Marhabo Avazmatova is a Ph.D student in Pedagogy at National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek. She is working on methodology in language teaching online and offline. At the same time, she is interested in implementing technology and using different tools in teaching foreign language. Email: avazmatova.marhabo@gmail.com

 

Abstract

This article reviews the theoretical basis and implementation of autonomous learning in foreign language acquisition. Encouraging learners to create materials and being fully involved in the process is a peculiar feature of autonomy in language learning. Thus, learners should be active and responsible for their study, errors, and correction. Although this paper discusses the importance of autonomous language learning, giving the responsibility of creating questions to students thoroughly, it indicates the role of the teacher is undeniable in the learning process. In the article, 6 strategies are suggested for teachers to create autonomous learning environment. In addition, the research work suggests and gives examples of how to adopt textbook materials that encourage deep learning and active participation of students in the learning process.

 

Introduction

Autonomy in foreign language learning is considered important term in recent years, since learner-centered approach gain popularity instead of traditional teaching. The concept of autonomous language learning defined by many scholars over the years to clarify insight. Henri Holec (1981, p.3), who developed autonomous learning, defined it as “the ability to take charge of one’s own learning, to take charge of one’s learning is to have the responsibility for all the decisions concerning all aspects of this learning”. However, Trebbi argues (2006, p.290) that “taking charge of one's own learning” is a simultaneous action since no studying happens unless the learner is in charge. Benson and Voller (1997) claimed that autonomous learning as self-regulated responsibility in learning and it is the sign of good academic performance. Autonomous learning, according to Little (2008), is the ability to do a task independently, with contextual adaptability with awareness and reflection. Oxford (2003, p.111) defines autonomous learning more comprehensively as it is “the ability and willingness to perform a task without assistance, with adaptability related to the situational demands, with transferability to other relevant contexts, and with reflection, accompanied by relevant action (the use, usually conscious and intentional, of appropriate learning strategies) reflecting both ability and willingness”. According to Dam (1990), autonomous learning is the ability and willingness to engage socially and responsibly both alone and in collaboration with others. Autonomous learning is confused with the independent learning in many resources (Najeeb, 2013); however, two of them is not the same in the usage. Independent learning is studying without teacher, without peers, but it can be done with the aid of any app or computer program. In autonomous language learning according to Kumaravadivelu (2003), learners work collaboratively with their teachers and partners as well as administrates. By reviewing research works, autonomous learning can be summarized as ability to learn autonomously with a little contribution from the teacher and to socialize with peers to work cooperatively, to learn with each other, to reflect obtained knowledge and self- evaluate as well as peer-assessment. This summary can be described as in the following figure.

 

Importance of autonomous language learning

Ping Wang (2011, p.275) argues, “It is much more important to let the students know about their own learning style if they are to take responsibility of their learning process”. Supportive involvement of learners' present autonomy is considered as a crucial foundation for its continuous success. As Baume (1992) claimed it is one of the most crucial target in higher education, students majoring learning foreign languages ought to be involved in the autonomous learning, take responsibility for their academic progress.  When implementing autonomy in their study, students are expected to be able to associate their acquired knowledge to real world. Learning becomes a manner of life rather than a method of memory in this way. Autonomous learners comprehend the aim of their education process, take full responsibility, take charge in organizing and performing activities, and critically examine their learning on a regular basis.  Learner autonomy involves awareness, the ability to reflect, and the willingness to be active in self-management and interactions. The teacher's target is to prepare and keep a learning atmosphere in which students can be independent and grow as autonomy. When the educational environment is accessible, students will be more likely to make decisions and request support when required. Learners must also be trained how to find information and resources even outside the lesson in order to increase their ability to recognize what is and is not relevant.

 

Teachers’ role in autonomous language learning

One of the primary goals of teaching English as a foreign language is to promote student autonomy by positioning the student at the core of the teaching process. In implementing autonomous learning, teacher’s role is critical and play important role applying encouraged autonomous environment to support students to make decisions and take control of their own learning. Teacher should be facilitator and create appropriate atmosphere to encourage students to be more independent and responsible for their academic achievements. We suggest following strategies for creating true autonomous environment for foreign language teaching.

1. Identifying learner’s aim – it is assisting students in comprehending their actual objectives and formulating strategies to allow them to identify the information or feedback they require in order to gain academic success. From the early stage of the learning foreign language, students should know their actual goal and real purpose of studying foreign language. If students struggle to clarify their purpose of learning foreign language, teachers should help them to identify it by asking questions like:

Why do you want to learn English rather than Spanish or French?

What do you want to do after finishing the course or getting a language proficiency certificate?

Do you need to learn English for getting a job or academic purpose?

What skill do you want to develop listening/speaking/reading/writing or all of them?

These questions are just examples, EFL teachers can give any other questions to contribute learners their objectives of learning English.

2. Assessment emphasis – using a combination of peer and self-assessment to monitor constantly the student learning progress. It is important to track learning progress in teaching foreign language, as there will be a chance to improve weak points during the process rather than after finishing the course. As mentioned in the article reflection is the key element in implementing autonomous language learning, it can be achieved by continues self-evaluation, peer-assessment and continuous assessment with thorough feedback. When students able to find out their own and peer’s errors and learn how to correct them, they are considered autonomous language learners.
3. Develop student's language skills – enhance the development of students’ language skills. When applying autonomous language learning teachers may focus on studying independently and working collaboratively but it should be always keep in mind that primary purpose of the teaching foreign language is improving student’s language skills. It should not be denied that at the end of the course students are tested how well they learned foreign language rather that how well they work autonomously. In other words, teachers should not underestimate importance of language skills while applying autonomous language learning.
4. Adapt textbook activities – Adapt ready-made textbook materials to encourage students’ critical thinking and give them freedom to create activities themselves and motivate to make decisions independently. Many recent textbook activities designed to trigger student’s critical thinking skill and language skill at the same time. However, in many cases ready-made activities for only remembering or understanding of the content in learning foreign language, when applying Bloom’s taxonomy (Armstrong, 2010).

