JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING

JALT2021 • REFLECTIONS & NEW PERSPECTIVESJ A L T 2 0 21

NOVEMBER 12–15, 2021 • ONLINEONLINENOVEMBER 12~15, 2021

Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy
Database
Maiko Berger

This paper is based on a forum presentation that showcased independent learning in a university
English program, language learning strategies (LLS) database development, and an opinion
survey of database users. Studies have shown that successful Japanese English learners utilize
a variety of LLS. One of the main learning goals of the English program is to foster students’ability to set and achieve goals for their English study, including the creation and implementationof personalized independent learning (IL) plans. To assist students in developing autonomous
learning skills, the authors aimed to identify effective LLS for a range of English goals and makethem available for students to choose from through an online database. Results from a survey(n=73) indicated that students found the website easy to use and beneficial for their independent
learning. Finally, the authors share the implications of this project and future directions forcultivating autonomous learners.

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Tomoko Eto

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Kiyu Ito

本稿は、フォーラムでの発表に基づき、大学の必修英語科目における自律学習、言語学習ストラテジー（LLS）のオンライン・
データベース開発、ユーザー調査の結果を提示する。先行研究により、学習成果を得た日本人英語学習者は様々なLLSを活用することが示されている。英語科目の学習目標の一つとして、学習計画の作成や実行など、自らの学習目標を設定し、それを達成する能力の養成が掲げられている。本稿では、学生の自律学習能力の習得を補助するために、LLSデータベースを開発し、学生に提供するまでの過程を紹介する。さらに、量的意見調査の回答（回答数73）から、利用学生がこのデータベースを使いやすく有益であると認識しているとの結果を示す。最後に、本取り組みの意義と自律的学習者育成のための今後の展望を共有する。

Rikkyo University

Lucas Pignolet

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Benjamin Rentler

C

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Matt Saunders

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Reference Data:
Berger, M., Eto, T., Itoi, K., Pignolet, L., Rentler, B. & Saunders, M. (2022). Cultivating autonomous
learning with a language learning strategy database. In P. Ferguson, & R. Derrah (Eds.), Reflections
and New Perspectives. JALT. https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTPCP2021-07

ultivating independence, autonomy, and self-regulated learning has come to play
an exceptionally important role in language education. In the Japanese EFL context,
the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology (MEXT) University Reform
Action Plan announced that students should acquire the skills to be lifelong learners ofEnglish to proactively respond to a dramatically changing society (MEXT, 2012). Thus,
it is believed that educators must provide their students with opportunities to develop
independent learning (IL) skills so they can become autonomous learners of English.
This focus on Language Learning Strategies Instruction (LLSI) in the language classroom
indicates a shift to encourage learner-centered methods that consider students as
individuals with different needs and learning styles who can benefit from opportunities
to take charge of their own language learning (White, 2008). The goal of LLSI is toenhance learners’ awareness and knowledge of their own learning needs and preferences,

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

053

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER
12~15,and
2021motivation, and strategies they can use to achieve their individual
theirattitudes

language goals. Studies have suggested that successful Japanese learners of English utilize
a variety of Language Learning Strategies (LLS) and have a greater awareness of theirown language learning (Fewell, 2010; Kato, 2005). One of the language learning goals of
the university’s English program where this project took place states that students willdevelop the ability to set and achieve goals for English, including the implementationand creation of a personalized IL plan.
This paper is based on a JALT 2021 forum which presented how LLSI and autonomous
learning are connected, how the authors developed an LLS database, and reported on
the resulting feedback from student users. First, we briefly outline the issues related tolearner autonomy and language learning strategies and how they are connected to the
Assurance of Learning goals of the university’s English program. Then we introduce theapproach we took to prepare the LLS website. Third, we evaluate the results of the needs
analysis by the student users of the LLS website. We close the paper by sharing our futureplans to enhance IL instructions.

