Making ste ps on the ir own : T e ac he r s pe r spe c tive s on - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Making ste ps on the ir

• wn : T

e ac he r s’ pe r spe c tive s on le ar ne r autonomy Re se a rc he rs: Je nny F ie ld a nd Re b e c c a Va ne Wa ika to I nstitute o f T e c hno lo g y, Ne w Ze a la nd

Ba c kg ro und

 I

nitia l re se a rc h c o nduc te d in Oma n b y Bo rg a nd Al-Busa idi (2012) a t Sulta n Qa b o o s Unive rsity

 I

n Oc to b e r 2013, Dr Ro g e r Ba rna rd pre se nte d a n o utline o f re se a rc h he inte nde d to c o nduc t o n the sa me the me with te a c he rs in Asia n unive rsitie s

 He sug g e ste d a simila r pro je c t b e c a rrie d o ut in the Ce ntre fo r L

a ng ua g e s, Wa ika to I nstitute o f T e c hno lo g y

De finitio ns o f le a rne r a uto no my

Ho le c , H. ( 1981)

 In the c o nte xt o f le a rning la ng ua g e s a uto no my me a ns “ the a b ility to ta ke

c ha rg e o f o ne ’ s o wn le a rning p.3.”

 T

his a b ility is no t inb o rn b ut must b e a c q uire d b y na tura l me a ns o r b y fo rma l le a rning

 It is a n a b ility a nd no t a type o f c o nduc t o r b e ha vio ur. T

• sa y o f a le a rne r tha t

he is a uto no mo us is to sa y tha t he / she is c a pa ble of ta king c ha r

g e of his/ he r

• wn le a r

ning .

Ho le c sug g e ste d tha t this me a ns:

 De te rmining the o b je c tive s  De fining the c o nte xt a nd pro g re ssio ns  Se le c ting me tho ds a nd te c hniq ue s to b e use d  Mo nito ring the pro c e dure o f a c q uisitio n pro pe rly  E

va lua ting wha t ha s b e e n a c q uire d

Be nso n (2001)

“… the c a pa c ity to ta ke c ha rg e o f, o r re spo nsib ility fo r, o ne ’ s o wn le a rning p.47.” I t is a multidime nsio na l c o nstruc t. Altho ug h we ma y b e a b le to ide ntify a nd list b e ha vio urs tha t de mo nstra te c o ntro l o ve r le a rning a nd hypo the sise c e rta in re la tio nships a mo ng the m, we ha ve little e vide nc e to sug g e st tha t a uto no my c o nsists o f a ny pa rtic ula r c o mb ina tio n o f the se b e ha vio urs.

L ittle (1991)

 I

t a ppe a rs tha t a uto no my c a n b e re c o g nise d in a va rie ty o f fo rms. “I t is true o f c o urse tha t we re c o g nise a uto no mo us le a rne rs b y the ir b e ha vio urs, b ut tha t c a n ta ke nume ro us diffe re nt fo rms de pe nding o n the ir a g e , ho w fa r the y ha ve pro g re sse d with the ir le a rning , wha t the y pe rc e ive the ir imme dia te le a rning ne e ds to b e , a nd so o n. Auto no my in o the r wo rds c a n ma nife st itse lf in ma ny diffe re nt wa ys p.4.”

 L

e a rne r a uto no my is c ha ra c te rise d b y a re a dine ss to ta ke c ha rg e o f

• ne ’ s o wn le a rning in the se rvic e o f o ne ’ s ne e ds a nd purpo se s. T

his e ntails a c apac ity and willingne ss to ac t inde pe nde ntly and in c oope r ation with othe r s, as a soc ially r e sponsible pe r son.

