RMIT Teacher Talks 2022 promotes autonomous learning

RMIT Teacher Talks 2022 promotes autonomous learning

Teacher Talks 2022 took place in November with the aim of preparing English educators to encourage independence and autonomy in language learning among their students.

Hosted by RMIT Vietnam’s School of English & University Pathways (SEUP), Teacher Talks is a professional-development conference series for English teaching professionals throughout Vietnam and the Southeast Asia region. The event aims to develop English-language teaching education, training teachers to help students prepare for success in this globalised world.

news-1-rmit-teacher-talks-2022-promotes-autonomous-learning The workshop ran at RMIT University’s Saigon South, Da Nang and Hanoi campuses.

Teacher Talks 2022 was delivered physically in November after moving virtually in the past two years, addressing the theme ‘Developing future-ready learners: promoting independence and autonomy in 21st century English language learning’. The workshop ran at RMIT University’s Saigon South, Da Nang and Hanoi campuses, attracting almost 200 English teachers and lecturers nationally to share dialogue and best practice.

Andrew Hall, Senior Academic English Manager, RMIT Hanoi campus explained the topic came from the fact that there have been several disruptions to education all over the world in the past few years.

“We have seen learners and students need to take charge of their own learning a little bit more and not rely on the classroom and the teacher with using technology and learning by themselves. This is our chance to look at what tools are available, what technology is available, and how the learners can really direct themselves with our guidance and direct themselves towards what goals they have,” he said.

“It is a worldwide trend where learners are starting to take more charge of their own development and learning. In Vietnam, I understand that traditionally education is a little bit more teacher-centric. Students may not be used to being more active in their learning, but that is no reason not to start it and encourage them, whether they are young learners, university students or adults,” he added.

news-2-rmit-teacher-talks-2022-promotes-autonomous-learning Diverse topics were delivered during nine workshops.

Diverse topics were delivered during nine workshops within the 2022 event program, including:

  • Developing independent study skills with teen learners
  • Developing feedback responses to promote whole-class engagement
  • Promoting independence through extensive reading
  • Learner autonomy and inclusive teaching: Allowing students to shape their own learning experiences.
  • The learner's choice. Personalised, motivated and autonomous: how to promote independent learner choice for vocabulary learning in the 21st century.
  • Developing autonomy: Equipping learners with independent study skills through extra-curricular activities
  •  Encouraging autonomous learning through incorporating digital collaboration in a face-to-face classroom 
  • Using debate in the English language classroom 
  • Using Flipgrid to promote extensive reading 

According to Loralee Simonitch, Educator and Professional Learning Specialist at RMIT SGS campus, the first things that teachers should do to encourage autonomous learning are finding topics that the students want to learn and giving them the choice to learn on their own.

“Not everybody learns the same thing the same way. What is challenging with autonomous learning is getting students to realise that they can do it however they want to. Students’ choice is a huge part of getting them to buy into it,” she shared. 

news-3-rmit-teacher-talks-2022-promotes-autonomous-learning This year, Teacher Talks attracted almost 200 English teachers and lecturers nationally to share dialogue and best practice.

One of the participants, Lecturer at Hanoi Banking Academy Nguyen Thi Dieu Hang, shared that she has generated several effective ways to apply in English teaching in multi-level classes. “For example, if we could utilise information technology in learning, students will be more interested,” she said.

RMIT Vietnam is planning to again stage two events per year from now on, and the plans for the next Teacher Talks in 2023 will be announced soon.

Story: Dung Pham

12 December 2022

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