‘Successful Learner Autonomy & Learner

Independence in Self-Directed Learning’

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 1. Provide your own definition of learner independence for an EFL
learner.
• Learner independence is a
student’s ability, innate or
acquired, to function
autonomously or semi-
autonomously in an ELT
classroom while taking judicious
control and responsibility for
their own language progress and
development. Each and every
learner is different, and levels of
learner autonomy vary
dramatically from one student to
another. There may be a national
or cultural dimension to the
concept as well. Learner over- Learner autonomy may at times
independence may be potentially
dangerous and may at times result in cases where an adult
alienate the learner from the learner relies on self-study as a
group learning and teaching predominant mode of acquiring
process (Mark Krzanowski)
education. LA can be
considered in relation to
learning a language or in
general [e.g. attitude to study]
(MK). 2
 ELT specialists on learner independence
• 'Autonomy is the ability to
take charge of one's own
learning' (Henri Holec)
• 'Autonomy is a situation in
which the learner is totally
responsible for all the
decisions concerned with
his [or her] learning and the
implementation of those
decisions'. (Leslie
Dickinson)
• 'Autonomy is essentially a
matter of the learner's
psychological relation to
the process and content
of learning' (David Little)
• 'Autonomy is a
recognition of the rights of
learners within
educational systems'.
(Phil Benson)
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2. At what stage of one’s educational development does learner autonomy become
especially important?
3. Give at least 5 characteristics of a good autonomous language learner.

2. Tertiary education / university 3. A good and efficient autonomous

education
- up to age of 18 (end of high
school or secondary school):
teaching syllabi offered as a finely-
tuned input
- University sector
onwards/upwards:
- Roughly-tuned input a norm;
- learners expected to actively
engage in ‘aggressive
reading’
- self-directed learning considered
then a key to success; seen
as a competitive / differential
advantage or USP (e.g. ‘able
to work on one’s own
initiative’)
language learner:
- Is able to take initiative and
assume responsibility for his
learning
- Possesses a range of
transferable skills acquired
from the tutor or other students,
and is able to make a positive
transfer
- Sees independence as a
challenge and an enriching
educational experience
- Employs a range of effective
strategies to constantly
improve his/her English
- Is not afraid to experiment on
his/her own, often through trial
and error, in a quest for
language improvement

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 4. Does the Mexican educational system advocate learner
autonomy – is it part of Mexican (academic) culture?

British secondary education: pupils need to be prepared to

function in a post-secondary ‘world’/context
English-speaking academy:
- Study skills and pastoral care are often ‘frontloaded’
- Overseas or non-EU EAP/ESP/EFL students: often
shocked or traumatised
- Students from ‘affluent’ countries, middle-class families
or from the private education sector: not always
prepared to readily accept the concept from ‘day one’

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 5. Give practical examples of how you would exploit the CD recordings for
promotion of learner autonomy in an English course .

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 Specimen worksheet for listening
exercises on the web:
Homework:
Go to the following webpage and check on at least three different
activities, consider their level (they are grouped in 3 levels)
choose at least one of every level.
http://www.esl-lab.com/ (an ESL/EFL listening site)

How do you think this type of activities can contribute for learner
independence? Why?

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6. Give examples of what paper, audio- and audio-visual resources can be
of help for self-study and how they can be exploited.
- Newspapers: hard copy editions
and online editions http://www.guardian.co.uk/
- General and specialist dictionaries
(e.g. dictionaries of collocations)
- Journals and periodicals (e.g. ‘New
Scientist’ for EAP students)
- TV (documentaries, e.g. BBC
‘Horizon’)
- Radio (e.g. BBC Radio 4 educational
programmes; cf ‘Analysis’)
- Language websites (e.g. the British
Council sponsored ones like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon
‘Learning English’ or ‘Teaching _(TV_series)
English’)

If a teacher raises learners’ awareness

that the above sources can also be
accessed and utilised
independently for further self-study,
many students will do so. Learner
training and demo-ing are crucial.
www.uefap.co.uk
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 7. Give examples of different modern Learning Technologies (LTs) and comment
on whether they are a blessing or a curse for educators wishing to
promote learner independence. Provide some specific instances of the
advantages of LTs for self-directed learning.

