Page 146 - Beyond Methods

134 Promoting learner autonomy While these scholars tell us what learner autonomy actually is,
they also tell us what it is not:
• Autonomy is not independence, that is, learners have to learn to work cooperatively with their teachers, peers, and the educa- tional system;
• Autonomy is not context-free, that is, the extent to which it can be practiced depends on factors such as learners’ personality and motivation, their language learning needs and wants, and the ed- ucational environment within which learning takes place; and
• Autonomy is not a steady state achieved by learners, that is, au- tonomous learners are likely to be autonomous in one situation, but not necessarily in another, and they may very well choose to abdicate their own autonomy and look for teacher direction at certain stages in their learning.
Drawing insights from extensive research conducted during the 1990s, Anna Chamot and her colleagues have identified four processes that have the potential to enable learners to exercise con- trol over their learning (Chamot, et al., 1999). They are: planning, monitoring, problem solving, and evaluating. These processes are better explained through their own words and through their own example:
In a typical classroom task, such as an interactive speaking inter- view of a classmate’s leisure time activities, the good learner might begin planning by thinking about various activities in which people often engage in their free time. She continues planning by narrow- ing her focus to those activities for which she knows vocabulary in the target language. Depending on the extent of her knowledge, she may decide to gather additional vocabulary by asking her teacher, looking at her notes, or checking a dictionary. She thinks about how to formulate questions in the target language, and she anticipates the types of response she may get to her questions. She then writes down her questions and/or some key vocabulary pertinent to her topics. She reminds herself of language features such as pronunci- ation and intonation. After she begins her interview, she monitors herself listening to herself speak, watching the interviewee’s face, and listening to the interviewee’s answers such as pronunciation and intonation. She asks for clarification when she does not under- stand a response (problem solving). This good learner repeats the interviewee’s main points to make sure she understands, and she gives feedback to show she is paying attention. After the interview is finished, she evaluates by reflecting on her use of language and any