TESL 4340 – Learner autonomy

1. TESL 4340 – Learner autonomy Dr. Henry Tao GUO Email:henryguo@uic.edu.hk

2. Some thoughts to start with • Tell me and I will forget; show me and I will remember; involve me and I’ll learn. -Chinese saying If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime. -the Confucius

3. What is autonomy • The history of autonomy in language learning • Autonomy beyond the field of language education • Defining and describing autonomy

4. The history of autonomy in language learning • CRAPEL(1971) -a focal point for research and practice in autonomy in language learning • Henry Holec (1981)-the author of a key document on learner autonomy and a founder of Melanges Pedagogiques, a journal which plays an important role in the dissemination of research on autonomy

5. Autonomy beyond the field of language education • Galileo on teaching and learning You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself. Galieo Galilei (1564-1642)

6. Rousseau on teaching and learning …suggest problems but leave the solving of them to him. Whatever he knows, he should know not because you have told him, but because he has grasped it himself. Do not teach him science: let him discover it. If ever substitute authority for reason in his mind, he will stop reasoning and become the victim of other people’s opinions… Boyd (1956:73-6)

7. Defining and describing autonomy • Autonomy is described as ‘the ability to take charge of one’s own learning’. ( Holec 1981:3)

8. To take charge of one’s own learning is to have, and to hold, the responsibility for all the decisions concerning all aspects of this learning, i.e.: • Determining the objectives; • Defining the contents and progressions; • Selecting methods and techniques to be used; • Monitoring the procedure of acquisition properly speaking ( rhythm, time, place, etc.) • Evaluating what has been acquired

9. The autonomous learner is himself capable of making all these decisions concerning the learning with which he is or wishes to be involved

10. Some other most well known definitions • 'Autonomy is essentially a matter of the learner's psychological relation to the process and content of learning' (David Little) • '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) • 'Autonomyis a recognition of the rights of learners within educational systems'. (Phil Benson)

11. Autonomy and culture Is autonomy inimical to Asian learning cultures?

12. If you are in doubt, think it out by yourself. Do not depend on others for explanations. Suppose there was no one you could ask, should you stop learning? If you could get rid of the habit of being dependant on others, you will make your advancement in your study. Chu Hsi (1130-1200)

13. Autonomy and CALL • In looking at autonomy, the self-access setting can offer learners choices in time, location, and pace of learning; the path through the material to be chosen; and the topics of interest. • CALL can play a role in all of these.

14. Reference • Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and Researching Autonomy in Language Learning. Harlow: Longman.