“Learning technology is the broad range of communication, information and

related technologies that can be used to support learning, teaching, and
assessment.
Learning technologists are people who are actively involved in managing,
researching, supporting or enabling learning with the use of learning
technology.
A very wide range of people in industry and in private and public sector
education have learning technology as a core part of their role: you do not
have to be called or to call yourself a learning technologist to be one!”
http://www.alt.ac.uk/learning_technology.html
Examples:
Technologies such as Macromedia Flash and streaming video and audio
permit material to be viewed again and again, anywhere, any time.
The three main (incompatible) formats for streaming media are Real,
QuickTime and Windows Media.
Practical example:
YouTube & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcbpsYj1LXw
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 Other examples of modern learning
technologies
• Internet & email
• Email discussion groups
• Slideshare (www.slideshare.com)
• Video conferencing
• Wikis and blogs
• Virtual Learning Environments
• PowerPoint
• Online assessment
• Digital course materials
• Pdf files & Adobe Reader (Pdf file
creator)
• CD & DVD technology (cf
cassette & video)
• Distance and open learning
environments
• Scanners & digital cameras &
digital video cameras
• Flash drives & zip drives
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 8. What is your understanding of ICT & the ICT revolution in the ELT classroom?
How has it impacted on self-directed learning?
9. In what way is self-learning or self-study in the 21st century different
from what it was like in the last couple of decades of the past century?

• Learners: ‘quick on the uptake’ and embrace it easily

• Teachers: not always keen; at times so deep in ritualistic
behaviour that they would not make an effort to accept and
take on innovations in learning and teaching

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 9. What teaching strategies does a teacher need to use in order to help students
become more autonomous in their learning English?

• Pair-work, group work, individual presentations, group presentations,

project work, talking about learner autonomy in class and in 1-2-1
tutorials, using for example the Test-Teach-Test approach, leaving
the classroom occasionally & leaving SS ‘to their own devices’

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 10. Allegedly a good independent learner is able to use a wide range of cognitive
and meta-cognitive strategies. Give some examples of both, and say which group
is more important.

Cognitive [ O’Malley & Chamot, 1990] Metacognitive [Wended, 1998]

Repetition (when imitating others' Directed attention, when deciding in
speech) advance to concentrate on general
Resourcing, i.e. having recourse to aspects of a task;
dictionaries and other materials;
Selective attention, paying attention to
Translation (using their mother tongue as
specific aspects of a task;
a basis for understanding and/or
producing the target language; Self-monitoring, i.e., checking one's
Note-taking; performance as one speaks;
Deduction (conscious applic. of L2 rules); Self-evaluation, i.e., appraising one's
Contextualisation (embedding a word or performance in relation to one's own
phrase in a meaningful sequence); standards; self-reinforcement,
Transfer (using knowledge acquired in rewarding oneself for success
the L1 to remember and understand facts
and sequences in the L2);
Inferencing, when matching an unfamiliar
word against available information (a new
word etc);
Question for clarification, when asking
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the teacher to explain
 11. In what teaching contexts learner autonomy is of peripheral importance in learning
English, and in what contexts is it of central / utmost importance?

It depends. In well-resourced systems where there are sufficient human

resources and the staff-student ratio is low, learner independence may be
perceived to be less important. In countries with high levels of literacy
learner training is not an issue either. LA is exceptionally important in
overcrowded classrooms, at HE level and in countries where distances
prevent people from receiving equitable education.
12. What is the difference between CALL and Multimedia? Which type is better
suited for development of autonomous learning?

The former did not allow for diversions or skipping any elements. The
latter offers more choices, and allows users to ‘chop and change’ as
required. The latter appears more flexible.

13. How would you help a learner (a trainee teacher or a student) if it is

technophobia that hinders their progress in self-directed learning.

