Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages

VISTA – Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages

VISTA is Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages (KIFL)’s self-access learning center, and it is the latest addition to KIFL’s long-standing support of the theories and practices of self-access learning.  For more than 15 years, KIFL has been committed to developing and supporting self-access learning both in and outside the classroom.  Since the founding of KIFL’s original SAC in 1995, the school curriculum has consistently underlined the importance of autonomy in learning.

VISTA includes various facilities and services that are designed to help and encourage students to expand their language and vocational skills, as well as become responsible, autonomous learners.  The English Conversation Lounge allows students to develop fluency and cultural appreciation while talking with English speakers from many countries.  The Foreign Language Lounge is for students who wish to speak with native speakers in Chinese, Spanish, Korean or French.  VISTA also offers workshops and handouts for students, and many of these aim to help students focus on taking control of their own learning.  VISTA has a great variety of self-access and other study materials including tasksheets for the major skills, CDs, computer software, on-line learning programs, movies and TV shows, documentaries, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, comics, books, games and even karaoke access.

Facilities include advising rooms, multi-purpose rooms for group work, edutainment booths for study or entertainment purposes, a salon for presentations, games and English karaoke, and a speaking lounge for English and other foreign-language practice.  A library with English and Japanese books, hundreds of graded readers, magazines and self-access study materials is another facet of the VISTA facilities.

Learner autonomy is a major concern at VISTA and advising is one of the major student services offered.  Students are encouraged to use this service, and they have choices of several programs that will lead them to a better understanding of goal-setting, learner strategies and self-directed study and reflection.  Student-generated study plans and regular meetings with Learning Advisors are also part of the advising program.  First-year students receive a short introduction to the facilities and its materials, and to the important concepts of goal-setting, planning and reflection.

For additional information contact:
Herman Bartelen at herman-b@kifl.ac.jp
Hisako Sugawara at hisako.y.sugawara@gmail.com