An Investigation into Iranian EFL Teachers’ Perception of Learner Autonomy

Seyed Mohammad Reza Amirian, Mostafa Azari Noughabi

Abstract


There has been heated debate over the issue of learner autonomy in the arena of language education for the last three decades. To this effect, the present study intends to examine Iranian teacher's perception of learner autonomy and its desirability and feasibility in Iranian context. The beliefs and reported practices regarding learner autonomy of 123 teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) were studied via questionnaires (Borg & Al-Busaidi, 2012). The results showed that the majority of teachers had an acceptable level of understanding of learner autonomy, but in their view, no notable amount of interest in desirability and feasibility of learner autonomy was seen. In addition, the findings implied neglected aspects of practicality of learner autonomy among EFL teachers and consequently lack of impetus to make its practice desirable. Finally, this study concludes with highlighting the role of autonomy in teacher education programs and some implications are proposed.

Keywords


learner autonomy; desirability; feasibility; EFL; teachers’ beliefs

Full Text:

PDF

References


Alexander, O. (2011). Exploring teacher beliefs in teaching EAP at low proficiency levels. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 11.2, 99–111.

Balçıkanlı, C. (2010). Learner autonomy in language learning: Student teachers’ beliefs. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 35.1, 90-103.

Barfield, A., & Brown, S. (Eds.). (2007). Reconstructing autonomy in language education: Inquiry and innovation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning. New York, NY: Longman.

Benson, P. (2007). Teachers’ and learners’ perspectives on autonomy. In T. E. Lamb & H. Reinders (eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities and responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 15-32.

Benson, P. (2011). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning (2nd ed.). Harlow: Longman.

Borg, S. (2006). Teacher cognition and language education: Research and practice. Continuum, London.

Borg, S. (2011). The impact of in-service teacher education on language teachers’ beliefs. System 39.3, 370-380.

Borg, S., & Al-Busaidi, S. (2012). Learner autonomy: English language teachers’ beliefs and practices. British Council: ELT research paper 12.7, 1-45.

Bullock, D. (2011). Learner self-assessment: An investigation into teachers’ beliefs. ELT Journal 62.2, 114-125.

Burkert, A. & Schwienhorst, K. (2008). Focus on the student teacher: The European Portfolio for student teachers of languages (EPOSTL) as a tool to develop teacher autonomy. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching 2.3, 238- 252.

Camilleri, G. (1999). Learner autonomy: The teachers’ views. Retrieved 20 January 2012, from http://archive.ecml.at/documents/pubCamilleriG_E.pdf.

Camilleri G., A. (2007). Pedagogy for autonomy, teachers’ attitudes and institutional change: A case study. In M. Jimenez Raya & L. Sercu (eds.), Challenges in teacher development: Learner autonomy and intercultural competence. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 81-102.

Castle, K. (2006). Autonomy through pedagogical research. Teaching and Teacher Education 22.8, 1094-1103.

Chan, V. (2003). Autonomous language learning: The teachers’ perspectives. Teaching in Higher Education 8.1, 33-54.

Cotterall, S. (1995). Developing a course strategy for learner autonomy. ELT Journal 49.3, 219-227.

Dickinson, L. (1987). Self-Instruction in language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dickinson, L. (1995). Autonomy and motivation: A literature review. System 23.2, 165-174.

Dörnyei, Z., & Taguchi, T. (2009). Questionnaires in second language research: Construction, administration, and processing. New York, NY: Routledge.

Eneau, J. & Develotte, C. (2012). Working together online to enhance learner autonomy: Analysis of learners’ perceptions of their online learning experience. ReCALL 24.1, 3-19. doi:10.1017/S0958344011000267.

Flannery, J. L. (1994). Teachers as co-conspirator: knowledge and authority in collaborative learning. In K. Bosworth & S. J. Hamilton (eds.), Collaborative learning and underlying processes and effective techniques. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 15-23.

Golombek, P. R., & Johnson, K. E. (2004). Narrative inquiry as a mediational space: Examining emotional and cognitive dissonance in second-language teachers’ development. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice 10.3, 307–327.

Gremmo, M. J., & Riley, P. (1995). Autonomy, self-direction and self-access in language teaching and learning: The history of an idea. System 23.2, 151-164.

Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching. (4th ed.). New York, NY: Longman.

Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy in foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon.

Holec, H. (1988). Autonomy and self-directed learning: Present fields of application. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.

Hurd, S., Beaven, T., & Ortega, A. (2001). Developing autonomy in a distance language learning context: Issues and dilemmas for course writers. System 29.3, 341–355.

