Students autonomous learning; a Teachers awareness task.

How would it be a classroom full of discipline students, with self-decision of their

own learning and total independence from the teacher? Students autonomous learning in
Colombia context has been considered an important issue to reflect on. EFL teachers have a
certain responsibility to develop learners self-sufficiency of their own learning; however,
there has always been a struggle to accomplish with this kind of learners academic
behavior. According to Holec, (1981) autonomous learning has to do with a persons ability
to take full responsibility of his or her own learning. That includes the ability to decide
what, when, how and for how long learning should take place. Taking into consideration the
authors idea, it is important to say that the characteristics previously mentioned are not
easy to identify and develop nowadays context. For that reason, teachers should be aware
that developing students learning autonomy is not an easy task to obtain.
Firstly, an English classroom may not provide the opportunity for students to have
an active role on their own learning. Teachers and students must work together in order to
create an enjoyable and dynamic classroom atmosphere in which both can establish
guidelines that may foster students autonomous learning. It is necessary to mention Little
& Dam (1998) who considers that in learner autonomous classrooms teachers and learners
become a learning community and the target language is one of the principal tools with
which the collaborative process is shaped. In order to provide a suitable setting for students
that hold an active participation, teachers and students should work hand by hand;
additionally, teachers need to provide a set of strategies and activities that can foster
students learning; as well, involve themselves in a collaborative work that is intended to
develop their learning. In Jacobs & Farrells studies (2001) it can be stated that Group
activities play a large part in this because learners acquire a lot of learning strategies when
collaborating with, and receiving support from their peers and not just the teacher.
Secondly, teachers are not aware of their role in class for promoting students
autonomous learning. A traditional view is that teachers should have the control of the class
and their role is all the time to be in charge of it and direct learning. In relation to that
perspective, it might be impossible to involve and promote students self-decision of their
own learning; Gardner & Miller (2002) summarize teachers roles in self-access learning as
an information provider, counselor, authentic language user, manager, materials writer,
assessor, administrator and organizer. Lacey (2007) defines that learner autonomy may
sound more like bringing chaos in the classroom. Nevertheless teachers can successfully
make the choice of relinquishing control and sharing it with the learner. Moreover, many
studies have addressed that learners must be given opportunities in which they can make
important decisions in class; furthermore, the teachers need to encourage students to take
part and include them as well; what is more, learners have to be given the tools they need to
become more self-sufficient and independent. Nunan (2003) states that fostering autonomy
in the classroom is done by providing learners with opportunities to make significant

choices and decisions about their learning in an informed way. Besides, a clear perspective
and position of the teachers role is that they must help students bringing instances to put
into practice the target language as it is stated by Lowes & Target (1999) that the teachers
role in an autonomous language classroom is to help learners learn by exposing them to the
language and providing opportunities for them to practice the new language in class as well
as at home.
Further on, it is really significant to consider the students as active receivers of
information and active protagonists in an autonomous class. There are many factors that
contribute the development and involvement of autonomy learning in EFL class; the
teacher, the classrooms environment, activities provided, the use of ICT, but there should
be a highly emphasis on one particular and special aspect: learners. As it was mentioned
before in the previous ideas, they must have a central role and responsibility before, during
and after class and when they want to learn a new language. It is essential to state Little,
Ridley, & Ushioda (2003) in which express that learner autonomy includes the learners
reflective involvement in all aspects of the learning processes. Learners become
autonomous by assuming responsibility for their own learning. This includes being
involved in all aspects of the learning process: planning, implementation (monitoring) and
assessment. Their autonomy grows as they become conscious of the process of learning.
Students have the capacity to think and reflect on their own academic process, for that
reason, teacher should be aware that this must take into consideration on their daily life
work.
To summarize the three aspects previously stated and mention my point of view will
be based on the many factors that an ESL teacher should keep on mind for fostering
students autonomous learning as: promote a learning autonomy classroom or environment,
increase teachers awareness and the consideration of students as active part of this learning
process. All these aspects aforementioned are not easy to include and put all of them
together. However, teachers should and need to be conscious that it is not an impossible
task to attain, with the help of students and with the inclusion of them in the learning and
teaching process, autonomous learning can take place in EFL context.

References:
Gardener, D., & Miller, L. (2002). Establishing Self-Access from Theory to Practice. Shanghai:
Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. (Chapter 10)
Holec, H. (1981) Autonomy and foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon
Jacobs, G. M., & Farrell, T. S. (2001). Paradigm Shift: Understanding and Implementing Change in
Second Language Education
Lacey, F. (2007). Autonomy, never, never, never! Independence (42), 4-8.
Little, D., & Dam, L. (1998, 09 04). JALT98 Special Guest Speakers: Learner Autonomy: What and
Why?
Little, D., Ridley, J., & Ushioda, E. (Eds.). (2003). Learner autonomy in the Foreign Language
Classroom: teacher, learner, curriculum and assessment. Dublin: Authentik.
Nunan, D. (2003). Practical English Language Teaching. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Lowes, R., & Target, F. (1999). Helping Students to Learn - A guide to Learner Autonomy. (P.
Seligson, Ed.) London: Richmond Publishing.