Learner Autonomy In & Out Of Class Vicky Loras 
Autonomy: a very important aspect of the learning process. How do we encourage this in our learners, however?
Many factors come to mind when we come across the term learner autonomy. First of all, I think that learner autonomy can well exist in class during the learning process. Regardless of age, some students tend to depend too much on the teacher or even on other students. It is our responsibility to help them disconnect from other sources at times and try to stand on their own feet by taking ownership of their learning. Sometimes students need a bit of assistance in seeing where they are strong and what their abilities are – additionally, to look at their weaker points and see it as a challenge to overcome them and improve on them, on their own. When they gain confidence, then they can see that they can work independently.
There is also learner autonomy outside the classroom. I think this is equally if not more important than autonomy in the classroom, for the reason that here the students are completely alone and need the motivation and confidence to work on their own and keep up their learning outside the classroom. What I do with my students is that I present them with various tools and methods they can use, so that they can blossom into autonomous learners:
– The internet. A huge vault of knowledge is waiting out there for them. I let them know of specific websites where they can either monitor their progress or work harder on aspects that trouble them. For instance, if they have issues with listening comprehension, I lead them to websites packed with podcasts and listening material that can help them practice and motivate them to become better at it. Once they start doing it on their own, they realize how much that enhances their learning.
– Electronic devices and apps. Nowadays, a lot of students own smart phones and tablets. They can use them to store their work, podcasts, materials and they can use various apps, such as dictionaries, language games and so on to enhance their learning outside the classroom.
Some students even create and store and learn from their own materials! For example, they create podcasts of themselves speaking – all thanks to technology and the students’ willingness to learn autonomously.
– Books and print materials. For students who do not have access to electronic media, but even for those who do, books are really important in their learning and we should encourage them to use them and research various aspects of the language. I sometimes take my students, children or older, to bookstores and libraries and we all search together.
It always helps to share our own experiences in autonomous learning (if for instance, we are learning a new language or skill) with our students – this way they can see how we learn and perhaps try to do the same. Won’t students become autonomous learners, if we model the behaviour first?
Hi Vicky,
I completely agree that learner autonomy is very important – in fact I think it is the key to a being successful student. Teachers should never spoon-feed their students, but encourage them to do things for themselves, as you say. We are there to push them in the right direction – they’ll never have the confidence or motivation to think and learn for themselves, if they feel they can’t do it without help. Your approach is brilliant – we should encourage them to use the language outside of the classroom as much as possible.
In my experience (in Spain at least), the biggest obstacle students tend to encounter is time. Some suggest that there is no time to read in English, there’s no time to speak in English, or to do those ‘extra’ things – and in fact that’s often a rationale for coming to class in the first place. Even if we point out all the things they can do, some students balk and say that class time is enough for them.
However, we can change that attitude, and I think it is important that we do so. By having the students look at their time, and plan around it they can find plenty of windows of opportunity. The secret is not to make them do ‘extra,’ but to do what they would do anyway, but in English. Students can set their phones, Facebook, TV…to English language – and use these things until they become second nature. There is a vast amount of vocabulary associated with these resources– and the students are mostly already aware of the meanings, so translation is not an issue.
Reading is a great idea as you suggested, and you can have students form a book or film club – watching or reading agreed sections of the book every week. They can have a 10 minute discussion in English once a week in the classroom, on Twitter (with a #hashtag), or on a private blog monitored by the teacher.
The students should always be pushing themselves. The intrinsic motivation – that is of wanting to learn English – is not always enough, because people are by nature procrastinators, I know I am. If students all decide on their goals together and agree to share what they do in their own time with the class every week – you have a recipe for learner autonomy; the pressure of having to share what you’ve done with others is a powerful motivator.
George
Great post, Vicky! I’ve enjoyed reading it! I agree with you, our example and learning experience helps students a lot.
Internet has given me the chance to help my students become independent learners. Just today a student from an adult group I teach at the language school where I work commented in class that she learns a lot and also develops reading skills by reading and taking down notes of the positive phrases I share on Facebook. Now she’s started looking for these phrases herself and uploads them. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to know, she’s become interested in it. She’s very enthusiastic about learning this way. I feel she’s become autonomous.
Hugs,
Marisa
Dear Vicky,
You have hit the nail on the head here. So many wonderful and beautiful aspects of learning and you’ve made them sound all of them so very easy. I totally loved the article and would sincerely love to see you in person one day.
God bless you and your lovely family
Vijay