Abstract
Autonomous learners are synonymous with successful language learners. One of the fundamental and the universal duties to all language educators is to help language learners to become autonomous, that is by having a repertoire of teaching styles, approaches and strategies. The present study aims to explore the approaches used by the ESL lecturers in promoting learner autonomy in teacher training context besides the strategies used for each approach. The participants of the study were 74 ESL lecturers from Institute of Teacher Education (ITE) campuses in Malaysia. A survey questionnaire adapted from Borg and Busaidi (2012) was used for data collection. The analysis revealed that multiple approaches (more than one) were used by these ESL lecturers in promoting learner autonomy. Technology-based ranked the highest, followed by resource-based, learner-based, classroom-based, curriculum-based and the least, teacher-based. The findings also revealed seven main categories from the strategies used among these ESL lecturers. This implied that majority of the ESL lecturers in ITE provided opportunities to their students to become autonomous through the approaches they used, with the strategies that are suitable and feasible in teaching English. The results of this study give some insights about the ESL lecturers’ perspectives of learner autonomy and how it is manifested through the approaches used in their teaching practices.
Highlights
Up to date, much has been written and studied on learner autonomy in language learning pertaining its importance, beliefs, practices as well as the relationship with other variables and many more
Looking from the ESL lecturers’ perspectives at Institute of Teacher Education, this study provided insights on their practices especially the approaches and strategies used in promoting learner autonomy
Studies on ESL learner autonomy at the teacher training context is scarce, this study recommends for more studies to be carried out on learner autonomy looking from the perspectives of ESL learners or lecturers in Institute of Teacher Education
Summary
Much has been written and studied on learner autonomy in language learning pertaining its importance, beliefs, practices as well as the relationship with other variables and many more. The idea of autonomous language learning (ALL) is a shift or transition from teacher-centred to learner-centred where the learner is fully involved in the learning process. It doesn’t mean they are totally on their own. With the emergence of 21st century learning and 4th Industrial Revolution, having autonomous learners seem to be ideal in order to have a meaningful and authentic learning which focuses on the learners’ success in learning the language, but as well as in other subjects and aspects of life too
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