Johnson, K. E. (2006). The sociocultural turn and it’s for second language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly 40.1, 235-257.

Kennedy, C. & Kennedy, J. (1996). Teacher attitudes and change implementation. System 24.3, 351 360.

Lamb, T. & Reinders, H. (2006). Supporting independent learning: Issues and interventions. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.

Lamb, T. & Reinders, H. (2007). Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Lamb, T. E., & Reinders, H. (Eds.). (2008). Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Little, D. (1995). Learning as dialogue: The dependence of learner autonomy on teacher autonomy. System 23.2, 175-182.

Little, D. (2007). Reconstructing learner and teacher autonomy in language education. In A. Barfield, & S. Brown (eds.), Reconstructing autonomy in language education: Inquiry and innovation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 1-13.

Little, D. (2009). Language learner autonomy and the European Language Portfolio: Two L2 English examples. Language Teaching 42, 222-233.

Littlejohn, A. (1985). Learner choice in language study. ELT Journal 39.4, 253-261.

Littlewood, W. (1996). Autonomy: An anatomy and a framework. System 24.4, 427-435.

Littlewood, W. (1997). Self-access: Why do we want it and what can it do? In P. Benson & P. Voller (eds.), Autonomy and independence in language learning. London, UK: Longman, 79-92.

Littlewood, W. (1999). Defining and developing autonomy in East Asian contexts. Applied Linguistics 20.1, 71-94.

Marcosa, J. J. M. & Tillemab, H. (2006). Studying studies on teacher reflection and action: An appraisal of research contributions. Educational Research Review 1.2, 112-132.

Martinez, H. (2008). The subjective theories of student teachers: Implications for teacher education and research on learner autonomy. In T. E. Lamb & H. Reinders (eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 103-124.

Murphy, L. (2008). Supporting learner autonomy: Developing practice through the production of courses for distance learners of French, German and Spanish. Language Teaching Research 12.1, 83-102.

Nunan, D. (1997). Designing and adapting materials to encourage learner autonomy. In P. Benson and P. Voller (eds.), Autonomy and independence in language learning. London, UK: Longman, 192-203.

O'Malley, J.M., Chamot, A.U. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Oxford, R. L. (1996). Language learning strategies around the world: Cross-cultural perspectives. Honolulu: Second Language Teaching & Curriculum Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.

Oxford, R. L. (2003). Toward a more systematic model of L2 learner autonomy. In D. Palfreyman & R. C. Smith (eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 75-91.

Pajares, M. F. (1992). Teachers’ beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research 62.3, 307-332.

Palfreyman, D. (2003). Introduction: Culture and learner autonomy. In D. Palfreyman & R. C. Smith (eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 1-19.

Pennycook, A. (1997). Cultural alternatives and autonomy. In P. Benson and P. Voller (eds.), Autonomy and independence in language learning. London, UK: Longman, 35-53.

Phipps, S., & Borg, S. (2009). Exploring tensions between teachers’ grammar teaching beliefs and practices. System 37.3, 380-390.

Prichard, C. & Moore, J. (2016). The balance of teacher autonomy and top-down coordination in ESOL programs. TESOL Quarterly 50.1, 190-201.

Ryan, R. M. (1991). The nature of the self in autonomy and relatedness. In J. Strauss & G. R. Goethals (eds.), The self-interdisciplinary approaches. New York, NY: Springer, 208-238.

Scharle, A. & Szabo, A. (2000). Learner autonomy: A guide to developing learner responsibility. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Smith, R. C. (2000). Starting with ourselves: Teacher-learner autonomy in language learning. In B. Sinclair, et al. (eds.), Learner autonomy, teacher autonomy: Future directions. London, UK: Longman, 89-99.

Thavenius, C. (1999). Teacher autonomy for learner autonomy. In S. Cotterall & D. Crabbe (eds.), Leaner autonomy in language learning: Defining the field and effecting change. New York, NY: Peter Lang, 159-163.

Vieira, F. V. (2009). Struggling for autonomy in language education: Reflecting, acting, and being. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.

Voller, P. (1997). Does the teacher have a role in autonomous learning? In P. Benson and P. Volle (eds.), Autonomy and Independence in Language Learning. London, UK: Longman, 98-113.

Yang, N. D., (1998). Exploring a new role for teachers: Promoting learner autonomy. System 26, 127-135.

Yoshiyuki, N. (2011). Teachers’ readiness for promoting learner autonomy: A study of Japanese EFL high school teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education 27.5, 900-910.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0804.22

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Journal of Language Teaching and Research (JLTR, ISSN 1798-4769)
Copyright © 2015-2018 ACADEMY PUBLICATION — All Rights Reserved