Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Iran

Abstract

Learner autonomy (LA) has always been a controversial issue among applied linguists. Several studies have been carried out to investigate the teachers' and learners' perceptions of learner autonomy as well as the feasibility of learner autonomy. Despite the importance of learner autonomy and the existence of several related studies, the challenges in promoting LA in Iranian institutes to the researcher’s best of knowledge have not been explored appropriately, yet. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the challenges in promoting learner autonomy from Iranian EFL teachers' perspectives. To do so, a qualitative research design was used. In doing so, 23 Iranian EFL teachers employed as full time teachers in different universities in Tehran, Iran were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed through content analysis following Randor model. Based on the content analysis of the interviews, three different themes were extracted. The firs most frequent observed theme, institution related challenges, consisted of prescribed objectives, materials, and assessment methods. The second theme, learner related challenges, consisted of seven sub-themes. However, the third extracted theme was teacher related challenges which consisted of four sub-themes. The findings can be used by teacher trainers, teachers, as well as EFL learners. It can be concluded that EFL teachers should receive training in learner autonomy through both pre-service and in-service training courses        

Keywords

Abraham, B. (2008). Computer-mediated glosses in second language reading comprehension and vocabulary learning: A meta-analysis. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(3), 199-226.
 Alibakhshi, G., & Rezaei, S. (2013). On the cconsequences of the violation of ccritical ppedagogy pprinciples from Iranian EFL tteacher ttrainers’ perspectives. Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies, 5(2), 1-28.
Al-Shaqsi, T. S. (2009). Teachers’ beliefs about learner autonomy. In S. Borg (Ed.), Researching English language teaching and teacher development in Oman(pp. 157-165). Muscat: Ministry of Education, Oman.
Balçıkanlı, C. (2010). Learner autonomy in language learning: Student teachers’ beliefs. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(1), 90-103.
Barfield, A., & Brown, S. (Eds.). (2007). Reconstructingautonomy in language education: Inquiry andinnovation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and researching autonomyin language learning. Harlow: Longman.
Benson, P. (2006). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 40(1), 21-40.
Benson, P. (2007a). Teachers’ and learners’ perspectives on autonomy. In T. E. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.),Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities and responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Benson, P. (Ed.). (2007b). Learner autonomy: Teacher and learner perspectives. Dublin: Authentik.
Benson, P. (2009). Making sense of autonomy in language learning. In R. Pemberton, S. Toogood, & A. Barfield (Eds.), Maintaining control: Autonomy andlanguage learning (pp. 13-26). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press
Benson, P. (2007a). Teachers’ and learners’ perspectives on autonomy. In T. E. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realitiesand responses. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Benson, P. (Ed.). (2007b). Learner autonomy: Teacher and learner perspectives. Dublin: Authentik.
Benson, P. (2011). Teaching and researching autonomyin language learning (2nd ed.). Harlow: Longman.
Borg, S. (2011). The impact of in-service teacher education on language teachers’ beliefs.  System, 39(3), 370-380.
Borg, S. (2006). Teacher cognition and language education: Research and practice. London: Continuum.
Borg, S., Al-Busaidi, S. (2012). Learner autonomy: English language teachers’ beliefs and practices. British.Council: ELT research paper 12-07.
Camilleri, G. (1999). Learner autonomy: The teachers’ views. Retrieved 20 January 2012, from http://archive.ecml.at/documents/pubCamilleriG_E.pdf
Camilleri, G. (2007). Pedagogy for autonomy, teachers’ attitudes and institutional change: A case study. In M. Jimenez Raya & L. Sercu (Eds.), Challenges in teacher development: Learner autonomy and intercultural competence (pp. 81-102). Frankurt: Peter Lang.
Chan, V. (2001). Readiness for learner autonomy: what do our learners tell us? Teaching In Higher Education, 6(4), 505-518.
Chan, V. (2003). Autonomous Language Learning: the teachers’ perspectives. Teaching In Higher Education, 8(1), 33-54.
Cotterall, S. (1995). Developing a course strategy for learner autonomy. ELT Journal, 49(3), 219-227.
Dam, L. (1995). From theory to classroom practice. Dublin: Authentik.
Dickinson, L. (1995). Autonomy and motivation: a literature review. System, 23(2), 165-174.
Holec, H. (2008). Foreword. In T. E. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.), Learner and teacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses (pp. 3-4). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Horwitz, E. (1988). The beliefs about language learning of beginning university foreign language students. The Modern Language Journal, 72(3),283-294.
Johnston, S. (1994). Experience is the best teacher; or is it? An analysis of the role ofexperience in learning to teach. Journal of Teacher Education, 45, 199-208
Johnson, K. E. (2006). The sociocultural turn and its challenges for second language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 235-257.
Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginning teachers. Review of Educational Research, 62, 129-169.
Kuchah, K., & Smith, R. (2011). Pedagogy of autonomy for difficult circumstances: From practice to principles. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 5(2), 119-140.
La Ganza, W.T. (2001). Out of sight – not out of mind: Learner autonomy and interrelating in online teaching. Information technology, Education and Society, 2(2), 27-46.
La Ganza, W.T. (2002). Maintaining learner autonomy online: The teacher’s role. In L. Mak, S. Chang, P. Foo, J. Hunter, M. Keung, J. Lee, M. Wa & N. Noakes (Eds.), Meeting the challenges of research and practice. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Lamb, T. E., & Reinders, H. (Eds.). (2008). Learner andteacher autonomy: Concepts, realities, and responses.Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Little, D. (1991). Learner autonomy: Definitions, issues and problems. Dublin: Authentik.
Nunan, D. (1997). Designing and adapting materials to encourage learner autonomy. In P. Benson & P. Voller (Eds.), Autonomy and independence in language learning (pp. 192-203). London: Longman.
Oxford, R. L. (2003). Toward a more systematic model of L2 learner autonomy. In D. Palfreyman & R. C. Smith (Eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives (pp. 75-91). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Palfreyman, D. (2003). Introduction: Culture and learner autonomy. In D. Palfreyman & R. C. Smith (Eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives (pp. 1-19). Basingstoke:Palgrave Macmillan.
Pemberton, R., Toogood, S., & Barfield, A. (Eds.). (2009). Maintaining control: Autonomy and language learning. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Phipps, S., & Borg, S. (2009). Exploring tensions between teachers’ grammar teaching beliefs and practices. System, 37(3), 380-390.
Radnor, H. (2001). Researching your professional practice. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Smith, R. C. (2008). Learner autonomy (Key concepts in ELT).  ELT Journal, 62(4), 395-397.
Vieira, F. (Ed.). (2009). Struggling for autonomy in language education. Frankfurt: Peter Lang.