Fostering Learner Autonomy and Best Approaches to Implement the Practice

Abstract

As per the definition, “The ability to take charge of one’s own learning”, Learner Autonomy (LA) has been a significant theme of interest in second and foreign language learning over the last five decades. Yet this concept is not widely practiced among local learners in the English as a Second Language (ESL) pedagogy. Implementing autonomous learning behaviours benefits the education system, of a country like Sri Lanka, to minimize most obstacles the ESL learners encounter. For a successful implementation of the concept, the contribution of both teachers and students is essential. Therefore, this research aims to identify sixty ESL teachers’ understanding of how much they support in fostering LA, and the best approaches to implement the practice. Using the simple random sampling method, 10% out of 600 English teachers from the Galle zonal division were given a researcher-made questionnaire that included four sections. A 5-point Likert scale was used to measure the collected data, and they were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics. The SPSS version 21 was used, while Cronbach’s alpha determined the reliability of the Likert scale. The questions were composed of identifying the teachers’ understanding upon the LA concept, the teachers’ roles and responsibilities in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the class; and how the teachers view their learners’ abilities to take responsibility in planning, implementing, monitoring, and assessing their learning tasks, while suggestions were forwarded to get the teachers’ preferences as the best approaches to foster autonomy among ESL learners. Significantly, 98.3% believe that implementing LA is essential, and the study concluded with the understanding that teachers are willing to cultivate LA if a suitable environment is created.