Discovery learning and learner autonomy development in secondary vocational school

【Abstract】It is imperative to cultivate learner autonomy in secondary vocational school and discovery learning is a good choice.The author reviews the definition and principle of discovery learning and learning autonomy，concludes the adaptation of discovery learning from characteristics of vocational students，and finally illustrates an example in teaching.

【Key words】Discovery learning； learner autonomy development； secondary vocational school

Discovery learning is a technique of inquiry-based learning and is considered a constructivist based approach to education.It is supported by the work of learning theorists and psychologists Jean Piaget，Jerome Bruner and Seymour Papert.It is based on the following principles：

A.Learners develop processes associated with discovery and inquiry by observing，inferring，formulating，hypotheses，predicting and communicating.

B.Teachers use a teaching style which supports the processes of discovery and inquiry.

C.Textbooks are not the sole resources for learning.

D.Conclusions are considered tentative and not final.

E.Learners are involved in planning，conducting，and evaluating their own learning with the teacher playing a supporting role.

Bruner argues that discovery is not limited to looking for things yet unknown，which includes all forms of acquiring knowledge by oneself.The knowledge students learn，though its known to human，if such knowledge is learned through their own efforts then the learning is still a“discovery”.

Discovery method is mainly for the following three cases，the first is in concept teaching，teachers present examples of the concept without directly telling the essential characteristics of them，then ask the students to identify，hypothesize，test hypotheses，until they summarize the essential characteristics of the class of things.The teacher can voice dissent or approval in the whole process.The second is in the rules or principles teaching，teachers illustrate the rule or principle，but not show the rule or principle itself.The third is in finding new rules class.By solving new problems with the help of previous knowledge，teachers encourage learners to summarize new rules and learn problem-solving strategies.

Learner autonomy is the principle that learners should be encouraged to assume a maximum amount of responsibility for what they learn and how they learn it.This will be reflected in approaches to needs analysis，content selection，and the choice of teaching materials and learning methods.

Discovery learning agrees with secondary vocational students for following reasons：

A.The learner is more curious and active to receive new learning methods.

B.Being hands-on ability，they prefer acquiring knowledge by themselves to listening to the teacher，and they get impressive understanding.

C.With more intellectual scotomata，secondary vocational students have more chance to go about discovery learning.

Considering the intellectual level and knowledge based on the previous knowledge of secondary vocational students，teachers should choose the best methods before class to help learners rather than just throwing the difficult to them.Usually we combine methods in our teaching，for example，group discussion，situational teaching method，games approach and so on.We can start with simple discovery，for example when we run into “the” in a new passage，the teacher can ask students to find more “the” in passage，and ask them to conclude the usage，then guides the student discuss or learn by conference books and mobile phones in groups，latter asks representatives to report，the teacher and students can ask question during the report.Then each learner is required to write a conclusion，and they are required to replenish the conclusion after class.Next time the teacher can give time to students to discover and learn the knowledge they are interested in.Discovery learning can develop learner autonomy of secondary vocational students，it stimulates the advance of teachers professional knowledge and teaching meanwhile it requires more work，patience and praise of teacher.

References：

[1]Bruner，J.S.The act of discovery.Harvard Educational Review.1961.31（1）：21–32.

[2]Holec H.AutonomyandForeignLanguage Learning[M].Oxford：Pergamon Press，1981.

[3]鲁子问，康淑敏.英语教学方法与策略[M]上海：华东师范大学出版社，2008.

作者简介：刘芩利（1986），女，汉族，四川南充人，在职英语教师，研究方向：课程与教学论。