For assignment purposes

1. Developing Learner Autonomy through Strategy
Training in ESL Classroom
By Nurul Nadiah Huda Bt Abd Halim

2. Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.1 Background of the Research ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.2 Statement of the Problem................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.3 Research Objectives ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.4 Research Questions ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.5 Operational Definitions .................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.6 Limitation of the Study...................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1.7 Significance of the Study................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

3. 1.0 Introduction
In today’s national education system the ministry of education had proposed various ways to
enhance the learning of students to produce students with great quality and be at the same level
as students from other countries. A significant amount of researches have been conducted to
highlight the importance of learners learning environment to scaffold and optimizing the
learners’ knowledge, for instance on the study conducted by J.E Brindley, C.Walti and O.
Zawacki-Richter entitled Learner Support in open, Distance and Online Learning Environment.
However, the learners learning environment is not the only factor that plays a major role in
students’ education, Gremmo (1995) had stated that there has been a change in focus from the
teacher to the learner in the field of second and foreign language education. Gremmo (1995) also
adds that an exclusive focus was on how to develop teaching methods and approaches to an
inclusive concern for how a learner goes through their learning.
1.1 Backgroundof the Research
The rapid development of the country and the extensive spread of electronic media the
need for Malaysians to be competent in English have become very significant. According to Tun
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth prime minister of Malaysia, Malaysia is to become a full-
fledge industrial country whereby the citizens of the country need to not only be proficient on the
national language but also the English language.
Norlida Ahmad (2004) stressed that many complaints were made by teachers regarding
the students’ low proficiency level even though they were introduced to the English language as
early as 7 years of age. The result of this, many of these students’ cannot apply the language
outside the classroom setting thus they are unable to use the skill in the real world. Hence,
students are needed to be train and become autonomous learners to be proficient in the language
and not be dependent on the teachers.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
There are many major changes that have been conducted by the ministry of education
regarding the importance of the English language in Malaysia as it continues to attempt and
dominant at an international level. According to Utusan Malaysia Online (2013), the

4. implementation of English as a compulsory subject to pass in the Certificate of Education (SPM)
will begin in 2016. It is design to produce quality students in various fields, thus assist in
developing the country towards a more developed countries.
1.3 ResearchObjectives
The research objectives of this study are as follows:
i. To develop learners’ autonomy through strategy training in an ESL
classroom
ii. To investigate the effects of strategy training on a learners’ autonomy
iii. To illustrates how strategy training helps ESL learners to gain learners’
autonomy
1.4 ResearchQuestions
The research questions of this study are as follows:
i. How to develop learners’ autonomy through strategy training in an ESL
classroom?
ii. What are the effects of strategy training on learners’ autonomy?
iii. How does strategy training helps ESL learners to gain learners’
autonomy?
1.5 OperationalDefinitions
Learners Autonomy- According to Holec (1979), learners’ autonomy is the ability to take
charge of one's own learning. The state in which the learner is fully responsible for all the
choices concerning with his or her learning (Dickinson, 1993)
Strategy Training- lessons where learners are explicitly taught language learning
strategies and explanations are given as to when, how and why these strategies can be used
(Oxford, 1990).

5. 1.6 Limitation of the Study
This study is based on two ESL classrooms in a secondary school in an urban setting in
Shah Alam, Selangor. The selected sample sizes of participants are a total of 60 students and
involving two English teachers.
The school chosen to take part in this study is SMK Seksyen 24, Shah Alam situated in a
small area of Shah Alam. It is situated near factories where most households are from a low
socioeconomic background thus the proficiency of the English language is low.
1.7 Significance ofthe Study
The importance of this study is that it investigates the use of strategy training to develop
learners’ autonomy in an ESL classroom. It is hoped that this research might initiates educators
to foster learner autonomy in the classroom as it is beneficent for second language learners to be
exposed to approaches they feel is suitable to built their autonomy and not rely on ‘spoonfeed’
materials by their teachers. This research would also be able to help students to take charge of
their learning outside the classroom which would indirectly help improve their learning process
as well as prepare them for the real life world.