Learner Autonomy and Language Learning Strategies
Learner autonomy was defined by Holec (1981) as “the ability to take charge of one’s
own learning” (p. 3). Ideally, language learning is a continuous process; thus, supporting
learners’ autonomous learning development is necessary to prepare them to be successful
in their L2 acquisition beyond formal education. Therefore, language educators andresearchers have been interested in how they can successfully cultivate this ability among
learners for the past 40 years.
Empirical studies have continuously demonstrated the link between Language
Learning Strategies (LLS) and autonomous learning. LLS are “specific actions taken by
the learners to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more
effective, and more transferable to new situations” (Oxford, 1990, p.8). Samaie et al.
(2015) and Ta et al. (2019), for instance, have verified the statistical correlation between
autonomy and the LLS use of EFL learners. In their studies, university students witha higher level of autonomy employed more strategies. Furthermore, learners’ use of
LLS has been shown to improve their language proficiency. Plonsky’s (2019) metaanalysis of 77 empirical studies with a total of 7890 examinees revealed that in language
assessments, 66% of L2 learners who utilized LLSI outperformed the average of those
who did not. Griffiths (2018) also confirmed a notable correlation between learners’ LLS
uses and their L2 performance. These research results show that the knowledge of LLS
can assist learners to become more autonomous and to learn more effectively.

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

In addition, prior studies about learner autonomy have revealed common
characteristics of autonomous learners (Almusharraf, 2018; Holec, 1981). According
to these researchers, autonomous learners are willing to assume responsibility for
their learning by determining their own objectives, selecting contents and methods,
monitoring the process, and evaluating their progress and achievements. With theeffective implementation of LLSI, learners can demonstrate and improve their skills as
independent learners of English. Therefore, the authors determined to introduce LLSI in
their English program to foster their students’ autonomous learning ability.

Assurance of Learning: University Quality Initiative
In this section, we explain the setting and background of the project, which is a partof the curriculum development fully supported by the university, a description of learnerautonomy and assurance of learning, and how IL was implemented within the English
program. Figure 1 below illustrates that independent learning, which we call a study
plan, is part of the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle of our project. Our planning started
in 2018, and we incorporated independent learning in each level of the program andsurveyed the students and teachers in spring 2019. Based on their input, we revised theIL plan system for 2020.

Figure 1
Independent Learning PDCA cycle

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

054

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER
12~15,took
2021 place at an international university in southwestern Japan. Half ofThis project

the faculty and students represent over 95 countries and regions. As an international
university, approximately 90% of subjects are offered in both English and Japanese. As
for language learning, undergraduate students are divided between English-basis andJapanese-basis students. For most students, English is a second or foreign language.
English-basis students study Japanese as an additional foreign language and take mostother subjects in English, while Japanese-basis students study English and take mostmajor subjects in Japanese but are required to take 20 credits in English. The English
program offers intensive English courses to improve the academic competency of Japanesebasis students. These English learners are placed into six levels of the English program:Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Advanced 1, andAdvanced 2. This project targets students from Elementary to Upper-Intermediate courses.
The university has focused on various accreditations and quality assurance practices
for the past several years, and the English program also has its Assurance of Learning(AOL) goals, which is “the process of evaluating how well a school accomplishes its
educational goals” (Blackwell, 2016, p. 2). There are three goals to the English program.
The first learning goal is for students to acquire academic competence in English.
The second is to obtain the English skills to communicate effectively in multiculturalcontexts. The third is to develop the ability to set and achieve goals for English. We
believe this goal is to nurture autonomous learners, who will continue to work onenhancing their language abilities. Because the third learning goal is focused on learnerautonomy, we started looking for ways for the students to begin their independent
learning journey. Therefore, each level of the English program set out a plan for students
to follow. We provided students with independent learning plans and tasks that weremore teacher-controlled in the lower levels and more student-controlled at the higher
levels. However, every learner has different needs, and a list of tasks does not necessarily
lead to autonomy, therefore, we started to consider incorporating LLS instructions into
the classroom.
What emerged from the surveys conducted in 2019 was that students did notknow how to effectively work on their weaknesses. In addition, the English teachers
were concerned about the lack of consistency with regard to the approach toward
independent learning across the English program; for instance, teachers were spending
different amounts of time assessing the student’s work. This led the authors to consider
providing a list of LLS for students to choose from, explaining how to utilize LLS, andhaving students practice and choose the LLS that works best for them.

