This chapter is concerned about how learners have autonomy of learning through learning efficient learning strategies, recognizing learning styles, setting own learning objectives, planning the curriculum, and self-evaluation. It offers direct and indirect methods. As direct strategies, teachers can help students to train cognition and metacognition by building schema using scaffolding and graphic organizers. Critical thinking is the must that teachers help students have. Students affective factors should be considered as well to make learning be easier like using their first language as a supplemental tool.
Such academic survival skills and study skills as test taking, host culture, and time management should be taught. "Research proves that language is learned more efficiently and effectively when it is couched in content." (EESL 670, ppt.) Likewise, content based instruction is highly appraised. CBI-ELD, SDAIE, CALL are new collaboration methods of English language teaching. In CBI-ELD, content teachers an language teachers are separate but SDAIE has one content teacher who modifies their content and teach language elements as well. CALL extend class to home through multimedia computing and the internet. Technologies become the reality of the current generation and they need to learn to handle those technologies for their learning.
Response to Hajeong Park
As Hajeong Park pointed out, one can teach the learner a second language, but only the learner can learn it. Because of this reason, learner autonomy in language learning is very important. Through self managed instruction, self-assessment, and self-efficacy, students should understand that learning itself is taking place due to their own volition. Teachers are helpers who they can get information and guides.
Students can't learn everything in class in limited times so teachers should teach students how to learn. Learning strategies and metacognitive abilities should be taught whereupon students can expand their knowledge on their own.
Response to Ryumith (Kim, Taehyun)
As Ruymith mentioned, even though learners' autonomy, learners' feeling that studying is taking place due to their own volition, is the basis of learning, it is not easy to have them help self-autonomy when it comes to a foreign language which they think they know nothing about and they should learn from teachers. I think making them think English is just a language and has similar characteristics to their first language in terms of language, a means of communication. I also agree with him on how useful graphic organizers in class to stimulate learners and help them organize what they are learning more clearly.
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