Autonomy in the classroom
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This document discusses learner autonomy in the classroom. It begins by asking teachers to reflect on their assumptions about autonomy and share experiences. Autonomy is then defined as a complex, desirable concept that goes beyond teaching into philosophy and politics. While autonomy implies independence, it is actually fostered or limited by teachers' decisions. The document examines what autonomy might look like through various examples and perspectives from authors. It concludes that teachers play an important role in promoting autonomy through awareness, choice, and cooperative learning opportunities, while autonomy can be limited by curricular or motivational factors.
Autonomy in the classroom
- 1. Autonomy in the Classroom by Gonzalo M. Gonzales (The Anglo/UAM-C)
- 2. Objective To reflect on our assumptions about the concept of autonomy by sharing our teaching and learning experiences in order to analyse our daily practice
- 3. What is autonomy? Instructions: • Try to define it in one to three words. Share your views with the person next to you (or closest to you). • Think about your experiences as learners and also about autonomous learners you have taught.
- 6. Autonomy is • A complex concept • Something that goes beyond the realms of teaching and into philosophy and politics • Desirable in the classroom • Fostered or hindered by our decisions as teachers (or academic administrators) • Not independence, but…
- 7. How does learner autonomy look like?
- 9. Or this?
- 10. What about this?
- 11. This one?
- 12. Could it be?
- 13. Exercise 1. Please give your opinion about the statements on the handout by ticking one answer for each. 2. Discuss your choices with a partner 3. Share relevant findings
- 14. What some authors say regarding autonomy • Esch(1984)…it is not self-instruction or learning without a teacher. It is not a methodology. • Sinclair (2000)…involves a willingness on the part of the learner to take responsibility for their own learning • Benson (2009) Not every intervention on the part of the teacher is detrimental to autonomy • Nunan (1997) the behaviour of autonomous learners can take numerous different forms, depending on their age, how far they have progressed with their learning, what they perceive their immediate learning needs to be, and so on • Nunan (2009) Most learners do not know what is best for them at the beginning of the learning process
- 15. Ideas to promote autonomy in the classroom • Involve learners in decisions related to their learning: objectives • Allow learners to rearrange the classroom setting • Give learners tools to identify their own needs, strengths and weaknesses • Give chances to learn cooperatively, independently and interdependently • Give learners the opportunity to choose materials, tasks and activities
- 16. Conclusions • Autonomy is often associated with opportunities for independent learning • Awarenesss-raising strategies are often used to promote learner autonomy • The teacher has an important role to play in autonomy • Autonomy is often desirable, though sometimes limited due to adverse factors such as space within the curriculum, lack of motivation or over reliance on the teacher
- 17. Bibliography: Benson , P. (2007). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching. 40. 21 - 40. Borg, S. and Al-Busaidi, S. (2012). Learner Autonomy: English Language Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices. ELT Research Paper 12-07. British Council. Cotterall, S. (2000). Promoting learner autonomy thorough the curriculum: principles for designing language courses. ELT Journal, Volume 54, Issue 2, April 2000. Oxford University Press. Little, D. G. (1991). Learner Autonomy 1: Definitions, Issues and Problems. Dublin: Authentik. Smith, R. (2000). Starting With Ourselves: Teacher-Learner Autonomy in Language Learning. In Sinclair, B. McGrath, I. and Lamb, T. (2000). Leaner Autonomy, Teacher Autonomy: Future Directions. United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited. Smith, R. (2008). Learner Autonomy. ELT Journal, Volume 62, Issue 4, 1 October 2008. Oxford University Press.
- 18. Thank you! You can write me at: gonzalo.gonzales@theanglo.org.mx Find this presentation at: