Fostering Self-directed Learning Among Academic Support Staff in Higher Education: Insights into Building Workplace English Competency and Learner Confidence Through the Language Clinic Program

Abstract

This study explores how academic support staff in a multilingual university context developed self-directed learning (SDL) behaviors through participation in the Language Clinic Program, a structured workplace English self-development program. Guided by narrative inquiry, it traces the learning journeys of four participants through SDL readiness questionnaires, learning contracts, reflective assessments, personalized consultations, satisfaction scales, and stimulated recall interviews. The findings reveal that SDL was cultivated not only through these structured, narrative-informed tools but also through emotional trust, self-recognition, and workplace relevance. Participants reported enhanced communication competence and language confidence while redefining their learning identities. The study offers new insights into how SDL develops not only from strategic planning but also through relational trust and narrative engagement, particularly in resource-sensitive workplace settings. It underscores how narrative-based support can strengthen both language development and confident learner autonomy among adult learners in higher education.

Keywords

self-directed learning academic support staff language clinic program workplace English competency learner confidence and autonomy narrative inquiry

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