提高学习自主性的阻碍因素

吴　坤

【摘要】 由于计算机技术的兴起和全世界范围内网络环境下语言教学和语言学习的普及,研究者给予了学习自主性以关注。最近,旨在提高英语学习者学习自主性和学习效果的有关自主学习的研究得以深入发展。本文分析现时教学状况及学习自主性的相关文献资料。接着,本文探讨了阻碍英语学习者学习自主性提高的一些因素并提出创建良好的自主学习环境能激发学习者学习英语的兴趣和动机。

【关键词】学习自主性、阻碍、角色

Some Barriers to Promoting Learner Autonomy

WuKun

【Abstract】

The focus on learner autonomy may be partially related to the rise of computer technology and the popularity of language teaching and learning under network environment worldwide. Thus, recent researches in pedagogy concerning autonomous learning have been explored a lot, aiming at encouraging English learners' learner autonomy and improving learners' English learning effectiveness. The paper analyzes the current teaching context and presents a critical review of the literature on learner autonomy. Then, it investigates some barriers to promoting learner autonomy. It is found that exposure to a good autonomous learning environment can stimulate English learners' interest and motivation in English language learning.

【Key words】learner autonomy; barriers; roles

I.Introduction

The theory and practice of learner autonomy has become a popular issue in language learning. Learner autonomy has been promoted across the world and, consequently, has gained currency as a buzzword in language learning and teaching (Little, 1999). It is necessary for EFL teachers to give a deep insight into the nature of learner autonomy and actually an increasing number of teachers in China are concentrating on inspiring the students' independent abilities in learning English. Many language teachers are convinced of the importance of incorporating principles of learner autonomy into their practice, they have done a lot of programs to promote the students autonomy (Dai, 2004). However, Chinese learner autonomy in English learning is still at a low level. Students seldom read or listen, let alone write or speak. They lack self-discipline and perseverance to learn English autonomously. It is found that cultivating students' autonomous learning in English teaching may be an effective way after carefully studying the modern theories of language teaching and learning. The present paper analyzes the mainly existing barriers to promoting learner autonomy in China.

2.II.Current teaching context

After studying English for over ten years, most university students still feel puzzled or even at a loss to learn English effectively. Understanding English is referred to as a tough task, whereas expressing themselves clearly and fluently in spoken or written English is seen as much more difficult. Many students capable of passing some English tests with high scores may be poor at applying the language into real situations. Recently, college English education in China has made striking progress, remarkable changes and achievements sweeping across the whole country. However, what can't be ignored is that Chinese students' ability to use English is still rather limited. Unfortunately, teaching English as a foreign language in China still remains a lot to be desired.

Looking back to the debates on autonomous learning, people can undoubtedly detect one of the origins: Holec's book Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning, published in 1980. Holec (1981) has defined autonomy as "the ability to take charge of one's own learning". Since then, it has been a topic of widespread discussion. Great progress has been made in the exploration of autonomy. Dickinson (1987:11) develops the definition of autonomy as "a situation in which the learner is totally responsible for all of the decisions concerned with his (or her) learning and the implementation of those decisions." Littlewood (1996:12) sees autonomy mainly as "learners' ability and willingness to make choices independently." The term autonomy has come to be used in at least five ways (Benson & Voller, 1997:2):

a. for situations in which learners study entirely on their own;

b. for a set of skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learning;

c. for an inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education;

d. for the exercises of learner's responsibility for their own education;

e. for the right of learners to determine the direction of their own learning.

As McDevitt (1997:34) argued that "the end product of education is an independent learner". Cultivating learners' autonomy should be regarded as the ultimate goal that teachers or educators try to pursue.

III.Barriers to promoting learner autonomy

Autonomous learners are capable of setting goals, choosing materials and strategies, performing tasks and assessing their learning. Autonomous learners should be able to make important plans about what is to be learned, as well as when and how to learn it. Some factors of metacognitive, social and affective strategies influence or reflect English learners' psychological state.

