Abstract
It is the purpose of this paper to examine some aspects of autonomy in language learning with a specific focus on the transition from high school to the first year at university. This transition can be problematic, in that study at a university level requires a degree of independence and initiative which is not generally required in the supportive learning environment of the school system. Our starting point is identifying those characteristics which make a good language learner (Naiman et al. 1978; Johnson 2001; Maftoon and Seyyedrezaei 2012) and to demonstrate that these characteristics are largely an innate capacity of some and not all learners. Among these characteristics there is the ability to establish a systematic and autonomous approach to the learning process on the basis of personal inclinations and individual life-skills (Dublin Descriptors 2005). In this sense the good learner is not a passive participant in the process, but, as Schön (1987) claims, acts as a ‘problem-solver’, able to make decisions and put those decisions into practice. That is to say, learning is ‘the creation of knowledge’ (Kolb 1984). Finally, an approach to developing learner autonomy is illustrated, based on the personal experience of the author within the context of a first year ESP course in Communication Studies at the University of Cagliari (Italy). The course makes extensive use of the new technologies through a Moodle platform. It will be demonstrated that a blend of traditional teaching and e-learning can provide a ‘bridge’ between school and university, allowing the learner to move within a flexible environment and acquire the skills necessary for successful learning.
Highlights
It is the purpose of this paper to address some issues concerning autonomy in language learning
For the purposes of this paper we focus our attention on two specific examples, which are significant with regard to the question of developing learner autonomy
In order to illustrate some possible approaches to fostering learner autonomy, we focus on the present author’s experience of teaching English as a Foreign Language at the University of Cagliari
Summary
In the case of foreign or second languages: lexis, syntax, discourse, content, purpose of communication, register, social factors and so on, remembering that the processing of all of these factors takes place simultaneously This phase of internal processing is closely linked to language awareness metacognitive factors applied in practical terms in making decisions and using acquired knowledge in order to formulate strategies in dealing with specific language learning problems. In Higher Education, students are required to organise their own studies according to the syllabi established and set texts adopted by the teachers, who meet their students, above all, in formal lectures This is important for first year students who need to pick up organisational skills and acquire the ability to make decisions about their learning autonomously in a very short time.
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