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

How We Facilitate Autonomous Learning
In this section, we will explain the rationale behind our selection of a language
learning strategy database as scaffolding to support our students’ development of theirautonomous learning ability based on the literature review and needs analyses.

Student Needs in Language Learning Strategy Instruction
Needs Analysis 1: Understanding Students’ Utilization of LLS
Since the authors were aware of students’ needs to learn LLS, a student survey was
conducted using Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), whichis conventionally employed to assess language learners’ LLS utilization in the LLS field.
In this survey, respondents were given 50 LLS classified into strategy groups, such as
memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective and social strategies, andasked to rank their employment of these strategies on a 5-point Likert scale that wentfrom “Not at all true for me” to “Very true for me.” As the survey contains a list of 50 LLS,
taking the survey can function as a way to increase students’ awareness of LLS with thehopes of students using them in the future.
A total of 154 respondents from three English course levels—Pre-Intermediate,
Intermediate, and Upper-Intermediate participated in the survey in 2019. Since theinstructions and LLS were given both in English and Japanese, respondents were
expected to fully understand the LLS given when answering the survey. However, in ourdata analysis process, we began to doubt if the simple translation of the SILL conveyedenough information. Many students appeared to be confused with certain LLS in the
SILL, for instance, “I physically act out new English words,” “I try to find patterns inEnglish,” and, “I write down my feelings in a language.” These LLS lacked the context orbackground on “how,” “when,” and “why,” which might have caused a gap between thetarget strategies and how they are understood by students. Consequently, we concluded
that the survey result gained was not reliable enough to outline the LLS utilization of
the students, or the survey itself did not provide a sound opportunity for the students tolearn LLS. This experience demonstrated that for students’ better understanding of LLS,
we need details or contextualization of each Language Learning Strategy in LLSI. The
contexts given should be familiar to students and reflect their learning situations andcultural backgrounds.

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

055

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER 12~15, 2021

Needs Analysis 2: Evaluating Current LLSI Framework
Effective LLSI (Griffiths, 2015) has four important stages of: (a) raising awareness,(b) explicit instruction, (c) practice, and, (d) evaluation. In our current IL framework,
each course level has activities associated with one of these LLSI stages. For instance,
the Elementary level has LLS workshops for raising awareness and explicit instruction,a system to check students’ IL using LLS for practice, and reflection worksheets forevaluation (see Table 1).

Table 1
Stages of LLSI and Example Activities

Developing the LLS Website

StagesExample activities

Raising awarenessTeacher-led workshops, including group discussions

Explicit instruction
Practice

A system to check students’ IL using LLS

Evaluation

Self-reflection

In the spring of 2020, we surveyed 116 students in the Elementary level and held agroup interview with three of the course teachers about their perceptions of the LLSI. A
brief summary of students’ responses is given below:• 97% of students reported the teacher-led workshops for awareness-raising andexplicit instruction were helpful;• 90% of students stated the LLS practice system was meaningful; and• 89% of students felt that their LLS repertoires increased after a series of LLSI.
Also, perceptions of three course teachers toward LLSI are summarized as follows:• LLSI was perceived as being beneficial to the students;• Holding workshops and giving appropriate feedback required teachers’ expertise;• LLSI required additional instruction time in addition to the regular course load;and• Teachers had too much work to check students’ work and provide individual
advice.