(Da m, E riksso n, L ittle , Milia nde r a nd T re b b i1990)

T he pe da g o g y o f a uto no my (Smith 2003)

 we ak ve r

sion

 a uto no my is a c apac ity whic h stude nts c ur

r e ntly lac k ( a nd so ne e d

tra ining to wa rds). T he unde rlying a ssumptio ns te nd to b e tha t stude nts a re de fic ie nt in a uto no my,… b ut tha t a uto no my is ne ve rthe le ss a g o a l wo rth pursuing with the m…



str

• ng ve r

sion



stude nts a re a lre a dy a uto no mo us, a nd alr

e ady c apable of e xe r c ising this c apac ity

 pp. (Smith 2003)pp 130-1.”

Be nso n (2012)

Whe n a ske d –” b ut ho w do we do it he re ? ” “ the the o ry o f a uto no my ma y b e st se rve a s a c onc e ptua l tool - kit to b e use d a t va rio us le ve ls o f e duc a tio na l de c isio n-ma king .

 E

nc o ura g ing stude nt pre pa ra tio n



Dra wing o n o ut-o f-c la ss e xpe rie nc e

 Using ‘ a uthe ntic ’ ma te ria ls a nd ‘ re a l’ la ng ua g e 

Inde pe nde nt inq uiry. Asking stude nts to find o ut thing s fo r the mse lve s …we ma y a sk whe the r o ur c ho ic e s a nd de c isio n a s te a c he rs he lp stude nts de ve lo p the a bility, de sir

e a nd fr e e dom to c o ntro l a re a s o f the ir le a rning tha t a re

impo rta nt to the m p.24. ”

Re se a rc h q ue stio ns

 1. Wha t do e s ‘ le a rne r a uto no my’ me a n to E

ng lish la ng ua g e te a c he rs a t the CfL ?

 2. T

• wha t e xte nt, a c c o rding to the te a c he rs, do e s le a rne r a uto no my

c o ntrib ute to L 2 le a rning ?

 3. Do te a c he rs fe e l tha t it is de sira b le a nd fe a sib le to pro mo te le a rne r

a uto no my?

 4. T

• wha t e xte nt do te a c he rs fe e l the ir le a rne rs a re a uto no mo us?

 5. T

• wha t e xte nt do te a c he rs sta te tha t the y a c tua lly pro mo te le a rne r

a uto no my?

 6. Are the finding s in re la tio n to stude nts fro m L

imite d L ite ra c y Ba c kg ro unds simila r to the finding s in re la tio n to the re st o f the c o ho rt a t the CfL ? Wha t is the sig nific a nc e o f the se simila ritie s o r diffe re nc e s in re la tio n to pro mo ting L e a rne r Auto no my with this g ro up o f le a rne rs?

T he surve y

 37 ra te r-b a se d ite ms  10 q ue stio ns o n the

de sira b ility a nd fe a sib ility o f le a rne r a uto no my

 So me o pe n e nde d q ue stio ns

whic h a ske d fo r te a c he rs writte n c o mme nts

 10x 20 minute inte rvie ws with

te a c he rs who indic a te d the ir inte re st in b e ing inte rvie we d.

Ana lysis

Sta tistic a l a na lysis

 Da ta fro m 37 q ue stio n surve y a nd de sira b ility a nd fe a sib ility we re e nte re d

into SPSS 22 to o l

 Que stio ns a b o ut le a rne rs a nd te a c he rs we re ma nua lly a na lyse d

Qua lita tive da ta

 I

nte rvie ws we re tra nsc rib e d using Dra g o n

 Ca te g o rie s a nd the me s e me rg e d fro m the da ta

Pa r tic ipa nts

7.25 16.45 19.2 18.45 18.15 6.2 12.15 8.1 12.2 11.85 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

E ng lish la ng ua g e te a c he rs’ be lie fs a t Winte c a bout le a rne r a utonomy

Me an sc or e

Ra ting s fro m te a c he rs

10.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 25.0 15.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 85.0 65.0 90.0 75.0 10.0 35.0 75.0 60.0 75.0 55.0 10.0 35.0 5.0 75.0 35.0 30.0 10.0 40.0 5.0 15.0 25.0 55.0 10.0 20 40 60 80 100 Technical perspectives on LA Psychological perspectives on LA Social perspectives on LA Political perspectives on LA The role of the teacher in LA The relevance of LA to diverse cultural contexts Age and LA Proficiency and LA The implications of LA to for teaching methodology The relationship of LA to effective language learning LA is an innate vs. learned capacity

