Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Editor's overview
- Prologue
- Reflections
- Part I Learner variables
- 1 Motivation and good language learners
- 2 Age and good language learners
- 3 Learning style and good laguage learners
- 4 Personality and good language learners
- 5 Gender and good language learners
- 6 Strategies and good language learners
- 7 Metacognition and good language learners
- 8 Autonomy and good language learners
- 9 Beliefs and good language learners
- 10 Culture and good language learners
- 11 Aptitude and good language learners
- Part II Learning variables
- The learners' landscape and journey: a summary
- Index
8 - Autonomy and good language learners
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Editor's overview
- Prologue
- Reflections
- Part I Learner variables
- 1 Motivation and good language learners
- 2 Age and good language learners
- 3 Learning style and good laguage learners
- 4 Personality and good language learners
- 5 Gender and good language learners
- 6 Strategies and good language learners
- 7 Metacognition and good language learners
- 8 Autonomy and good language learners
- 9 Beliefs and good language learners
- 10 Culture and good language learners
- 11 Aptitude and good language learners
- Part II Learning variables
- The learners' landscape and journey: a summary
- Index
Summary
Defining learner autonomy has been a major preoccupation in much of the research literature on autonomy. Research in learner autonomy explores learners' ability to “take charge of” their learning in both methodological and psychological terms. The focus of research into learner autonomy is on the learners' ability to assume responsibility for their learning (Dickinson, 1987; Holec, 1981; Little, 1991). The central concern is decision-making in the learning process, which both implies a change in role for learner and teacher and raises questions about the willingness and ability of learner and teacher to assume their new roles. The research therefore focuses on both the methodological and psychological aspects of learners' language learning.
Definitions proposed by Henri Holec from the University of Nancy in France, and David Little from Trinity College Dublin dominate much of the discussion. Holec's (1981) report to the Council of Europe describes autonomy as “the ability to take charge of one's own learning” (p. 3) which he sees as involving responsibility for determining learning objectives, defining the contents and progressions of learning, selecting methods and techniques to be used, monitoring the procedure of acquisition, and evaluating what has been acquired. Holec concludes his discussion of what constitutes “taking charge” of one's learning by saying: “The autonomous learner is himself capable of making all these decisions concerning the learning with which he is or wishes to be involved” (Holec, 1981, p. 3).
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- Information
- Lessons from Good Language Learners , pp. 110 - 120Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
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