance of considering genuine student needs, suchas the establishment of the connection between learning and interests and the provisionof communities and spaces to practice the language. Secondly, such integration will raise
their awareness of their LBC and their own learner autonomy. Thirdly, their experiences
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can serve as personalized and localized resources for future teachers and learners, as
Everhard (2018) eloquently points out:
In order to move forward, it is important to look back, to re-read what others (including
students) have said, for quite often with the passage of time and with our own added
experience, their words take on new meaning and resonance and inspire and impel us
to act. (p. 287)

Author Bios

Dominique Vola Ambinintsoa is a learning advisor and lecturer at Kanda University ofInternational Studies, Japan. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics (Victoria University of
Wellington, New Zealand) and a Master of Education in TESOL (State University of New
York at Buffalo, USA). She is a co-managing editor of the Research Institute for Learner
Autonomy Education’s Relay Journal. Her interests include learner autonomy, advising inlanguage learning, and positive psychology in education. In addition to Japan, she has had
experience of teaching English in Madagascar, New Zealand , and the USA.
Haingoarinjaka Fanaperana Rajaonaritiana holds a bachelor’s degree in English teachingfrom Ecole Normale Supérieure, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar. She is convincedthat learning beyond the classroom is the most effective way to learn English and intends
to encourage her students to do so. She is a very independent learner and considers
being aware of that independence as a necessity for her learning process. Her researchinterests include the importance of learning beyond the classroom and learning English
through more interesting ways such as songs, novels, and games. In her free time, shelikes reading books and watching movies.
Volatiana Olivia Rasoanindrina holds a bachelor’s degree in English teaching from
Ecole Normale Supérieure, University of Antananarivo, Madagascar. She is currently a
4th-year student of Business English at the Department of English of the University of
Antananarivo. In the future, she intends to create opportunities for her students to learn
English beyond the classroom to ensure an effective learning environment. Her researchinterests include learning beyond the classroom and learning English through videos,songs, through reading books, and attending English clubs. She also has a particularinterest in translation�

Review ProcessThis paper was open-reviewed by Andy Barfield and Vivien Shu Hua Kao of the Learner
Development Journal Review Network and the Journal Steering Group. (Contributors havethe option of open or blind review.)

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