" The path to independence is not something students can embark on unguided"
Jon Taylor (teacher and teacher trainer)
I have already met the concept of learner autonomy before. I was engaged in writing ELA guide (English Learner Autonomy ) for British Council Learning Centers. When I ws introduced to such an idea, it seemed to me a bit challenging to reach and make the learners come to understanding that they can learn by themselves not totally realying on teacher as "knowledge purvoyer"
It was essential to know the basic elements of learner autonomy. I totally agree with the ideas presented in (Thanasoulas). He says that autonomy is not a ready made product, but the process. We used the word "journey" where motivation, attitude, and responsibility is the luggage a learner takes to this life-long journey.
But saying metaphorically no journey is possible without assistance of a guide. Here the role of a teacher changes.
Thanalous proposes some ways how to encourage learner autnomy among which I found self-reports (semi structured), diaries, and questionnaires.
Our job here , first of all raise awareness about language learning. Learners might not know what syles they have, what way is most preferable for them to learn, and what resources they find more interesting. No doubt that moving from "traditional classroom" is difficult task, most teachers are not accustommed too, but it is worth trying.
In our institution we practice a course report. This means that at the end of academic year we give to your students some questionnaires about the course and the teacher to fill in.
I think what should be done before the course starts is needs analysis; it will help to work out the way and tempo with which to move towards the learning goals. All learners are different, and we should take this factor into account when creating a lesson plan.
Dear Liliya,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. Needs analysis is more than necessary. In this way we know our audience (students) better, we know what they need, we know their interests and aims. Yet, student evaluation about the teacher and the course is also important. With the same students we should do both, needs analysis and the evaluation.
Yours,
Luiza
Dear Liliya,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your interesting post. You make many good points. First, I do agree with you about the important role that teachers should play if they decide to shift from teacher-centered to more student-centered teaching. They not only guide students and give them a hand whenever needed, but also analyze them as you said. If teachers know their students' learning styles, interests, needs and intelligences, they can teach them learning strategies that work with them and selecting activities and ways of assessment that suit every student in their classes.
Yours,
Azhar
Dear Liliya,
ReplyDeleteThere is a considerable agreement among educators that autonomy ought to be taken as a highly desirable aim of education. Within pedagogy as discipline, the goals of teacher development are then often formulated in terms that imply familiarity with the concepts of autonomy such as maturity, personal responsibility, self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-determination, among others.
Teacher-centered classrooms with audio-lingual or grammar translation methods do not create
opportunities for learners to satisfy their communicative needs in the target language.
I am happy we were given and exchanged so many ideas about developing autonomy this week. Other possibilities of becoming more autonomous and starting to use and learn English outside of the classroom include keeping a journal, writing a diary or online blog, reading for pleasure, listening to radio programs, watching the news, finding and emailing foreign friends, using instant messaging or Skype to chat online, joining a social networking website and so on. The most difficult here is to convince the students and encourage them to self-educate.
Yours,
Victoria