| dc.description.abstract | This study investigates 10th grade English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ and teachers’
beliefs and practices surrounding learner autonomy (LA). Rooted in a theoretical background
of LA and related didactic concepts, the study aimed to answer the following research questions:
1. What are English teachers’ beliefs about learner autonomy in 10th grade?
a) Do the teachers believe in teaching LA explicitly and/or implicitly?
2. What are the teachers’ reported practices concerning learner autonomy?
a) Do the teachers report teaching LA explicitly and/or implicitly, and how?
3. What are the beliefs that the learners have about learner autonomy?
a) Do the learners report that they learn learner autonomy implicitly or explicitly?
How?
b) Do the learners report that they use language learning strategies actively at
and/or outside of school? How and which?
In order to answer these research questions, a mixed methods approach was used. Interviews
were conducted with four 10th grade EFL teachers, and an online questionnaire was taken by
57 of their combined pupils.
The main findings of the study are that both teachers and learners are positive towards
LA, that the former do facilitate it, though mostly implicitly, and that the latter exercise it,
though seemingly more so outside of school than at school. Learners and teachers seem in
agreement on what LA is, and in their attitudes towards it.
The teachers report a fairly narrow view on what LA is, mainly providing options for
the learners to choose from. Notably, however, their reported classroom practice reflects a
broader, more complete sense of LA and the fostering thereof, wherein language learning
strategies are taught, and learner motivation is of importance. LA seems fostered largely
implicitly.
The learners connect LA with independence and the possibility of controlling your own
learning processes. It appears that while the learners see LA as something positive, they seem
unsure on whether learning in such a manner makes learning easier or harder, and there also
seems to be some hesitancy in taking on the responsibility that autonomous learning demands
of the individual learner. The learners further use language learning strategies (LLS) in a range
of extramural activities, but they use them a little bit more at school, and the majority of reported
such strategies are some form of revision strategies. | |
