The term autonomy has sparked considerable controversy, inasmuch as linguists and educationalists have failed to reach a consensus as to what autonomy really is. The page also looks at how learner autonomy can be developed, as well as considering the cultural aspects of learner autonomy. The relationships between learner agency, metacognition, affordances, and learner autonomy can be understood as a dynamic and complex system. An empirical tool for learner autonomy in reading classes by dr. On the other hand, learner training and other approaches which attempt to fit learners into preconceived models of the ideal autonomous learner may lend support to the criticism that autonomy is a western concept inappropriate for nonwestern students ibid. Over the last two decades, the concepts of learner autonomy and independence have gained momentum, the former becoming a buzzword within the context. Despite a shift in the field of learner autonomy towards a consideration of the role of the teacher and ways in which learner autonomy is bound up not only with the learners but also the teachers. Teacher autonomy is driven by a need for personal and professional improvement, so that an autonomous teacher may seek out opportunities over the course of his or her career to develop further. The concepts of learner centredness and learner autonomy.
For example, adults tend to be more selfdirected, internally motivated, and ready to learn. They should be involved in decisions concerning setting objectives for learning, determining ways and means of learning, and reflecting on and evaluating what they have learned. Holec defined learner autonomy in terms of learner selfdirection and control of the learning process. Many terms have been coined to refer to a concept to which we referred to as learner autonomy. Learner autonomy is an important concept in educational fields, including language learning ones such as eap. Pdf the impact of selfconcept on language learning. Learner autonomy is an important pedagogic concept in foreign language learning and teaching today and in addition, it is considered to be a. Learner autonomy oxford academic oxford university press. Thanasoulas what is learner autonomy and how can it be. It has transformed old practices in the language classroom and has given origin to self access language learning centers around the world such as the salc at kanda university of international studies. The concept of learner autonomy has even become a buzzword within the context of language learning little, 1991. The concept of patient autonomy elias baumgarten part i. If an individual feels empowered to learn and understands its benefit to the development, they will be more inclined to seek out learning opportunities on their own. This proverb taken from chinese culture is associated with learner autonomy.
In an instructional setting, it is often inappropriate to provide choice of the learning objective itself, but it is often appropriate to offer choices in how that objective can be reached, in the context for achieving the objective, in the tools or supports available, and so forth. By ivan moore, director of centre for promoting learner autonomy cetl. In this paper i would like to take a closer look at the concept of learner autonomy and discuss the ways in which this concept affects us as educators. Individual learners will always differ in the degree to which they develop the capacity for reflective thinking that is central to the concept of learner autonomy. Indeed, holec, who is considered as the father of learner autonomy, was the first to introduce it in 1981. The role of teacher education materials studies in selfaccess learning journal, 2 1, 1525. This edited volume offers a cohesive account of recent developments across the world in the field of learner and teacher autonomy in languages education. Mention the concept of learner autonomy and these words might spring to mind a myth, magic, a miracle, impossible. The importance of patient autonomy if there is one concept at the center of the bioethics movement, it is autonomy. Paginated pdf version abstract in recent years there has been an increased appreciation of the interrelationship between learner autonomy and teacher. Autonomy means the ability to take control of ones own learning, independently or in collaboration with others.
Learner autonomy refers to the principle that learners should take a maximum amount of responsibility for what they learn and how they learn it. In other words, learner autonomy has two distinct dimensions, one pedagogical and the other communicative. However, the concept viewed by chinese educators differs from the original concept that relates to the western liberal education. Instead of ridding the classroom of tasks that require autonomy, teachers can equip students with the skills and knowhow to be their own best assistants.
Holec 1981 describes autonomy as, the ability to take charge of ones learning cited in thanasoulas, 2000. The definition of learner autonomy seems to interpret in many different ways. Drawing on the work of eminent researchers of language learning and teaching, it explores at both conceptual and practical levels issues related to current pedagogical developments in a wide range of contexts. Learner autonomy is an important pedagogic concept in foreign language learning and teaching today and in addition, it is considered to be a significant. There is a sense in which pedagogical autonomy clearly precedes. Constructing concepts of learner autonomy in language. Teachers can help students to develop learning strategies through learner training in the classroom and this can take many forms. I will then present, and illustrate with data from the classroom, a nine step procedure for moving learners along the continuum from dependence to autonomy. In this blog, alex warren looks at how we can help encourage our learners to take more responsibility for their own learning and be more autonomous. The present study aims to explore chinese learners conceptions of learner autonomy from learners perspective since researchers in language education argue that concepts of learner autonomy may bear cultural imprints and recent college english language education reform in china sets learner autonomy as a prime goal. Through this lesson, you will learn how to define autonomy and gain insight into how the concept works in personal, political, and medical contexts. Autonomy involves students having a range of learning strategies which they are able to apply flexibly in different contexts.