‘counselling’ & tutoring or mentoring; graded exposure through

gradual osmosis; demo-ing; positively promoting ‘alternative
practices’, management of change; challenging ‘ritualistic teaching’
or ‘fossilised learning habits’.
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 14. How do cultural attitudes in relation to what goes on between
teachers and students affect the process of self-directed
learning?
• “EFL learners have certain cultural expectations about teacher
and student roles. For many, the teacher has the duty to impart
knowledge to them, and their duty as learners is to memorize it.
This attitude is clearly not conducive to self-direction.” (Kazunori
Nozawa)

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 15. What is the function of a modern / contemporary self-access centre in
college or at university?

Initially it was meant to supplement learning, whereas these days it is fully

integrated into the learning & teaching paradigms. It has also become an
integral part of blended learning & distance education frameworks.
16. What is a condition to ensure that a self-learner ultimately becomes a reflective
learner?

Teachers need to train learners in how to acquire and develop the ability to
self-reflect on one’s learning and one’s study so that the process of regular
reflection benefits one’s further endeavours. Positive experiences need to
‘amplified’, shared on a wider forum and reinforced – as if in a behaviouristic
fashion.
17. How can an institution create a conducive learning and teaching
environment for autonomous learning?
This can vary from one educational institution to another, and is particularly
wide ranging in the university sector, given its traditional self-autonomy. It
requires a concerted effort of like-minded educators who are on the forefront
of L & T developments and who are unconditionally committed to the cause.

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18. Give an example of a good classroom activity which can help student reflect on
learning.
There are many activities to choose from, e.g.:
a) A questionnaire on learning styles OR
b) A 5-minute check at the end of the lesson (name at least 3 useful things that you
learnt today) OR
c) Which of the following activities [1 to 10] from the last term did you find most useful
for becoming more independent in your studies? OR
d) Consult your learner diary, and share with us useful self-study techniques for better
reading that you developed while doing research for your researched essays.

19. What are the practical implications for ELT teachers who wish to cater
for an autonomous learner?

•‘Never assume’ •Diversity of a self-directed learner needs

•What works in the classroom may not
work outside
•Materials must be exceptionally
attractive and user-friendly
to be duly acknowledged in materials
design
•Generic materials brought to a common
denominator need to be complemented
by fairly specific ones

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20. To what extent is syllabus negotiation or a process syllabus a reflection of learner
autonomy?

By involving learners in the process we make a course or a programme

more relevant to their needs. They are likely to be more autonomous if
their suggestions are considered or included. The traditional power -
historically vested in the teacher - is to a certain extent horizontally
shared in a syllabus negotiation.

21 How important for effective autonomous learning is self-esteem?

•Closely related to attitudes and motivation is the concept of self-esteem, that is,
the evaluation the learner makes of herself with regard to the target language or
learning in general. '[Self-esteem is a personal judgement of worthiness that is
expressed in the attitudes that the individual holds towards himself' (Coopersmith,
1967: 4-5, cited in Brown, 1987: 101-102). If the learner has a 'robust sense of self',
to quote Breen and Mann (1997, cited in Benson & Voller, 1997: 134), his
relationship to himself as a learner is unlikely to be marred by any negative
assessments by the teacher. Conversely, a lack of self-esteem is likely to lead to
negative attitudes towards his capability as a learner, and to 'a deterioration in
cognitive performance', thus confirming his view of himself as incapable of
learning (Diener and Dweck, 1978, 1980, cited in Wenden, 1998: 57).
•[Dimitrios Thanasoulas: ] http://iteslj.org/Articles/Thanasoulas-Autonomy.html

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 22. Which type of motivation has the biggest impact on self-directed learning?

