Increasing Learner Involvement in Course Management

Abstract

This article explores ways in which learners can be brought into a more central role in making decisions about the organization and direction of their language courses. As an introduction, a review of some of the arguments which support increasing learner involvement is presented. Constraints in introducing such involvement are then discussed, concentrating on learners' prior experiences and expectations, and it is argued that what is required is a gradual approach toward relinquishing the teacher's dominant role. This argument is taken up in a third section, where some materials and tasks are presented which are designed to bring about such a relinquishment. In recent years, there has been considerable debate over the need for more learner-centered teaching approaches. For some, such approaches refer to the design of syllabuses and course materials that more accurately reflect the interests of learners and the situations in which those learners are likely to require use of the target language. In terms of this article, however, such approaches are not fully learner-centered since they still involve a person other than the learner determining what is to be learned and how. For that reason, the issue that is dealt with here is how we may encourage learners to take more control over the management of their own study both inside and outside the classroom. The role of the teacher would therefore be that of a learning adviser (i.e., someone who is experienced in the teaching/ learning process) or a knower (i.e., someone who can provide a ready source of the language and, if necessary, can correct errors).