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

Students and teachers perceived that LLSI was overall beneficial and welcomed.
Previous studies have revealed that language learners’ ability to learn autonomously islinked with their use of LLS (Alzubi & Singh, 2017; Samaie et al., 2015; Ta et al., 2019).
The results of the needs analyses also confirmed that the students at the institution could
benefit from explicit LLSI. However, as teachers’ responses suggested, there were somechallenges in the classroom implementation of LLSI, such as teachers’ workload and thetime constraints. Therefore, the authors realized that, for the successful implementationof LLSI, they needed a teaching resource available beyond the classroom. Such a resource
can provide the LLS expertise and enable students to learn LLS by themselves in a clear
and manageable way that is scaffolded to their needs and abilities.

The third section of the paper introduces the second phase of our project, which
includes the identification of useful LLS, video demonstration recording, and the final
database website creation.
To provide students with access to usable and practical LLS, the authors decided todesign a comprehensive plan with the support of the university’s grant system. Research
has suggested that successful Japanese English learners utilize a variety of LLS and have agreater awareness of their own language learning (Fewell, 2010; Kato, 2005). Therefore,
to provide our students with the tools to succeed in IL, the overarching goal of the phase
was to identify and provide students with an easily accessible online database of language
learning strategies that they can utilize to effectively cultivate independent learning skills
during their university education and beyond.

Identifying Language Learning Strategies
In order to develop a website database of LLS, we needed to first identify whichlearning strategies would be most beneficial for our students’ independent learning goals.
For that purpose, we held a Faculty Development (FD) workshop with English lecturers
to begin gathering strategies based on the language skills of speaking, listening, reading,writing, grammar, and vocabulary. After the workshop, we created a spreadsheet with alist of the strategies as well as the explanations, objectives, and other potential resources
for each strategy. Then, we shared the spreadsheet with the coordinators of each levelof the English program, from Elementary to Advanced, and they rated the strategies interms of effectiveness for their courses. The most highly rated LLS were then selected
for inclusion on the website. The next step was to identify which strategies should be

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

056

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER 12~15,with2021 a video to provide students with context and an easy-to-understanddemonstrated

model.

Hiring, Training, and Utilizing Student TA Actors to Film the Project
The next phase of the database creation included hiring five undergraduate students
as TAs who could be actors for the LLS demonstration videos. One student served as avideo editor responsible for editing the recorded footage and assembling the recordings
into a finalized product. The TAs were divided into two pairs, each consisting of one
international student and one domestic Japanese student. Research has shown peer-led
instructional videos have a positive influence on student attitudes toward learning andself-development (Bradford-Watts, 2011). Thus, we believed that incorporating student
actors for the LLS demonstration videos would be effective in encouraging students toattempt the demonstrated strategies.
TA teams worked closely with teachers to confirm video scripts or regarding thedirection of the demonstration. Furthermore, due to the COVID-19 situation during thefall 2020 semester, TAs had to work through using the Zoom meeting application, whichcaused many delays and extensions for deadlines.

reporting that they had used the website, we will focus on increasing website usage in the
coming semesters by requiring students to choose strategies from the website to use for
their IL assignments.
In survey question six, website users were asked to report the focus(es) of their selfdesigned IL plan, which is a low-stakes (5% of class grade) semester-long assignment
in English language classes. For this question, the highest number (36 students) statedthat their IL focus was to get a high score on English class tests, which suggested thatteachers should consider recommending specific LLS that can help students prepare forthese assessments. Regarding general language skills, grammar was chosen the least (17students), and speaking the most (35 students). This information is shown in Table 2
and it can help to guide us in what type of LLS should be added to the website so that itmeets the needs of many students.