Teachers' Perspectives on Learner Autonomy

Strongly disagree Disagree Unsure Agree Strongly agree

Mo re inve stig a tio n into the ro le o f the te a c he r

10.0 10.0 5.0 5.0 10.0 20.0 65.0 40.0 30.0 45.0 40.0 20.0 15.0 20.0 20.0 5.0 30.0 5.0 25.0 40.0 25.0 55.0 15.0 5.0 40.0 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0 90.0 100.0 LA can develop most effectively through learning outside the classroom LA means learning without a teacher LA can't be promoted in teacher centred classrooms LA implies a rejection of traditional teacher-led teaching LA can't develop without the help of a teacher The teacher has an important role to play in supporting learner autonomy

The role of the teacher in learner autonomy

Strongly disagree Disagree Unsure Agree Strongly agree

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 Ide ntify the ir

• wn ne e ds

Ide ntify the ir

• wn str

e ngths Ide ntify the ir

• wn we a kne sse s

Monitor the ir pr

• g r

e ss E va luate the ir

• wn le a r

ning L e a r n c oope r a tive ly L e a r n inde pe nde ntly

L e ar ne r s have the ability to F e asibility De sir ability

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 T he obje c tive s of a c our se T he ma te r ia ls use d T he kinds of ta sks a nd a c tivitie s the y do T he topic s disc usse d How le a r ning is a sse sse d T he te a c hing me thods use d Classr

• om ma nag e me nt

L e ar ne r s ar e involve d in de c isions about F e asibility De sir ability

Re sults fro m surve y o f CfLte a c he rs

T he me s: Mo tiva tio n a nd c o nfide nc e

 T

e a c he rs fe e l tha t so me stude nts se e m to na tura lly have motivation

and c onfide nc e b ut it a lso se e ms tha t te a c he rs think tha t the y ha ve

a ro le in pro mo ting le a rne r mo tiva tio n in the ir c la ssro o m pra c tic e s – pla nning , c la ssro o m ma na g e me nt, c ho ic e o f ma te ria ls a nd inte ra c tio n te c hniq ue s.

I nte rre la tio nship b e twe e n c o nfide nc e , mo tiva tio n a nd le a rne r a uto no my

Auto no my Mo tiva tio n Co nfide nc e

“L e arne rs that have hig he r le ve ls o f auto no my te nd to have a hig he r le ve l o f mo tivatio n. Whe n the y are mo tivate d the y are mo re like ly to take thing s in a faste r way. Whe n the y are mo tivate d this affe c ts the m e mo tio nally. T he y are r

e ady to take in whate ve r is available to the m,

and whe n the mo tivatio n is the re , the y kind o f spe e d up the ir

le ar ning

pro c e ss”

“I think tho se le arne rs that are mo tivate d,that are sho wing initiative , that are a b it mo re c o nfide nt are g o ing to suc c e e d b e tte r in lang uag e le arning . T he y are making ste ps o n the ir o wn.” “A mo tivate d stude nt o r so me o ne has a fo c us o r

a r e aso n fo r why the y’ re

le arning . Having an inte re st in what the y are le arning I think plays a b ig part.” “T

• me L

e arne r Auto no my is a stude nt b e ing c o nfide nt e no ug h and c apab le

• f se e king info rmatio n that is ne c e ssary to the ir suc c e ss in whate ve r the y are

studying .”

E vide nc e o f se lf-mo tiva tio n

“I think an auto no mo us le arne r has a c le ar

se nse o f dir e c tio n, the y’ ve

g o t an e nd go al, and the y’ ve g o t a c le ar dire c tio n ab o ut what the y

ar e do ing and why the y ar e do ing it, and ho w it re late s to the ir

studie s.”

