Approaches to Learner Autonomy in Language Learning

Colombo Americano Armenia
November 25, 2008

him find it within himself.

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

idea behind learner autonomy is that students should take responsibility

for their own learning, rather than be dependent on the teacher (Holec 1981)
“The autonomous learner is one that constructs knowledge from direct experience, rather than one who responds to someone’s instruction” (Benson 2001)     

take control over their learning. Autonomy may be displayed in

different ways and to different degrees depending on each learner and learning situation.
Learners who lack autonomy are capable of developing it given appropriate conditions and preparation.
Autonomous learning is more effective than non-autonomous learning.

framework of an educational institution and without the intervention of

a teacher

The capacity which allows learners to take more responsibility for their own learning

The conditions that allow learners to control the process and content of learning as well as the institutional context within which learning takes place
The capacity to interact and collaborate with others

Benson & Voller (1997)

cited in Wenden, 1998: 41-42):
have insights into their learning styles

and strategies
take an active approach to the learning task at hand
are willing to take risks
are good guessers
attend to form as well as to content, that is, place importance on accuracy as well as appropriacy
develop the target language into a separate reference system and are willing to revise and reject hypotheses and rules that do not apply
have a tolerant and outgoing approach to the target language

and more of a facilitator
Students discouraged from relying on

the teacher as the main source of knowledge
Students’ capacity to learn for themselves is encouraged
Students encouraged to make decisions about what they learn
Students’ awareness of their own learning styles is encouraged
Students encouraged to develop their own learning strategies

perspective
Focus on characteristics of learning
Sociocultural perspective
Focus on mediated learning
Political-critical perspective
Focus

on ideologies, access, power structure

Oxford (2003, pp. 76, 80)

learning doesn’t mean solitude
Autonomous learners are also part of communities

of practice
Autonomy is not necessarily a characteristic that is seen as important in learning in all cultures

process
Tasks and design
Learner strategies
Reflection on learning

learners continue to acquire the second language after formal studies

end (Field 2007)
Not use set methodologies
Our job is to create learning opportunities, not to impose a method. There’s no one way to learn a language (Benson 2001)

with educational technologies
Classroom-based
Learner control over the planning and evaluation of

classroom learning (power to make decisions)

Benson (2001)

a whole
Teacher-based
Emphasizes role of the teacher and teacher education in

practice of fostering autonomy among learners
Learner-based
Development of autonomous learning skills

Benson (2001)

what to do next (pathways)
Training for learners on how to

use the resources and computers
Making the area appropriate for learners
How to keep interest going

Harmer (2007)

activities within the classroom
Self-assessment

working on an autonomous pedagogy
the teacher as a facilitator
the teacher

as a counsellor
the teacher as a resource

something
2 categories
Metacognitive strategies
Cognitive strategies

to learn it, such as:
Writing vocabulary lists
Doing grammar exercises
Listening to

songs

going to learn it? (Resources and Strategies)
How am I going

to know that I have learned it? (My evidence)
How am I going to prove that I have learned it? (Verification by teachers and peers)

Schwarzer, Kahn & Smart (2000)

to improve my vocabulary
Tasks:
Read at least 3 magazine articles from

Newsweek every week. For each article note down 3 words that I want to know the meaning of. Look up the words. Find the words again in next week’s articles and check to see that they mean the same thing in the new article.
Do 1 unit from English Vocabuary in Use every week and check.

Harmer (2007:408)

a given period of time
Beginner levels
Teacher can help students summarize
Young

learners
Circle appropriate drawings or adjectives

well? Why? What did you learn?
Did it go badly? Why?

What did you learn?
How can you improve for next time
Contains student’s record of their experiences, thoughts, feelings and reflections.

to solve using the Internet and its available resources
Current events,

controversial social and environmental topics work well

attitudes and ideas
Which skills they need for different kinds of

assignments
What is blocking their learning
Any gaps in their knowledge or skills

learning. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Benson, P. & Voller, P. (Eds.).

(1997). Autonomy and independence in language learning. London: Longman.
Healey, D. (2007). Theory and research: autonomy and language learning. In J. Egbert & E. Hanson-Smith (Eds.). CALL environments: research, practice, and critical issues (2nd Ed.). Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.
Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy in foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon. (First published 1979, Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
Other resources cited on http://colombotech.pbwiki.com/Approaches-to-Autonomous-Learning