Table 2Students’ Reported Independent Learning Plan Focus
Number of students

Percentage of total (73)

Achieve a high score on English class
tests

36

49%

Improve speaking skills

35

48%

Improve listening skills

33

45%

Standardized test preparation

26

36%

Improve vocabulary skills

26

36%

Improve writing skills

23

32%

Improve reading skills

22

30%

Website User Survey Results and Analysis

Improve grammar skills

17

23%

The website was introduced to students at the beginning of the fall semester in
mid-October of 2021. Three weeks later, students completed an online survey written
in both English and Japanese so that we could estimate website usage and gauge theirimpressions of the website (see Appendix for survey questions). A total of 183 students
gave informed consent, and the survey was cleared by the university’s institutional review
board. Of these survey respondents, 73 answered that they had used the website, andtheir most relevant responses are discussed below. With only 73 of 183 students (40%)

Survey question nine asked students how effective the website was in introducing
strategies that could help them achieve their IL goals. A five-point Likert scale was used,and 52 (71%) respondents found the website effective, with 17 students (23%) not sureyet, and only four (6%) reported it to be ineffective. As one of the main reasons for thewebsite is to expose students to new study methods they can utilize to reach their IL
goals, these positive results are encouraging and can be seen as a validation of our efforts

Developing the LSS Online DatabaseWe decided to use the free online website Weebly to showcase the video database andother LLS using just one homepage, https://ellsdatabase.weebly.com/ (Rentler et al.,2021). One benefit of having a free website that is easy to edit or format is that strategies
can be added or modified easily to better cater to the students’ needs as independent
learners in the future. In the next section, we present student perceptions of the website
after its first trial implementation during the fall 2021 semester.

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

Focus of independent learning

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

057

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER
12~15, 2021
sofar. Question
ten asked which of the 49 website strategies students tried and founduseful. The results can be seen below in Figure 2.

Figure 2
Students’ Reported Usefulness of Website Strategies

It was encouraging that all the strategies were found useful by at least one student.
This indicates that we should not remove any of them, but perhaps add new strategies
for skills like grammar (G), the strategies of which were found least useful on the whole,or speaking (S), which was a major focus of many students’ IL but had no more than six
students reply that one of its strategies was useful for them. One of the main purposes of
the website is to increase students’ repertoire of ways to study English on their own. In
survey question 11, 66 students (90%) reported that it had effectively done so, with only
seven students (10%) replying that it had not helped them in this regard.
In survey question 12, 66 students (90%) replied that they would recommend thewebsite to others who want to independently learn English. If this happens, it will be
a great way to increase awareness of the website since certain students might be moreamenable to recommendations from their peers than from their teacher. In question 13,
the authors wanted to see how many students planned to continue using the website
after their mandatory English classes, and thus their required independent learningassignments, were completed. Fifty-three students (73%) reported that they plan tocontinue using the website in this regard. As mentioned earlier, the website can beaccessed by anyone, regardless of whether they are a current student or not. Since thefocus of our institution’s independent learning program is to cultivate lifelong learners

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGEof the English language, it is encouraging that most students can see the benefit ofusing strategies on the website in their future, especially when they will not have a classteacher to guide and assist them.
In survey question 14, we wanted to determine what students liked about thewebsite itself, not the strategies therein. Forty-three students (59%) reported that theease of website navigation was appealing to them, while 33 (45%) mentioned that they
appreciated that the website was visually appealing. The website was designed to be easy
for students to use on their own, so these replies validated our efforts in this regard. The
final survey question elicited qualitative student feedback on how the website could be
improved. Unfortunately, student replies to this open-ended question were not helpful,thus we plan to interview website users in person after they have had more time to use itso that website improvements can be made based on student feedback.
In summary, the survey was given to a relatively small number of students after onlya three-week window of usage time, but responses indicate that the website is working
as intended. Future considerations include adding new LLS to the website to assist
students in reaching their specific independent learning goals and having teachersrequire student usage of LLS from the website, especially students who are not confident
in how to approach their IL. Additional surveys and interviews will be conducted withboth students and teachers so that we can continue to improve the website in the hopesof making it more effective for all who use it.

