"The girl wasn't prepared. That's the way I read it...She needs more
support, more help.... She hasn't talked to me. We certainly didn't establish
much of a relationship. I think she doesn't want CSs with me.... I overreacted,
I did make things difficult for her.... She is not independent. She will Ieam
English because she seems to have a genuine interest, but would need
more support.... I didn't like this CS, I don't know... I didn't do much. I felt I was
kind of useless".
Learner:
"CSs shouldn't be compulsory. CSs have to be requested not imposed....
This CS didn't help me. It didn't have an objective.... I didn't say what I really
thought because it would have sounded very strong, very impolite. It is not the
right thing to do.... I think that I had the opportunity to talk; if I didn't say
some things it was because I didn't want to say them or because I didn't have
the courage to say them... She overawes people. She seems very harsh (maybe she
is not when you talk to her, maybe she is more amicable), very big, very strong,
very severe. She frightens. She speaks with a very loud voice and makes one
feel very little. She is okay when you ask her a question. I go and ask her
when I don't understand something, but for a CS, no; she really frightens
me. Actually, I prefer to talk to someone who speaks Spanish. I don't feel
secure with foreigners.... She was polite, within her own personality....
I am not going to follow all the pieces of advice she gave me. I like when
people suggests things. Any suggestion is good, but I always decide
what is convenient for me".
In short, as the reader can see, the protocol analysis confirmed what the other
sources of data showed: there is a great divergence between the interlocutors of a
counselling session. It is understandable why both parties try to avoid participating in such
events.
3.3.2 Learning strategies
Parallel to the European School research dealing with the concepts of autonomy and
leaming-to-leam, there was another trend of investigation that specifically focused on
learning strategies. According to Crabbe (1993), this trend started with the studies on the
good language learner (Naiman et al; 1978). The implications of this research were reflected
on an emphasis on learning strategies, and the promotion, within the language classroom, of
those that were identified as basic by the good language learners. Based on this approach,
some researchers have seen a clear relationship between learning strategies and autonomy
(Dickinson; 1993, Little and Singleton; 1990 and Wenden; 1987b, and 1991).
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