Self-Access and Metacognitive Awareness in Young Learners: How Japanese Sixth Graders Learn How to Learn English

Robert J Werner,Yu Kobayashi

doi:10.37237/060406

Abstract

This paper discusses theory and practice related to self-access and metacognitive awareness in young learners. While still an emerging field, the paper presents several studies that describe young learners’ self-access through playing online multi-player digital games, watching TV/films, and reading various types of texts. The teaching of metacognitive awareness, or ‘learning how to learn’, is also discussed, and examples illustrate how this knowledge is applied to learning both in class and beyond. The latter part of this paper describes elementary English instruction in Japan and includes practical applications of learning how to learn through examples from a Japanese sixth grade English class. The students discuss motivating factors beyond the classroom, how they access metacognitive knowledge, and strategies they apply to better learn English.

Highlights

Self-access and autonomy with young learners is an emerging field. Holec (1981) defines autonomy as “the ability to take charge of one's own learning” (p. 3), and Benson (2011) takes it a step further in describing autonomy in language learning
While there has not been a lot of research in the area of self-access and autonomy with young learners, interest has been increasing in recent years, and some studies have shown promising results
This article will be divided into two parts. It will discuss language learning and self-access outside the classroom with regard to young learners, and examine theory and practice related to metacognitive awareness, including instruction on ‘learning how to learn’

Summary

Introduction

Self-access and autonomy with young learners is an emerging field. Holec (1981) defines autonomy as “the ability to take charge of one's own learning” (p. 3), and Benson (2011) takes it a step further in describing autonomy in language learning. Studies described below will demonstrate how young learners access English beyond the classroom and use the knowledge acquired to demonstrate improvement in school. It will discuss language learning and self-access outside the classroom with regard to young learners, and examine theory and practice related to metacognitive awareness, including instruction on ‘learning how to learn’.

Results

Conclusion