T he ro le o f the te a c he r in pro mo ting le a rne r a uto no my

 Most te ac he r

s thought that the te ac he r had a r

• le in pr
• moting le ar

ne r autonomy

T he y tho ug ht tha t:

 At the lo we r le ve ls sc affolding pla ys a n impo rta nt ro le . 

As stude nts g a ine d g re a te r c o mpe te nc y the y e nc o ura g e d a uto no my b y a sking stude nts to wor

k c ollabor ative ly o n ta sks, b ut be ing available if

ne e de d.

 At the hig he r le ve ls te a c he rs we re c o nside ring how to be st allow stude nts to

be mor e in c har ge of the ir le ar ning o r b e c o me mor e autonomous.

“I think it’ s a valid po int that as te ac he rs we ar

e able to fac ilitate and se t gr

• und wo r

k….the re ally suc c e ssful le arne rs to me are the o ne s

who take that info rmatio n and r

un with it inde pe nde ntly o utside o f the

c lassro o m and it may b e that the y fo rm g ro ups the mse lve s”

Pro g re ssio n to g re a te r a uto no my

“within tho se parame te rs se t o nc e ag ain b y the ir te ac he r, the n the y are o n the ir o wn in that g ro up wo rk task, and the y ne e d to ne g o tiate the ir o wn way thro ug h the task in the g ro up with the o the r stude nts, and if it’ s a ne w task the re ’ s a lo t mo r

e se c ur ity and safe ty in the

g ro up, the y c an po o l the ir re so urc e s. T he y c an wo rk o ut what’ s re q uire d to g e the r and the r

e is a natur al pr

• gr

e ssio n in language te ac hing fr

• m gr
• up wo r

k to pair wo r k to individual wo r k”

T he pr

• c e ss of be c oming autonomous is a gr

adual one “....it’ s a uto ma tic a lly

taught by te ac he r s as the y move up thr

• ugh

the le ve ls, it’ s ve ry ha rd

fo r a te a c he r to a rtic ula te ho w this ha ppe ns. I t’ s de finite ly ta ug ht to the m a s the y g o .” “ with the lo w-lite ra c y stude nts its wor

king in pair s

me a ns whe re the y ha ve to mo ve o ut o f the ir c o mfo rt zo ne a little b it, and the n

de ve loping fr

• m pair

s into gr

• up wor

k.

Pr

• moting le ar

ne r autonomy and e ngage me nt involve s a lot of thought and pr e par ation

“I fo und tha t te a c he r-c e ntre d te a c hing is muc h e a sie r a c tua lly, a nd

pr

• moting le ar

ning autonomy and e ngage me nt take s quite a lot of pr e par

• ation. Be c a use g o o d te a c hing to me is the c o nstruc tio n a nd

pre pa ra tio n o f a c tivitie s tha t le a rne rs find e ng a g ing , tha t ta ke o ff a nd ha ve a mo me ntum o f the ir o wn.

L e ar ne r autonomy se e ms to de ve lop as le ar ne r s adapt to the Ne w Ze aland style of e duc ation

“ As the y ge t mor

e and mor e use d to the Ne w Ze aland style of e duc ation and the c lassr

• om style of e duc ation style of e duc ation,

the y be c ome mor e c omfor table with that a nd with the ir c la ssma te s.

T ha t ma ke s the m mo re willing to ta ke c ha nc e s a nd put the mse lve s o ut the re to b e c o me mo re a uto no mo us.

L e ar ne r s with limite d lite r ac y ar e mor e or le ss autonomous?

 Dive rg e nt o pinio ns  L

e a rne rs ma y b e una b le to b e a uto no mo us e spe c ia lly a t b e g inne r le ve l a s the y ne e d so muc h te a c he r input.

“E spe c ia lly te a c hing in a lo we r le ve l lite ra c y c la ss, e ve rything

is c oming from me a nd I a m dire c ting e ve ry sing le a c tivity tha t the y do, the y ha ve n’ t a ny o ppo rtunity to de ve lo p the ir o wn

a uto no my within tha t c la ss, a nd the y do n’ t ha ve to think fo r the mse lve s, so I think in the c la ssro o m whe re the te a c hing is te a c he r-c e ntre d the n yo u a re no t g o ing to ha ve a uto no mo us le a rne rs.”

