Ways of fostering learner autonomy

Marlena Kamraj

Adam Mickiewicz University

Learner autonomy is the ability to self-directed study. Holec (1981: 3) says it is „the
ability to take charge of one’s own learning”. It means that students are able to acquire knowledge
on their own, in other words, they are independent. It is important in development of a young
learner, because it gives him or her the possibility to choose the direction of their study. Moreover, a
self-reliant student is more eager to expand his or her knowledge and skills outside school and also
in later life as an adult. The theory of learner autonomy appeared in 1980s and it put learner of a
foreign language and the process of learning in the center, thus simply shifted the responsibility
from the teacher to the student. However, it still does require the help from the teacher due to his
role in support and help toward students. The important question is how to foster learners autonomy
to make them more responsible for their progress in the foreign language and nowadays it is
essential aim of education for teachers. Useful techniques are: contracts, group projects, developing
skills useful in acquisition, showing the most beneficial ways of learning, negotiating and
individualizing homework assignments, asking students to keep „learning journals”, encouraging
students to continue learning and stay in touch with the language, helping learners to write personal
study plans, the importance of self-access centers, introducing the „European Language” Portfolio
etc. In addition, teachers have to remember that different age group are prone to different strategies
of developing their autonomy.
There are plenty of ways to foster learners' autonomy. Immediately after explaining
pupils how the process of learning works, the first step to create autonomous learner is to help them
to be more independent (Harmer 2001: 395). Nevertheless, explanations are insufficient. Students
are often not quite sure what their aims are – they go to school and learn because everybody does
that or their parents tell them to do so. Teachers' role is to grow awareness in pupils, to help them to
define their goals in language and choose the best strategy to learn. Pedagogues should encourage
students not to be passive watchers, but doers (Harmer 2001: 394), which effects in their becoming
more self-reliant, but simultaneously more enthusiastic, which is essential in creating curiosity that
leads students to learn for pleasure.Furthermore, giving students agency is also useful in sustaining
their motivation. Those students who are more motivated to learn in classroom and outside the
school have higher self-esteem and derive joy from process of acquiring knowledge. When a
student can apply this knowledge in reality outside the classroom, he is successive in the proccess
of learning (James 2006: 151). However, it also gives a learner the feeling that he learns something
useful, that will help him or her in many real-life situations. Despite learners' motivation, there are
always differences between student's perceptions and teacher's intentions (Harmer 2001: 395). It
means that pupils sometimes just do not understand what is the point of the exercise, because they
see other purpose of the task, not the one that the teacher arranged. This problem may also has its
genesis in lack of explaining students what is going to happen during the lesson. If student are
supposed to be autonomous, pedagogues have to first resolve such cooperation problems. It means
teachers' explanations of the exercise as well as giving information about the aim of the task. Once
students is able to identify their goals, they can also achieve it. What is even more important, all
students differ – just like all people - and it brings to the fore the topic of learner strategies.
Strategies are essential for bringing up learner's autonomy, but they have to be chosen individually.
Some students learn best by coginitive strategies and others by social. The teacher should

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familiarize students with all strategies to help them to choose the best for themselves.
Simultaneously, the process of shifting responsibility takes place – students must be aware, that
their success at school depends on them. Another important step in shaping a self-aware learner is
what is called “can do” statements. Students can check their achievements by writing what they can
do and what they cannot. It demonstrates them what they have to improve without being given
directions from the teacher. A similar way to achieve autonomy is keeping the Learning Journal. It
facilitates expression of emotions and develops writing skills. If a pupil decides to show his journal
to the teacher, he has a great chance to design different way of teaching, personalized for a
particular learner (Krishnan and Hoon 2002). Students should be also given a choice – for example
choosing homework or a task for the next lesson. In this way, the teacher gives pupils the feeling
that they are controlling their own learning. Another crucial issue is continuation of learning after
graduation. Learner often cease development in that respect. Moreover, they do not follow most of
their teachers' advice on the future learning (Braymen 1995). Students are discouraged from further
learning because the advice they get may seem unclear and they really do not know how to continue
language acquisition on their own. That is the reason for applying many self-awere, personalized
tasks to train students how to learn. Even weak students use learning strategies, as they develop
them subconsciously while studying at home. The teacher's role is to direct them to make real and
conscious use of strategies and sources of information, as well as to adjust to the learners' level
(Chamot: 2004).
Fostering learner autonomy is a challenging task, however it is essential for
awakening and expand self-awareness in students. Autonomy gives pupils the prospect of planning
their own learning and more importantly, it develops intrinsic motivation basic for further education
in an adult life when there is really no educational obligation and no teacher to assist in the process
of language acquisition. Learning strategies are an additional advantage of autonomy because they
can make learning become less demanding and more pleasurable.