Ph.D. Because I did this with the only purpose of not concealing any kind of information
to them, the response was somehow unexpected. They actually showed interest in my
research and were happy with the idea that they were going to help me to get my degree.
Dealing with the specific objectives of the project, I explained to them that I
wanted to work with them to uncover their learning processes in order to know the way
they learned, their beliefs about learning, the way they made decisions. In a way, I said,
“all of this is aimed to know ourselves better as language learners”.
With regards to the background of the project I explained to them that I already
had carried several pieces of research in the SAC Oaxaca during the previous two years,
and I briefly mentioned some of the topics and the way I worked with learners. As three
of the participants had already taken part of that research, they were able to comment on
it.
As part of the background I placed the project within the whole process of my
investigation in England. I explained that the main purpose was to get data to make a
connection with the first theoretical part of the thesis. One of the participants asked why
I was getting the data in Mexico and not in England, where they were supposed to know
more about SACs. My answer was that my interest was in Mexico. “I work here and I
wanted to put into practice the things I believe in with the people I worked with”.
I also wanted them to be clear about the things I was asking from them. First of
all, I explained that I needed their time. Apart from the time for the daily session (when
there was an individual session half an hour and when there was a group discussion or an
input session it was an hour), they were required to work in the SAC for at least one hour
every day, either before or after the session. I explained that for most of the individual
sessions they were going to be asked to talk about their work in the SAC, and sometimes
they would need to carry out specific tasks. I put special emphasis on the written data I
needed from them, in particular, their written biographies and diaries.
With regards to the outcome of the project, I told them that my expectations were
in terms of enhancing their learning processes and thus, being able to improve their
target language competence.
7.1.2.2 Teaching the learners
As was stated before (fig. 7.1), ISs 3 to 7 were aimed to teach the learners about
some basic knowledge related to foreign language learning processes and self-direction.
Session 3 dealt with two issues, definition of self-direction and analysis of the learning
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