Abstract
Embracing a learner-based approach in line with a psychological perspective, the present study investigates learner autonomy (LA) in L2 writing with a focus on the role of academic self-concept (ASC) and academic achievement of Iranian English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) university students. The research entailed three interrelated phases: In phase one, the readiness of 69 EFL students in three intact English essay writing classes was measured in terms of certain factors of autonomy in writing. Besides, their ASC was surveyed and the participants were asked to report their overall grade point average (GPA) as an index of their academic achievement. In phase two, a focus group interview was administered. Three emergent themes were derived from their comments, namely, insignificant position of writing, insufficient strategy use, and instructors’ unconvincing support for autonomy in writing. The last phase of the study was assigning the findings of phase one to several regression and correlation analyses to investigate the triangular potential relationships of LA in writing, ASC, and academic achievement. The results of the study indicated that, compared with skills and strategy use, EFL university students were most autonomous in their attitudes towards writing, while they did not show a desirable level of ASC. Moreover, ASC and LA in writing proved to have a relatively significant relationship; nonetheless, academic achievement turned out insignificant in relation to them, proving no triangular correlation among the given variables. Implications for EFL teachers and materials developers focused on writing skill will be provided.
Highlights
Modern language education is deeply in line with the enactment of learner autonomy (LA) as a significant educational goal
The sample participants were asked about their autonomous writing beliefs and behaviour using a questionnaire. e result showed that our sample was most inclined to have favourable attitudes towards LA in writing (72.1%) followed by their level of strategy use (50.3%); they showed the least degree of readiness for the skills related to writing (37.9%). ese subcomponents can be broken into smaller elements to facilitate a closer inspection
To assess the statistical significance of the results, ANOVA estimates had to be checked. e information provided in Table 6 reveals that, at the p < 0.05 level, the contribution of learners’ academic self-concept (ASC) and their academic achievement to their autonomy in writing was statistically significant (F 0.5.81, p 0.005); and from the correlations among the variables, it is obvious that the one variable that contributed to LA was ASC and not achievement
Summary
Modern language education is deeply in line with the enactment of learner autonomy (LA) as a significant educational goal. Necessity and relevance of autonomy lie in the growing needs to enhance an equipped learning society, which is ready to be flexible in response to change. To this purpose, it is vital for learners to be autonomous, self-directed, and able to employ personal learning strategies. E concept of LA intends to balance the power in the classroom, respect learners’ right to utter their views about the process of learning, and offer choice in learning contents It gives language learning process a democratic value, and gives learners the opportunity to take part in planning, monitoring, and assessing their learning [1]. LA can be investigated in terms of 3 different levels of control—namely: control over learning behaviour, psychology of learning, and learning situations [9]. ese three levels of control are advantageous in perceiving learners’ readiness towards autonomy
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