Thesis (Jun 2019)
Issues on Learner Autonomy: Teachers’ Effort and Responsibility towards it
Abstract
This paper aims to discuss issues on learner autonomy and teachers’ effort and responsibility in promoting autonomous learning in English language classrooms. The concept of learner autonomy is a focus of many researchers in different countries. Many researchers and academics consider this phenomenon as a central concern in language learning. In cultivating learner autonomy there is a two-way street; the teacher whose role is highly important in fostering and encouraging learners to learn in an autonomous way and the learner who is responsible for his/her own learning after getting the required need and help from the teacher. However, teachers around the world still struggle with the ways to foster autonomous learning in the language classroom or outside it. Therefore, this study was conducted in three high schools in Gjilan, where 30 teachers were interviewed in order to find out if they promote autonomous learning, and if so, how much effort and responsibility they show with their learners, and their opinions on the necessity in promoting Learner Autonomy (LA) in English classrooms. As a result, study findings show that the interviewed teachers are aware of the importance, but regarding the implementation of learner autonomy however, they still struggle on implementing it into practice in their classrooms stating reasons which hinder this important issue in English language teaching.