Conclusion
Fostering autonomy in language learning is essential for creating successful language
learners. The priority of cultivating autonomous learning is also found within the very
foundations of the English program at our university. The third learning goal of the
English program states that students will develop the ability to set and achieve theirown learning goals for English. After trialing several independent learning methods,
we recognized that our students’ independent learning needs were not being met. Our
most recent intervention, the language learning strategies (LLS) database, was created
to provide the necessary guidance, instruction, and practical strategies for students towork on reaching their personal English language goals independently. The opinion
survey results revealed that students believed the website was enjoyable, easy to use,and effective in assisting their English IL. Although these results are encouraging, they
are limited to a small population size, and thus, this LLS database usage requires further
investigation. Cultivating lifelong language learning skills is essential for developingNEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

058

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER
12~15, 2021therefore, the authors hope that our case and the website canlearnerautonomy;provide other teachers with methods to further encourage independent learning at their
institutions.

Blackwell, J. (2016). Towards a quality culture in language education. APU Journal of Language
Research, 1, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.34409/apujlr.1.0_1

Bio Data
Maiko Berger holds an Ed.D. in TESOL from the University of Exeter and has taught
English at university over the past 15 years. Her research interests include independent
learning, extensive reading, bilingualism, and study abroad. <maiko@apu.ac.jp>
Tomoko Eto is a Senior English Lecturer at the Center for Language Education,
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. Her research interests include language learning
strategies, learner beliefs, and needs analysis. <etomoko@apu.ac.jp>
Kiyu Itoi is a lecturer at Rikkyo University in Japan and a PhD candidate at Simon
Fraser University in Canada. Her research interests include translanguaging, CLIL, andindependent learning. <kiyu@rikkyo.ac.jp>
Lucas Pignolet has been teaching English in Japan for twelve years. He is a seniorlecturer at Ritsumeikan APU with current research interests in the fields of contentbased learning, language learning strategies, and independent learning. <pignolet@apu.
ac.jp>
Benjamin Rentler has been working in English education for over eight years teachingin junior high schools and universities in America and Japan. His research interests
include willingness to communicate, vocabulary acquisition, CALL, translanguaging, andindependent learning. <rentler@apu.ac.jp>
Matt Saunders is originally from Canada and has been living in Japan teaching English
since 2000. After graduating from an M.A. in Applied Linguistics (TESOL) from the
University of Melbourne in 2012, he became interested in extensive listening andlanguage testing in an EFL context. <saunders@apu.ac.jp>

References
Almusharraf, N. (2018). English as a foreign language learner autonomy in vocabularydevelopment: Variation in student autonomy levels and teacher support. Journal of Research in
Innovative Teaching & Learning, 11(2), 159–177. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-09-2018-0022

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

Alzubi, A. A. F., & Singh, M. K. M. (2017). The use of language learning strategies throughsmartphones in improving learner autonomy in EFL reading among undergraduates in Saudi
Arabia. International Journal of English Linguistics, 7(6), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v7n6p59

Bradford-Watts, K. (2011). Students teaching students? Peer teaching in the EFL classroom inJapan. The Language Teacher,35(5), 31–35. https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTTLT35.5-3
Fewell, N. (2010). Language learning strategies and English language proficiency: An investigationof Japanese EFL university students. TESOL Journal, 2, 159–174. Retrieved from https://tesolinternational-journal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/A11V2_TESOL.pdf
Griffiths, C. (2015). What have we learnt from ‘good language learners’? ELT Journal, 69(4),425–433. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccv040
Griffiths, C. (2018). The strategy factor in successful language learning: The Tornado effect (2nd ed.).
Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783099757
Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy and foreign language learning. Pergamon Press.
Kato, S. (2005). How language learning strategies affect English proficiency in Japanese university
students. Journal of Bunkyo Gakuin University, 7(1), 239–262. https://www.u-bunkyo.ac.jp/center/library/image/kyukiyo7_kato.pdf
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. (2012). Daigaku kaikaku
jikkopuran [University Reform Action Plan]. http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/houdou/24/06/__
icsFiles/afieldfile/ 2012/06/25/1312798_01.pdf
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Heinle & Heinle.
Plonsky, L. (2019). Language learning strategy instruction: Recent research and future directions.
In A. Chamot. & V. Harris (Eds.), Learning strategy instruction in the language classroom (pp. 3–21).
Multilingual Matters.
Rentler, B., Saunders, M., Pignolet, L., Itoi, K., Eto, T. & Berger, M., (2021). https://ellsdatabase.
weebly.com/
Samaie, M., Khany, R., & Habibi, N. (2015). On the relationship between learner autonomy
and language learning strategies among Iranian EFL students. http://www.ijeionline.com/
attachments/article/43/IJEI_Vol.2_No.6_2015-6-10.pdf
Ta, N. T., Ngo, P. U., & Le, T. B. T. (2019). The relationship between first year English major
students’ language learning strategy use and learner autonomy. Journal on English Language
Teaching, 9(4), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.9.4.15996
White, C. (2008). Language Learning Strategies in Independent Language Learning: An Overview.
In T. W. Lewis & M. S. Hurd (Eds.), Language Learning Strategies in Independent Settings (pp.
3–24). Multilingual Matters.