A ve r y fe w te ac he r s thought that the r e was not ne c e ssar ily a link be twe e n le ar ne r autonomy and c ompe te nc y “I t wo uld b e patr

• nising to

assume that be ginne r s ar e some how le ss autonomous. I

do n’ t think it’ s a c o ntinuum tha t pro duc e s a n a uto no mo us le a rne r a t the e nd o f the diplo ma c o urse . I think le a rne r a uto no my b e g ins a t the b e g inning .”

“Ma ny limite d-lite ra c y le a rne rs a re fo rme r re fug e e s. T

• me this

histo ry sug g e sts sur

vival and str uggle, a nd a high de gr e e of autonomy.”

T he e duc ation / soc ie tal str uc tur e whic h value s lite r ac y highly plac e s de mands on limite d lite r ac y stude nts whic h ofte n c ome fr

• m or

al tr aditions

 “Altho ug h the y ha ve hig hly de ve lo pe d a ura l skills, the ir

ability to study autonomously is se ve r e ly c ur taile d in an e duc ation syste m like our

• s. Mo st o f o ur a sse ssme nts a re pre dic a te d o n the a b ility to

re a d a nd write . T he y a re rig ht b a c k to b e ing a b e g inne r la ng ua g e le a rne r. T

hat tool box whic h a stude nt star ts to de ve lop - the ir s is e mpty and the y ne e d to star t fr

• m the be ginning. So the y c a n’ t b e

a uto no mo us until the y ha ve the to o ls to do it.”

Re al wor ld c ommunic ation and le ar ne r autonomy

“I think o ne o f the g re a t motivating things for

stude nts is to be able to use the language in a way that ge nuine ly c ommunic ate s with othe r pe ople , a nd the y fe e l tha t what the y say has a r e al e ffe c t on the wor ld ar

• und the m. So we ne e d to ta ke the use of language b e yo nd the

c la ssro o m a c tivitie s to the mor

e authe ntic situations whe re stude nts

c a n se nse tha t e ve n if the ir vo c a b ula ry is ye s o r no , it has an e ffe c t on

the wor ld ar

• und the m.

Some thought that le ar ne r autonomy was tie d to le ar ne r s’ pe r sonalitie s r athe r than anything to do with te ac he r input

“…it’s just pe ople and the ir

pe r sonalitie s a nd so me time s yo u g e t it

g ro up o f stude nts tha t just lo ve to b e a dve nturo us a nd the n yo u’ ll g e t a g ro up tha t just sit the re a nd wa nt to b e le a d, so yo u c a n’ t g ive the m a uto no my, b e c a use the y do n’ t wa nt to do it, so it’ s a c a se -b y-c a se situa tio n b ut I think tha t e ve r

yone has the oppor tunity to be autonomous.”

F inding s

T e a c he rs tho ug ht tha t the re wa s a stro ng c o rre la tio n b e twe e n c onfide nt,

ac tive a nd motivate d le ar ne r s a nd the ir le ve l o f a uto no my

T he se b e ha vio urs ma y b e no tic e d a s the y:



se a rc h o ut info rma tio n inde pe nde ntly



a sk q ue stio ns



de mo nstra te initia tive



ha ve c le a r g o a ls a nd dire c tio n



ma ke the mo st o f o ppo rtunitie s

 T

e a c he rs tho ug ht tha t le ar

ne r autonomy c an be pr

• mote d a nd tha t it

se e ms to de ve lop ove r

time while stude nts a re a t the Ce ntre fo r

L a ng ua g e s.

