Language Learning: French autoethnography
[1.1] [1.2] [1.3] [1.4] [1.5] [1.6] [1.7]
1.6 Identify MAPs
The last identification step of the brainstorming phase of the EoR Design Framework is to identify available MAPs (More Able Partners). A MAP is a special kind of resource. It may be a person or an object, e.g. a piece of technology. The idea is that within the emerging ZAA (which frames all of the resources available to assist the learner), at least some of these resources will take the form of a more concrete support in relation to the learner's learning needs.
MAPs help the learner to seek appropriate support from the resources of their learning context by helping the learner to identify resource form of assistance or possibly by introducing appropriate forms of assistance from the available resources. Part of this support process relies on the MAP being able to identify the learner resources (1.5), EoR resources (Step 1.1), potential influences affecting these resources (Step 1.4) and to relate these to the learner's learning need (Step 1.2) and the learner's resources (step 1.5).
In response to a particular Focus of Attention (Step 1.2) there may, of course, be multiple MAPs and multiple resources. It may also be the case that there is a lack of suitable MAPs (people), which may in turn, highlight opportunities for alternative MAPs (e.g. technologies).
The aim of this step is to bring together the preceding steps of the brainstorming phase, in preparation for a move from the generation of a learner's ZAA (Zone of Available Assistance) towards the generation of the learner's ZPA (Zone of Proximal Adjustment).
Early Iteration: Identifying Potential More Able Partners as at 26 April 2010
Data sources: learner's blog, diary, browser bookmarks, search history, photos, output from previous iterations.
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Name
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Explicit/Implicit i.e. do they know they are a MAP for the learner?
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Relationship (social) and Constraints
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Resources
|
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Language class teacher;
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Explicit
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Formal teaching– availability constrained by school structure, but regular and frequent
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Expert in French language and teaching it
|
|
Language school staff admin;
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Explicit
|
Formal – availability constrained by school structure, but regular and frequent
|
Experts in French language
|
|
Landlady and her husband;
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Implicit
|
Formal and infrequent contact.
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Native French language
|
|
Peers: other learners in the language class
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Implicit and Explicit
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Formal – availability constrained by school structure, Informal through social opportunities.
regular and frequent
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Varying levels of expertise in French and in learning skills. Moral support.
|
|
Shop/Restaurant/café proprietors/staff/cashier;
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Implicit
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Formal – availability constrained by school situation and culture.
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Native French language
|
|
Fellow passengers and customers;
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Implicit
|
Formal – availability constrained by school situation and culture
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Mainly Native French language
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|
Colleagues: Wilma and Josh;
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Explicit
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Formal (and informal?) - constrained by distance and situation
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Language Learning expertise/ French language (Wilma).
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Blog (learner’s blog) comment writers;
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Implicit – could be explicit
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Formal and informal – constrained by technology and format
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Various from expert language advice to moral support.
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Family members;
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Explicit
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Informal – constrained by distance
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Some language knowledge and much affective support.
|
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There are also people with whom the learner does not interact other than through being an active reader/listener. So these are all implicit potential MAPs, whose input could be ‘controlled’ by the learner or other MAPs e.g. in terms of the amount of time spent listening to the audio language course, for example:
Others who offer tips about how one should and should not learn a language e.g. from comments to the Will Self article in the Guardian;
Travel providers/operators e.g. TGV/SNCF/taxi/metro/bus- inside France, inside Marseille, very local, between Marseilles and England;
Historical societies/local councils who manage sites and artefacts, e.g. l'atelier du peintre Cézanne, the racecourse and the bicycle hire systems in Marseilles and Aix;
Michel Thomas: audio language course;
Authors of the official language course books used for the language classes;
Authors of the other materials given out by teacher at language class;
Authors of guidebooks, dictionaries etc.;
Audio Books producers;
TV presenters etc. e.g. Leymergie;
Reporters, magazine writers: e.g. Will Self in the Guardian;
Sign writers
Website producers/writers etc.
Phone application producers/writers etc.
Technology;
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Interestingly, as noted in step 5, there is a great deal of emphasis within the learner's blog posts upon affective factors. And yet, the expression of such emotions within the blog brought only limited support from those reading it, thus suggesting that the expression of such emotions combined with the existence of potential more able partners is insufficient upon its own to bring forth their support.
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