A presentation about autonomy in the English Language classroom

1. Autonomy in the
Classroom
by Gonzalo M. Gonzales (The Anglo/UAM-C)

2. Objective
To reflect on our assumptions about the concept of
autonomy by sharing our teaching and learning
experiences in order to analyse our daily practice

3. What is autonomy?
Instructions:
• Try to define it in one to three words. Share your
views with the person next to you (or closest to you).
• Think about your experiences as learners and also
about autonomous learners you have taught.

4. Share your ideas!

5. DIY
RESPONSIBILITY
Make informed decisions

6. Autonomy is
• A complex concept
• Something that goes beyond the realms of
teaching and into philosophy and politics
• Desirable in the classroom
• Fostered or hindered by our decisions as
teachers (or academic administrators)
• Not independence, but…

7. How does learner autonomy look like?

8. Is this autonomy?

9. Or this?

10. What about this?

11. This one?

12. Could it be?

13. Exercise
1. Please give your opinion about the statements on
the handout by ticking one answer for each.
2. Discuss your choices with a partner
3. Share relevant findings

14. What some authors say regarding autonomy
• Esch(1984)…it is not self-instruction or learning without a
teacher. It is not a methodology.
• Sinclair (2000)…involves a willingness on the part of the
learner to take responsibility for their own learning
• Benson (2009) Not every intervention on the part of the teacher
is detrimental to autonomy
• Nunan (1997) the behaviour of autonomous learners can take
numerous different forms, depending on their age, how far they
have progressed with their learning, what they perceive their
immediate learning needs to be, and so on
• Nunan (2009) Most learners do not know what is best for them
at the beginning of the learning process

15. Ideas to promote autonomy in the classroom
• Involve learners in decisions related to their
learning: objectives
• Allow learners to rearrange the classroom setting
• Give learners tools to identify their own needs,
strengths and weaknesses
• Give chances to learn cooperatively, independently
and interdependently
• Give learners the opportunity to choose materials,
tasks and activities

16. Conclusions
• Autonomy is often associated with opportunities for
independent learning
• Awarenesss-raising strategies are often used to
promote learner autonomy
• The teacher has an important role to play in
autonomy
• Autonomy is often desirable, though sometimes
limited due to adverse factors such as space within
the curriculum, lack of motivation or over reliance on
the teacher

17. Bibliography:
Benson , P. (2007). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language
Teaching. 40. 21 - 40.
Borg, S. and Al-Busaidi, S. (2012). Learner Autonomy: English Language
Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices. ELT Research Paper 12-07. British Council.
Cotterall, S. (2000). Promoting learner autonomy thorough the curriculum:
principles for designing language courses. ELT Journal, Volume 54, Issue 2,
April 2000. Oxford University Press.
Little, D. G. (1991). Learner Autonomy 1: Definitions, Issues and Problems.
Dublin: Authentik.
Smith, R. (2000). Starting With Ourselves: Teacher-Learner Autonomy in
Language Learning. In Sinclair, B. McGrath, I. and Lamb, T. (2000). Leaner
Autonomy, Teacher Autonomy: Future Directions. United Kingdom: Pearson
Education Limited.
Smith, R. (2008). Learner Autonomy. ELT Journal, Volume 62, Issue 4, 1
October 2008. Oxford University Press.

18. Thank you!
You can write me at:
gonzalo.gonzales@theanglo.org.mx
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