Towards Instructional Success by Fostering Learner Autonomy

1. Towards Instructional Success by Fostering Learner Autonomy Tadeja Hafner School of Foreign Languages Slovenian Armed Forces

2. What is instructional success? - Achievement of course goals? - Success in tests? - Good end-of-course critiques? - The teacher’s “good feeling”?

3. Instructional success We have been successful as teachers if we have given our learners means and strategies to sustain and further develop their knowledge.

4. Instructional success Successful language learners: - plan their learning, • actively seek learning opportunities, • evaluate their learning, • adjust their learning according to evaluation.

5. Planning, seeking oportunities, evaluating, adjusting or regulating Learner autonomy

6. Autonomy and Motivation • According to social psychologists Deci and Ryan autonomy is a basic human need. • It is nourished by and in turn nourishes our intrinsic motivation.

7. Learner Autonomy Holec (1981): • Autonomy in learning is the ability to take charge of one’s own learning. • Not an inborn ability.

8. Learner Autonomy • Holec (1981): Two conditions: • An individiual has to know how to make decisions. • There has to be a structure within which an individual can monitor his learning and make neccessary changes.

9. Learner Autonomy Nunan (1997): • Autonomy is a process, continuum. • It is best supported in the classroom.

10. Learner Autonomy • A can of worms

11. Incorporating autonomous learning into a regular teaching programme • Raising awareness • Giving students control • Giving opportunities to share

12. Raising awareness • Learning style or preferred learning practice • Opportunities for learning • Means to self-regulate emotions

13. Giving students control • Helping them articulate own goals (reading & listening), • choosing own texts to listen/to read (in their own time and in class), • choosing follow-up activities.

14. Giving oportunities to share • Regular, short “support group” sessions (what I have read/listened to, how did I feel about it); • Sharing interesting sources; • Information gap activities.

15. Practical experience • A 10-week course • Listening & reading module • Approximately half way through the course

16. MY LEARNING CONTRACT READING/LISTENING SKILLS What is my goal? How am I going to work towards it?

17. By when do I want to have my workdone? How am I going to prove that I have done the work to achieve my goal? Signed: Printed name:

18. AUTONOMOUS LEARNING LOG Date and time: Place: Activity/materials: How well did I do? Reasons for my evaluation: My extra work(a written summary, a letter, oral follow-up, new vocabulary with examples, etc.):

19. Problems • Few listening/reading logs • Oh, just give us homework.

21. Sources: • Deci, E., Ryan, E. (1987). The Support of Autonomy and the Control of Behaviour. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024-1037. • Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning. Oxford, UK: Pergamon • IATAFL Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group, University of Kent, UK. (http: learnerautonomy.org/wormsarticle.html) • Nunan, D. (1997). Designing and adapting materials to encourage learner Autonomy. In P. Benson and P. Voller (eds.) Autonomy and Independence in Language Learning (pp. 192-203). Harlow, UK: Addison Wesley Longman Ltd.