T: The idea of a counsellor makes my life complicated. What is needed
is an organisational structure to be able to find material. I don't like people telling
me what to do. I hate asking people. As I said, a structure that describes the materials,
telling about advantages and disadvantages. Criteria to make choices.
Ga, on the contrary, is aware that she is not independent:
Ga: I am not completely independent because, to solve some problems that are
difficult, I seek the suggestion of a teacher or a native speaker.
Most of the students, however, went for the idea of guided learning. The most important
feature of this mode of self-direction is the presence of a guide.
Gl: In the SAC there are some many things that I really do not know
what to choose, where to start. I need a guide. The user's course is not
enough. I need someone to tell me which one is the best according to
my own knowledge.
According to them, a guide needs to have knowledge of the organisation and materials of
the SAC:
Gl: They should know what is available here, for us to know where to look for.
They should guide.
For S, the guide should present different options:
S: He should show the learners all the different ways, the different
methodological options. If they don't show me what is available, I
can't choose. I stay in the same place. I don't improve myself.
For F, the guides should also have knowledge about the learners:
F: They should be interested in the learners' learning needs and styles.
A good explanation of this mode of self-learning was provided by F, who made a
comparison of the SAC with a gym:
F: When someone first goes to the gym, he asks the trainer about a program
for one or two weeks. After those two weeks, they decide on another
program, and then another. One does the exercises by himself. If he has
doubts, he asks. In order to decide on a program, the trainer takes into
account the interests and needs of that specific person, if he wants to Ieam
or to practice. They look for the appropriate materials, decide on the
times and he keeps an eye on the learner.