The concept of autonomy is found not only in the field of education but also in the fields such as, organizational management, feminist study, medicine, and business. Learner training in the classroom encourages autonomy and is an important element of language teaching. The concept of learning autonomy the writepass journal. In europe, autonomy is linked with politics, power and governance in education eurydice, 2008.
The concept of language learner autonomy the concept of learner autonomy in l2 education was first elaborated by henri holec in autonomy and foreign language learning, a report published by the council of europe in 1979 cited here as holec 1981. Learner autonomy has been a popular concept in foreign language education in the past decades, especially in relation to lifelong learning skills. But when the development of learner autonomy is central to pedagogical agenda, teachers are guided towards its achievement in the classroom. Learner autonomy in language teaching professor jack c.
What is learner autonomy and how can it be fostered. Introduction over the last two decades, the concepts of learner autonomy and independence have gained momentum, the former becoming a buzzword within the context of language learning little, 1991. Learner autonomy in language learning sciencedirect. It is often said that the concept of learner autonomy is western, and does not fit in the asian context. While such concepts as learning strategies and motivation are being endangered by selfregulation and investment, i. Autonomy, a relatively new concept in the field of education, has been defined differently by different scholars. Once learning used to be the matter of receiving the body of knowledge which could then be used for the rest of life. This section will consider what learner autonomy is, what skills autonomous learners need and why learner autonomy is important.
A model for developing learner autonomy in social networking spaces. These pages will introduce readers to the concepts of learner autonomy and provide a guide to practices that enhance the capacity of students to become more autonomous as learners. The three basic pedagogical principles which underlines autonomy in language learning is learner involvement engaging learners to share responsibility for the learning process, learner reflection helping learners to think critically when they plan, monitor and evaluate their learning and appropriate use of target language using the target. The notion that patients have a moral claim to direct the course of their own medical care and to be given. If an individual feels empowered to learn and understands its benefit to the development, they will be more inclined to seek out learning.
Despite a shift in the field of learner autonomy towards a consideration of the role of the teacher and ways in which learner autonomy is bound up not only with the learners but also the teachers own learning and teaching experiences and. Autonomy definition is the quality or state of being selfgoverning. Concept and considerations madhu neupane abstract give me a fish and i eat for a day. Hayo reinders, middlesex university, uk cem balcikanli, gazi university, turkey reinders, h. Learner autonomy as an element in chinese education.
The basis of learner autonomy, therefore is that if students are concerned in decisionmaking processes about their own. Unfortunately, as teachers know too well, children of all ages often default to dependence on adult help. Against this tendency, the present paper argues for an understanding of language learner autonomy in which the develop. The concept of learner autonomy was introduced into china by western scholars. Without being equipped with the necessary background knowledge and language, it may prove difficult for learners to understand concepts and terminology or verbalize their language learning experiences in the target language. But the literature on autonomy in language learning is larger in number compared to other fields. Therefore, learner autonomy encompasses both empowering learners through knowledge to. The proposal that learners have the authority and right to learn for themselves is noted as an important element in learner autonomy smith, 2008. Learner autonomy revisited elt journal oxford academic. Teachers can draw on concepts of andragogy to increase the effectiveness of their adult education classes.
The idea of learner autonomy is not new, but it has been widely referred to in the field of elt only over the. The value of learner autonomy in learning moroccoenglish. An argument in favor of the nexus of formal and informal language learning volume 39 chun lai. Rethinking the concept of learner autonomy within the mall. The concept of learner autonomy is often applied to the process and content of language learning but not specifically to its intended outcome, the development of proficiency in a second or foreign language. Teacher support and teacher challenge learning paths. The concept of personal autonomy is a general idea that one should have freedom to direct the course of ones own life. Andragogy refers to a theory of adult learning that details some of the ways in which adults learn differently than children. The study first presents general background and an introduction to the. The concept of learner autonomy is interrelated to the concepts of personal autonomies and freedoms lamb, 2008.
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