Probably: intrinsic motivation

“The humanistic teacher also needs to

be aware of what motivates their
students. Some will probably want to
learn English because they have to (e.g.
for their job), while others want to simply
for the sake of it. The former is called
'extrinsic motivation', while the latter is
called 'intrinsic motivation'.
Those students who are more
extrinsically motivated will be more
goal-oriented and might want, for
example, a lot of tests and exams.
Students who are intrinsically
motivated will derive a lot of satisfaction
from solving language problems - the
solution will be a reward in itself.”
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/
methodology/hlt.shtml
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23. What do we mean by learner counselling?

In the EF context, this could probably be equated with (a) ‘language &
study advice’ as well as (b) the pastoral care element. For (a) pls refer to:

 Language advising
“There is a well developed educational argument (examined
elsewhere in the Good Practice Guide) which considers independent
learning a desirable goal of Higher Education. The shift in language
learning from a teacher-led to a more learner-centred approach and
the increased use of a variety of media and technologies has required
a repositioning of the teacher and a reappraisal of the teachers skills.
Within this context a new professional role, distinct from the teacher,
has emerged. Terms such as facilitator, mentor, counsellor, adviser,
helper, learner support officer and consultant have been used to
characterise such role and identify differences in skills and functions
with the teaching profession. [This article focuses on the skills and
practices of language advising.]” (my underlining – MK)
http://www.llas.ac.uk/resources/resourcesearch.aspx?All=1
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24. How should ELT teacher education and teacher training embrace the concept of
learner autonomy in blended learning and distance education?

• ELT TE & TT need to embrace

all current ICT developments to
assist self-directed learners in
the initial process of self-
shifting towards (more)
autonomous study
• ELT trainers, lecturers and
trainee teachers need to ensure
that they undergo extensive and
comprehensive training in ICT
and current advances of BL &
DE; frequently students perform
better on an ICT level than their
tutors, and this should not
normally or ever be the case.

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 25. What do you understand by ‘learner empathy’?
ELT practitioners need to ‘put themselves in learners’ shoes’: only by
so doing will they see what it feels like being an autonomous learner,
and what is needed for better self-functioning in this direction.

26. What is a ‘retrospective self-report’? 27. Is ‘learner empowerment’ subsumed

Often learners are asked to write
up a process that had undergone
while learning something so that
this retrospective ‘reflection’ is
used by the tutors for future
generations of students to guide
them in the process of self-study
(e.g. distance learning students
often have to replicate in solitude
what ‘traditional’ students do on a
daily basis and ‘naturally’ in the
classroom or in the lecture room).
under ‘learner autonomy’ or is it the
other way round? Justify your view.
It can be assumed that learner
empowerment can in certain
contexts overlap or be a
constituent part of learner
autonomy. LA would seem to be a
hyper-ordinate concept for LE.
Learner empowerment can bring
out the best in student’s self-study.

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 Conclusions
’Successful Learner Autonomy & Learner Independence in Self-Directed
Learning’ continue to occupy a prominent place in ELT in the 21st century.
There is trust as well as responsibility vested in trainer trainers and
teacher educators to ensure that they embrace the very best practice in
the area and that they ‘practise what they preach’.

Since most of educational practices in learning and teaching are based on

‘cascading’ and sharing and disseminating good practice, we are expected
to offer expertise and training in the concepts discussed today. It appears
that the generic principles remain similar across the world (despite
erroneous past assumptions that LA & LI normally typified Western
educational systems), and perhaps the only factual barrier to self-study or
self-learning would be underdevelopment of ICT infrastructures or simply
lack of funding in some countries. Nevertheless, there are always
compensatory strategies to remedy this.

’Successful Learner Autonomy & Learner Independence in Self-Directed

Learning’ are achievable, and remain an integral part of learning and
teaching as we know it today.

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 Selected
Bibliography

 MK (BBC
World Service,
2002-2003)

 Why should learners contribute to the self-access centre? Diane Malcolm

 ELT Journal 2004 58(4):346-354; doi:10.1093/elt/58.4.346
http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/58/4/346
Chapter on
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Thanasoulas-Motivation.html
‘Learning
with Self- http://iteslj.org/Articles/Shrader-Empowerment.html
Access’ 24
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Shrader-Empowerment.html