We present a person-centred approach to informal mobile language learning. After explicating theoretical principles and methodological decisions, we will illustrate with an empirical study that examined L2 learners’ learning experiences afforded by their selective use of varied mobile technologies out of class, and then conclude with implications for future research.
Research has increasingly shown that L2 learning and use are essentially individually owned. This is perhaps especially the case in today’s technologized world, where L2 learners have access to a myriad of learning resources online that articulate with their personal goals, learning interests and preferences, prior knowledge, language and digital competencies. It is with this contemporary context in view that we present an ecological person-centred approach to language learning (Benson, 2019), which aims to provide innovative means for seeing through the individual difference and variety without losing meaningful information at the individual level. In this presentation, we will first explicate theoretical principles of the approach and discuss methodological decisions essential for conducting person-centred research. We will illustrate this with an empirical study that examined L2 learners’ learning experiences afforded by their selective use of varied mobile technologies. The study explored how learning experiences were related to learner-internal (e.g., motivation, emotion, proficiency) and -external (e.g., the use of varied mobile technologies and online resources) factors. Using a clustering technique, the study revealed six distinct learning patterns based on learners’ engagement with different technology-afforded learning activities. Each learning pattern brought along different packages of motivational, emotional, and linguistic interaction. The results show that, although L2 learning and use for individuals show variability and diversity, learning patterns that transcend individual uniqueness can be captured with person-centred methods. We will conclude with a discussion of ideas for applying person-centred methods in future (longitudinal) mobile-assisted language learning research. It is hoped that by taking a person-centred perspective, the complexity and diversity of language learning and use in the 21st century inclusive of individual variability and different learning patterns could be better understood. REFERENCE Benson, P. (2019). Ways of seeing: The individual and the social in applied linguistics research methodologies. Language Teaching, 52(1), 60-70.