To adapt materials, students should apply learned knowledge and use given information in a new situation. By reflecting their own learning process or during self-evaluation or peer-assessment, students are expected to acquire analyzing and evaluating skills. To reach the top of the taxonomy to produce new and original work, students should learn how to create activities themselves. By doing these stages, future foreign language teachers learn how to adapt activities as well as develop assessment skills. Following example can be given to encourage students to create, analyze and evaluate materials.

Example 1 Original task: “Listen to the four people talking about their jobs. After each one answer these questions. 1. What do they find stressful about their jobs? 2. What do they do to relax or stay calm? 3. What are they doing at the moment?” (Soars & Hancock, 2019, ex3, p.30) Adapted task:    1. Listen to the four people talking about their jobs (audio given). 2. Create 4 comprehension questions for each person. 3. Work in small groups with 4 or 5 students.  Collect created comprehension questions of each student in the group. 4. Choose 5 best comprehension questions by deciding it as a group. 5. After choosing 5 best comprehension questions ask and answer chosen 5 comprehension questions with another group.

 

Example 2 Original task: “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. (Confucius). Read the quote. Is this true for you or anyone you know?” (Soars & Hancock, 2019, p.29) Adapted task: 1. Work in small groups with 3 or 4 students. Write short opinion essay (100 words) for the quote by Confucius “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 2. Swap essays with another group and check other group’s essay according to the given “Opinion essay rubric”. 3. Indicate evidence for each mistake and prove that it is a real mistake.

 

5. Compiling valuable activities – organizing the portfolio of valuable activities that encourage creating autonomous learning environment. When adapting activities it would be better to take note that which one is successful or not. Successful ones can be complied as a portfolio and use them for another group or revise it again. By collecting adapted activities, teachers save time as well as have collection of resource.
6. Usage of student-centered approach – adapt autonomous method of teaching that contribute to organize student-centered lessons and give a chance to work collaboratively. In teaching foreign languages students should be at the center of the lesson, student’s needs, interests and learning style always should be taken into consideration.

 

Disadvantages of autonomy learning

Even if autonomous language learning has many advantages and ubiquitous usage of teaching foreign language, some disadvantages are obstacles to conduct effective language teaching.

5. It might be challenging to get students to make decisions – since teacher make decision in the classroom traditionally, in the beginning it seems difficult for learners to decide what to learn and how to learn autonomously. Students can make wrong decisions and it may take time to reach desired goal. Of course, in such circumstances teacher guide students to correct their mistakes.
5. Wasting time – teachers may not find enough ready-made exercises ideal for autonomous learning in the course book and need to spend more time adopting or creating new ones. In the initial stage it is obious adapting or creating new activities take time but later when teacher compile adapted/created materials as a valuable activity portfolio, it can be reused for another groups with little change.
5. Challenge in abandoning fossilized authoritatie teaching habits – it may be challenging to abandon old classroom management strategies in favor of new or modified ones. Teachers use authoritative teaching habits traditionally and it may be tough for them to trust the students' capacity to take control.
5. Criticizing learners – teachers may criticize learners for failing to appreciate the amazing chance they hae been given. As a result, they may return to the traditional teacher-centered classroom in order to regain control.

 

Conclusion

As the last word, it can be said that autonomous learning plays an essential role in teaching foreign languages. Usage of autonomous learning encourages teachers to create materials themselves that contribute to students reaching upper levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. For students, autonomous language learning is essential with the features of active participation in the learning process. As a result, students become more involved in their studies and the error-correction process. Instead of doing ready-made activities to create questions themselves, students are encouraged to learn deeply and actively engage in the learning process.

 

References

Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved 11.05.2022 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/

Baume, D. (1992). Developing learner autonomy, SEDA Paper 84. Staff and Educational Development Association: Birmingham UK.

Benson, P., & Voller, P. (Eds.) (1997). Autonomy and independence in language learning. London: Longman.

Dam, L. (1990). Developing awareness of learning in an autonomous language learning context. In R.Duda & P. Riley (Eds.), Learning styles (pp. 189-97). Presses Universitaires de Nancy.

Holec. H (1981). Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond Methods: Macrostrategies for language teaching. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.

Little, D. (2008). Knowledge about language and learner autonomy. In J. Cenoz & N.H. Hornberger (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of Language and Education, 2nd Edition, Volume 6: Knowledge about Language (pp. 247–258). New York: Springer Science.

Najeeb, S.R. (2013). Learner autonomy in language learning. Social and Behavioral Sciences,70, Pp 1238-1242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.183.

Oxford, R.L. (2003). Toward a more systematic model of L2 learner autonomy. In D. Palfreyman & R.C. Smith (Eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives (pp. 75-91). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Soars, J & L., & Hancock, P. (2019). Headway 5th edition, intermediate student’s book, ex3, p.30. Oxford press.

Trebbi, T. (2006). Is freedom a prerequisite for autonomy? Classroom innovation and language teacher education. In T. E. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts. Realities and Responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Wang, P. (2011). Constructivism and Learner Autonomy in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: To what Extent does Theory Inform Practice? Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(3), pp. 273-277. 10.4304/TPLS.1.3.273-277

 

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