James Taylor, International College of Technology, Kanazawa, Japan
Taylor, J. (2025). Book review: Students’ Narrative Journeys in Learning Communities: Mapping Landscapes of Practice. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal. https://doi.org/10.37237/202505
Abstract
This article is a review of Students’ Narrative Journeys in Learning Communities: Mapping Landscapes of Practice by Daniel Hooper. The review begins with a summary of the book and its structure, followed by a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the book. The review concludes with recommendations regarding who would benefit from reading the book.
Keywords: book review, foreign language learning, SALC, self-access
Students’ Narrative Journeys in Learning Communities: Mapping Landscapes of Practice by Daniel Hooper foregrounds the lived experiences of three Japanese students and their journeys as language learners as they adjust to the transition from secondary to tertiary education in Japan. It is part of the Positive Pedagogical Praxis series published by Candlin & Mynard.
This book begins with an Introduction as its first chapter, in which Hooper outlines the rationale for the book and explains who the target readership is. Following the Introduction, the book is organised into four sections. Section 1 consists of chapters 2 and 3, providing background information and context for the study that makes up the focus of the book. In chapter 2, Hooper explains the Japanese educational context, including the eikaiwa/eigo dichotomy and its often-negative effects on students, particularly those who are transitioning from secondary to tertiary education. The eikaiwa/eigo situation often means that students encounter a drastic difference in the style of their English lessons when they enter tertiary education, which can have deleterious effects on their motivation. There is also a discussion of the problematic nature of native-speakerism in Japan. Chapter 3 deals with the benefits and issues related to self-access learning centres (SALCs), advising, social learning spaces, and student learning communities, all of which help to set the scene for the titular students’ narratives.
Section 2 contains only chapter 4, in which Hooper presents the theories behind the study. These include communities of practice (e.g., Wenger, 1998), landscapes of practice (e.g., Wenger-Trayner & Wenger-Trayner, 2015), identity (e.g., Wenger, 1998), and liminality (e.g., Turner, 1967).
In Section 3, Hooper devotes one chapter each to three learners whose narratives form the centrepiece of the book: Kei (chapter 5); Sara (chapter 6); and Tenka (chapter 7). Through interview excerpts, Hooper presents the learners’ language learning stories and experiences of participating in the Learning Group, “a student-led learning community in a university self-access centre” (p. 3).
Section 4 is the final section, consisting of chapters 8 to 10. Hooper begins this section by analysing the three learners’ narratives from the previous section using four key themes: external influences; multi-membership; boundary crossing; and reciprocity (chapter 8). These themes are applied to the analysis of the narratives to show the students’ relationships to communities of practice. To conclude the book, Hooper explores the practical implications for two types of practitioner: those connected to SALCs (chapter 9) and those whose focus is classroom-based foreign language learning (chapter 10). Every chapter of the book ends with questions for the reader to reflect upon.
The book has many strengths. One such strength is in its organisation, which Hooper explains is done in such a way as to allow the reader to easily find the sections that are relevant to them. Hooper writes in an engaging style that is largely free of jargon, and the theory behind the study is clearly explained. This makes the book easier to read and more accessible to a wider potential readership.
The three learners whose stories are presented in the book each had different experiences with language learning and the SALC. This variety of experience is valuable as it encourages the reader to consider students with different language learning histories and identities, and levels of motivation towards learning languages. I found at the end of each chapter containing a student’s story that I wanted more, which could be a limitation of the book or a sign of an engrossing narrative.
Another strength is the focus on the practical implications of the study in chapters 9 and 10. Hooper goes into detail about how the students’ experiences can lead to effective change in SALCs and the classroom, and gives genuine examples from his own classroom practice to illustrate his attempts to help students in the transition to tertiary education and increase their autonomy and motivation in his lessons. These examples include action logs and near-peer role models, and Hooper explains them in such a way as to make them easy to implement for readers who wish to do so. Furthermore, the inclusion of questions for reflection at the end of each chapter enhances the practical nature of the book, encouraging the reader to link the text to their own context and experience.
The book appealed to me initially because, although the technical college where I work does not have a SALC, we do have a diverse student cohort as one would find in a university. Also, I have been working to improve student autonomy in my lessons. Using student narratives and their feedback on their learning experiences is an effective way to accommodate the needs of a variety of students.
Students’ Narrative Journeys in Learning Communities: Mapping Landscapes of Practice would be of benefit to administrators, learning advisors, teachers, and students who are interested in forming or joining a learning community. People in any of these positions can use the students’ experiences and the author’s practical ideas to inform their own practice, thereby aiding students’ transitions to new educational institutions, in addition to increasing student autonomy and motivation for language learning within their own context. Educators can build on this work by following Hooper’s advice to solicit and act on students’ feedback.
Notes on the Contributor
James Taylor works at International College of Technology, Kanazawa. His current research focuses on the experiences of foreign teachers with chronic illnesses in Japan. He also researches teacher motivation in eikaiwa schools.
References
Turner, V. (1967). Betwixt and between: The liminal period in rites de passage. In V. Turner, The forest of symbols: Aspects of Ndembu ritual (pp. 234–243). Cornell University Press.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511803932
Wenger-Trayner, E., Fenton O’Creevy, M., Hutchinson, S., Kubiak, C., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (Eds). (2015). Learning in landscapes of practice: Boundaries, identity, and knowledgeability in practice-based learning. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315777122
Publication Information
- Title: Students’ Narrative Journeys in Learning Communities: Mapping Landscapes of Practice
- Author: Daniel Hooper
- Publisher: Candlin & Mynard
- ISBN: 9798306287133 (print), 9798230899907 (e-book)
- Date of publication: 20th January 2025
- Format: Print (softcover), e-bookPrice: USD 29.99 (print), USD 19.99 (e-book)
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.47908/36
SiSAL Journal 