Editorial

Jo Mynard, Kanda University of International Studies, Japan

Mynard, J. (2015). Editorial. Studies in Self-Access Learning, 7(3), 234-236. https://doi.org/10.37237/070301

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Welcome to issue 7(3) of SiSAL Journal, which is a general issue. It contains two full papers, one conference summary edited by Hisako Yamashita, and four papers that form the sixth part of the language learning spaces column edited by Katherine Thornton.

Regular Papers

The first paper was contributed by Seanan Clifford who is based at Keimyung University in South Korea. The author presents a qualitative multiple case study in order to explore online spaces associated with three physical self-access centres (SACs) in higher education institutes. The author was particularly interested in understanding how the online spaces were perceived and valued by stakeholders. As a result of the research, it became apparent that there were differences in opinions between staff and users. The findings show that the SACs mostly focused on their physical environment and neglected their online presence.

The second regular paper is by Yukari Rutson-Griffiths based at Hiroshima Bunkyo Women’s University, Japan and Mathew Porter, based at Fukuoka Jo Gakuin Nursing University, Japan. The authors add to the growing literature related to the roles and the discourses of language advising by taking an in-depth look at the dialogue. Using conversation analysis, the authors examine advisor-learner interaction and uncover how a shared understanding is reached during an advising session. This is done by analysing an excerpt of the dialogue dealing with advice giving. The authors suggest that more research examining authentic dialogue using conversation analysis will contribute to the professional development of advisors in the future.

Reviews

The reviews section is edited by Hisako Yamashita and there is a review of a recent event in this issue. The event was the International Conference on Self-Access (Encuentro Internacional de Centros de Autoacceso, EICA) which took place in Mexico City in August 2016. Each of the five plenary speakers collaborated to the paper by providing a summary of their talks and some general reflections.

Language Learning Spaces: Self-Access in Action

The theme of the newest instalment of the Language Learning Spaces: Self-Access in Action column edited by Katherine Thornton is attracting users to learning spaces. In her introductory article, Katherine Thornton gives a brief overview of ways in which SACs currently attract users. She then goes on to summarise the three contributions in this issue which come from Simon Bibby, Kym Jolley and Frances Shiobara at Kobe Shoin University in Japan; Satomi Shibata at Tokoha University, also in Japan; and Marc LeBane, Mariel Schilling and Austin Harris at Lingnan University, Hong Kong.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to members of the review and editorial boards for their help with producing this issue and to the authors for choosing to publish with us.

Notes on the Editor

Jo Mynard is the founding editor of SiSAL Journal. She is an associate professor and the Director of the Self-Access Learning Centre at Kanda University of International Studies in Japan. She has been involved in facilitating self-access language learning since 1996.