Learner Autonomy in Foreign Language Teaching

【Abstract】Learner autonomy （LA） is a very important theory. To cultivate learner autonomy in foreign language teaching becomes a popular topic.

【Key words】learner autonomy； foreign language teaching

【作者簡介】贾敏，山东工艺美术学院公共课教学部。

【基金项目】山东省本科高校教学改革研究项目名称：基于能力培养的高校艺术生英语学习动态（面上）自筹项目，编号：C2016M043。

I. Introduction

As an English teacher， I noticed that students learning styles are quite different from each other. For example， some follow a teachers lecture attentively， and note down almost every word a teacher says. After class they read almost nothing but textbooks and their notes. Some seldom make notes or only scrawl something they consider important or interesting. After class they seem to care little about their textbooks. However， they read whatever attracts them in English. The former usually can get higher marks in final examinations while the latter seem to be more competent after graduation. The former case involves with students who are passive learners while the students of the latter case belong to those who can learn foreign language autonomously. Learner autonomy （LA） is a very important theory. Nowadays researchers tend to focus on the study of learners in the field of foreign language teaching. Thus to cultivate learner autonomy becomes a popular topic and gains teachers preference.

II. The Definition of Learner Autonomy

Learner autonomy has several synonyms： independent learning， language awareness， self-directed learning and self-access learning. As far as the definition of learner autonomy is concerned， different people have different opinions. Some experts think that learner autonomy is a kind of ability. H. Holec， who is the advocate of learner autonomy， has pointed out that autonomy is an ability by which learner shows his responsibility to his own learning. D. Little defines LA as a certain independent ability. He thinks it can make a learner think critically， make a decision and take actions independently. William Littlewood regards learner autonomy as the ability with which a learner can use what he has learned independently， that is without teachers support. Nunan thinks that those who have the ability to set their own aims and search learning chances are autonomous learners. Other experts regard LA as a certain learning action. Huttunen values the significance of insisting on carrying out one particular type of learning when considering learner autonomy. All in all， this concept emphasizes that learners， as an independent organism， have the ability to decide what and how they should learn. They should take responsibility for their own study. Dickinson thinks that an autonomous learner should bear the following responsibilities： 1 the learner should decide what to learn； 2 the learner should learn on his own； 3 the learner should control the rate of advance； 4 the leaner should choose when and where to study； 5 the learner should opt for his study materials； 6 the learner should supervise and control himself during the whole process； 7 the learner should check and evaluate his learning on his own. In a word， an autonomous learner should set his learning goals， choose strategies to learn， control his learning process， adjust his strategies and sum up his experience.

III. The Reasons of Advocating Learner Autonomy

Here two reasons are put forward. Firstly， LA caters for our modern teaching objectives. Modern teaching tends to emphasize the raising of learners ability and the strengthening of their overall qualities. Today people have to deal with all kinds of information in order to adapt themselves to the changing environment. The education， one obtains in a university， is not enough. Lifelong study is becoming more and more popular. People are never too old to study. However， the traditional foreign language teaching stresses the instilling of knowledge and the training of skills. This is out of fashion and no longer satisfies the need of modern teaching objectives. Therefore， todays education including foreign language teaching must provide students with learner autonomy， which is an indispensable factor of lifelong study.

Another point should also be taken into consideration： learner autonomy is a need for a learner himself. Different learners have different abilities to learn a foreign language. Their cognitive styles and strategies are various. Researchers have found that some students are field dependent， others field independent， some are syllabus-bound， while others syllabus free. It is clear that every learner has his own conditions. Once we neglect their difference and adopt the same teaching material， teaching method and teaching progress， learners will lose interest in learning. The consequence might be disastrous. So what we should do is to pay close attention to every student， help him to find out his own study style and then make him take action accordingly to achieve learner autonomy.