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

059

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
ONLINENOVEMBER 12~15, 2021

Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

Appendix*The actual survey was given as a Microsoft Form. The layout is adapted for publication.

5. Did you use the site? このウェブサイトを使いましたか。
• Yes/はい• No/いいえ

1. I have understood the purpose of this research and give you permission to use my
responses under the conditions described. 私はこの調査の目的を理解し、上記の条件における6. What skills are you aiming to improve for your Q1 independent learning? Choose as
many as applicable. クウォーター1の自立学習計画の中であなたが向上を目指したスキルは何で

Independent Learning Survey (Fall 2021)

回答の利用に同意します。

•••

Yes/はいNo/いいえ

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

3. I have seen the Language Learning Strategies Website. 私はこのLanguage Learning
LLS Website (https://ellsdatabase.weebly.com)• Yes /はい• No / いいえ

読んだだけだ

•From my teacher in class / 授業の先生から
In a workshop / ワークショップでFrom Manaba / まなばからFrom the SALC website / SALCのウェブサイトから
From a friend / 友人から

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

After watching or reading a strategy, I tried it for my self-study / ストラテジーを学んだ後、試してみた

4. How were you introduced to the LLS site? あなたはどうやってこのLLSウェブサイトを知りましたか。

Get a high score on English class tests / 英語の授業のテストでの得点向上
Improve vocabulary skills
Improve listening skills
Improve speaking skills
Improve writing skills
Improve grammar skills
Improve reading skills

7. When I used the website I... 私がウェブサイトを使った時、• Watched a video or read a strategy only / ビデオを観るかストラテジーについての解説をStrategies (LLS) Webサイトを見たことがある。

 FRONT PAGE

Standardized Test Preparation - Ex: Benchmark, IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL / 標準テス
ト対策

2. What level are you in? あなたの英語コースレベルを教えて下さい。
• ELE / 初級
• PIE / 準中級• IE / 中級• UIE / 準上級

•
•
•
•
•

すか。複数回答可。

8. How many times did you access the website in Q1 of the fall semester? 秋学期のQ1にどのくらいウェブサイトを使いましたか。*•••

once 1回
2-4 times 2~4回
5 or more 5回以上NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

060

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINE
9.NOVEMBER
Look at 12~15,
your 2021
original Q1 goal and on a scale of 1-5, how effective was the website in

introducing you to strategies that could help you achieve the goal? あなたのQ1の目標を思い出してください。その目標を達成するためのストラテジーについて知るために、ウェブサイトはどの程度有効で したか。

•
•
•
•
•

5. Very effective とても有効だった
4. Somewhat effective とても有効だった
3. Neither effective nor ineffective 有効でも無効でもなかった
2. Somewhat ineffective あまり有効ではなかった
1. Very ineffective 全く有効ではなかった