 Str

ate gie s use to foste r autonomy:

Cre a ting a suppor

tive e nvir

• nme nt

Use o f sc affolding to e na b le ta sk fulfilme nt, c a re ful sta g ing Use o f a va rie ty of inte r

ac tional str ate gie s to pro mo te c o nfide nc e a nd

c o mpe te nc e Use o f authe ntic a nd r

e le vant ma te ria ls

T he r e we r e dive r ge nt opinions about limite d lite r ac y le ar ne r s’ de gr e e s of autonomy

 Mo st te a c he rs tho ug ht the y ha d a ve ry a c tive ro le to pla y in sc a ffo lding

the ir le a rning

 T

he y tho ug ht tha t the se stude nts ma y no t b e a b le to b e a uto no mo us a s

• the rs due to the ir limite d lite ra c y

 A sma ll g ro up fe lt tha t the y we re q uite a uto no mo us o r tha t the re we re to o

ma ny va ria b le s to ma ke a n info rme d judg e me nt

Co nc lusio n

 T

e a c he rs tho ug ht tha t g e ne ra lly mo tiva te d a nd c o nfide nt le a rne rs in the ir c la sse s we re fa irly a uto no mo us le a rne rs

 T

he y tho ug ht tha t te a c he rs ha d a ro le to pla y in de ve lo ping the ir le a rne rs a uto no my

 T

he y tho ug ht tha t in g e ne ra l le a rne r a uto no my de ve lo pe d o ve r time

 T

he y tho ug ht tha t in g e ne ra l limite d lite ra c y le a rne rs in the c o ho rt we re no t ve ry a uto no mo us le a rne rs

 T

e a c he rs vie ws o f the ir le a rne rs a t the CfLfa ll so me whe re o n the c o ntinuum b e twe e n we a k a nd stro ng ve rsio ns o f the pe da g o g y o f the ir le a rne rs in tha t ma ny think tha t le a rne rs ma y ne e d so me a ssista nc e to b e c o me mo re a uto no mo us, a nd o the rs fe e l tha t pa rtic ula rly the ir mo re a dva nc e d le a rne rs a re de mo nstra ting a uto no mo us le a rning ha b its

F urthe r q ue stio ns a rising fro m this study

 Ho w c a n we inte g ra te mo re e ffe c tive mo tiva tio na l stra te g ie s into o ur

te a c hing pra c tic e ke e ping in mind the re la tio nship b e twe e n motivation,

c onfide nc e a nd autonomy?

 Ho w do te a c he rs c o ntinue to pr

• mote autonomy a c ro ss the c o ho rt?

 Are the re so me fre sh stra te g ie s we c a n furthe r de ve lo p to build c onfide nc e

a nd foste r

autonomy a mo ng le ar ne r s with limite d lite r ac y?

Re fe r e nc e s

 Be nso n, P. (2001) T

e ac hing and re se arc hing auto no my in lang uag e le arning . Ha rlo w: L

• ng ma n.

 Be nso n, P. (2012)Auto no my in L

ang uag e T e ac hing and L e arning : Ho w to Do it ‘ He re ’ Se le c te d Pa pe rs fro m the T we nty-first I nte rna tio na l Sympo sium

• f E

ng lish T e a c hing : E ng lish T e a c he rs ‘ Asso c ia tio n- Re pub lic o f China

 Bo rg , S. & Al-Busa idi (2012a ) T

e a c he rs’ b e lie fs a nd pra c tic e s re g a rding le a rne r a uto no my. E ng lish L ang uag e T e ac hing Jo urnal, 33(3), 283-292.

 Bo rg , S. & Al-Busa idi (2012b ) L

e arne r auto no my: E ng lish lang uag e te ac he rs’ b e lie fs and prac tic e s. E L T Re se ac h pape r 12-07.L

• ndo n: T

he British Co unc il

 Ho le c , H. (1981) Auto no my and fo re ig n lang uag e le arning . Oxfo rd:

Pe rg a mo n Pre ss.

 L

ittle , D. (1991) L e a rne r Auto no my 1: De finitio ns, I ssue s a nd Pro b le ms Dub lin: Authe ntik. )

 Pa lfre yma n, D. a nd Smith,R.C.(e ds)(2003)) L

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