ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will make a case for advising in language learning (ALL) to play a vital role in supporting learning beyond the classroom (LBC). ALL is the practice and process of facilitating one-to-one reflective dialog with language learners with the intention of promoting learner autonomy (Carson & Mynard, 2012; Kato & Mynard, 2016; Mynard 2020a). Although ALL has been part of language education since the 1970s with its origins in Europe, in the past ten years, it has been established as its own field alongside language teaching. ALL is the ideal support mechanism for LBC as it takes a learner’s goals, interests, context, and individual difference factors as a starting point. Through an individualized co-constructed dialog, learning advisors support learners in taking charge of and sustaining their learning over time. We briefly describe some of the theories which have been used to explore the field and describe ways in which advising occurs in practice in different contexts. Finally, we outline key areas that will be crucial for the development of ALL in the coming years, i.e., education and mentoring; online advising; and an expanded research agenda.