10. What language strategy did you try AND find useful? Choose as many as applicable.
複数回答可

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

R.1 - Rephrase and Retell a reading by paragraph
R.2 - Predict what will come next in a reading
R.3 - Intensive Reading
R.4 - Speed-reading (3/2/1)
R.5 - Translate a text for accurate understanding
R.6 - Connect pronouns (代名詞) to antecedents (先行詞)
R.7 - Reading aloud to practice pronunciation
R.8 - Identify subtopics in a reading
R.9 - Find interesting reading materials that are at your level
R.10 - Identifying details in a reading
R.11 - Identifying key terms in a reading
R.12 - Identifying the main idea in a reading
W.1 - Writing down ideas as you brainstorm
W.2 - Listen and Transcribe
W.3 - Revise and fix your essay using teacher feedback on turnitin
W.4 - Making sentences using topic vocabulary
W.5 - Using a model essay / template for writing
W.6 - Diary Writing
W.7 - Speed write about a topic

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

L.1 - Predict topics and information
L.2 - Watching videos with subtitles
L.3 - Intensive and Extensive Listening
L.4 - Listening for the gist (要点)
L.5 - Reading Aloud (Shadowing)
L.6 - Listening for meaningful keywords
S.1 - Record a short conversation and review it
S.2 - Talk about a topic by yourself
S.3 - Plan in advance what to say before a conversation
S.4 - Shadowing: repeat what you are listening to at the same time you hear it
S.5 - Starting a conversation, asking questions, and time-buying strategies
S.6 - Repeat the sound of words in English - Pronunciation Practice
S.7 - Word of the day
S.8 - Make a notebook to keep phrases learned
G.1 - Practice grammar in speaking
G.2 - Focus on understanding grammar in reading
G.3 - Use grammar in writing
G.4 - Highlighting grammar points
G.5 - Reading input: extensive reading
G.6 - Make a study group for grammar
G.7 - Practice grammar for standardized tests (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, etc.)
V.1 - Using new vocabulary words in communication - learn parts of the words
V.2 - Train yourself using new vocabulary
V.3 - Memorizing new vocabulary
V.4 - Planning your vocabulary study
V.5 - Identify hard to learn but important words to remember
V.6 - Learning Synonyms
V.7 - Guess the meaning of words from context
B.1 - Benchmark Practice Websites
N.1 - Studying English with Netflix Using LLNNEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

061

JAPAN ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING • JALT2021  Reflections & New Perspectives
J A L T 2 0 21
Berger, et al: Cultivating Autonomous Learning with a Language Learning Strategy Database

ONLINENOVEMBER
12~15, 2021
11.
This website
has helped increase my repertoire of ways to independently study

English. このウェブサイトは自分が使える自主学習の方法を増やすのに役に立った。
• Strongly agree/ 強くそう思う• Agree /そう思う• Disagree/そう思わない• Strongly disagree/全くそう思わない
12. I would recommend this website to others who want to self-study English. このウェブ
サイトを英語の自主学習をしたい人に勧める。

•
•
•
•

Strongly agree/強くそう思う
Agree/そう思う
Disagree/そう思わない
Strongly disagree/全くそう思わない

13. I will use this site again for self-study after finishing my English standard track
studies. 英語のスタンダードトラックを履修し終わってもこのウェブサイトを使おうと思う。
14. What did you like about the website? Please choose all that you agree with. このウェブ
サイトのどこが気に入りましたか? 同意するものをすべ て選択してください。複数回答可•••

The website is visually appealing. このウェブサイトは視覚的に魅力的である。
The website is easy to navigate/use. このウェブサイトは使いやすい。
The English strategy explanations were easy to understand and follow. 英語のストラ
テジーにつ いての説明は理解しやすい。

•

The additional recommended web link resources were useful. 追加の推薦ウェブリン
クは役に 立った。

15. If you liked something about the website not listed in question 14, please write it
below. 質問14の選択肢以外で、ウェブサイトについて気に入った ことがあれば書いてください。
16. What changes, additional features, or improvements would you suggest for thiswebsite? このウェブサイトを向上させるためには何を工夫した方がよいと思いますか。

 FRONT PAGE

⊳ PREVIOUS PAGE

NEXT PAGE ⊲ONLINEFULL SCREEN

062