3.1From the angle of metacognitive strategy

Nowadays, with the development and application of the multimedia technology in education, network learning has increasingly become one of the major ways of learning. Network metacognition is the self-consciousness and self-experience of their own network cognitive activities. The learners with proper metacognitive strategy can efficiently define learning demand, supervision, and evaluation, correct their own network learning activities and improve their own learning strategies timely. Thus, the network environment should be a place where the learners can explore extensively and study happily. In such an environment, the learners can freely make use of various media and resources to complete their learning tasks. So the teachers and the students have to change their deep-rooted concepts about how to teach and learn. The teachers have tried to change their roles from the instructor of knowledge and the manager of the educational instruction to the creator of network learning environment and the initiator of network learning strategy. However, a number of English learners still wrongly consider language learning should undoubtedly be guided and instructed by the teachers. Therefore, it is likely for them to be indifferent to the cultivation of autonomous learning and learner-centered teaching pattern. Negative learning attitude weakens learning motivation; the lack of learning motivation disturbs the implementation of leaner autonomy. Besides, as proved by many findings, Chinese students are more instrumental than integrative when learning English-they learn English mainly because of wanting to pass exams or get well-paid jobs not because of personal interest or inner need. So students often complain teaching content is not related to Band Four or Six. Actually, the combination of two types of motivation-instrumental motivation and integrative motivation, is one of the best ways to facilitate English learning .

3.2From the angle of social strategy

Social strategies involve cooperation with others to achieve a common goal. It is found that students haven't shown the cooperative and participant spirit and awareness in real study activities. For lack of cooperative learning, the foundation of students' learning autonomously can be undermined. On one hand, the students are seldom offered opportunities to participate in the class activities or speak their own voice. In the traditional teaching, not knowing and analyzing learners' needs, the teachers blindly give a large amount of output while the learners passively get input. On the other hand, many students are unwilling to show themselves and exert their strong points. They are afraid that others consider them arrogant. English teachers are not the absolute determiner of every teaching activity. Students should be given sufficient chances to develop their cooperation, participation and autonomy.

3.3From the angle of affective strategy

Affective strategies as well as social strategies concern the ways in which teachers or learners select to interact with other learners. A relaxing and harmonious classroom setting created by the teacher and the students with active interaction and affective communication helps improve the learning results. It is admitted that any neglect of teacher control may lead to a disorganized environment in which effective learning cannot possibly occur. However, teacher-centeredness often goes too far in the real teaching context due to certain factors. In the traditional teaching mode, laying too much emphasis on how to teach but looking down on how to learn is a great barrier to promoting learner autonomy. Some teachers arbitrarily decide what to teach and how to teach; some pay little attention to individuals' difference; others have difficulty understanding learners' needs. More seriously, they lack affective communication and ignore the influence of affective factors on English teaching. However, during the communication process, the students may acquire valuable advice. It helps them to carry out effective communicative activities, develop the habit of active participation, hold the healthy attitude, and accept all useful ideas.

IV.Conclusion

As mentioned above, the factors influencing learner autonomy involve attitude, belief, motivation, culture and etc. We should reduce the negative points to the minimum and exert the positive ones to the utmost. Teachers should focus on developing students' active attitudes and inspiring their independent spirit as autonomous learners. Thus, the teachers who are conscious of the need for cultivating students' autonomous learning must create a supportive and non-threatening environment where students' autonomous learning is greatly advocated and ultimately enhanced in the learning process. Another point worthy of paying attention to is adjusting the roles of teachers and students, which can be regarded as the key to the success of promoting autonomous learning.

References

[1]Benson, P., & Voller, P. 1997. Introduction: Autonomy and independence in language learning. In P. Benson &Voller; (Eds.), Autonomy and independence language learning (pp. 1-12). London: Longman.

[2] Dickinson, L. 1987. Self-inspection in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[3]Holec, H. 1981. Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon Press

[4] Little, D. 1999. Learner autonomy in language learning: Defining the field and effecting change (pp.11-18). Frankfurt: Peter Lang

[5]Littlewood, W. 1996. Autonomy: an anatomy and a framework. System 24/4: 427-435.

[6]McDevitt, B. 1997. Learner autonomy and the need for learner training. Language Learning Journal 16:34-39.

[7]戴军熔. 2004(5). 普通高中学生英语自主学习能力调查与分析.中小学外语教学

收稿日期:2009-08-24