Two Activities for Fostering Autonomous Learning
Galina Kavaliauskiene
gkaval [at] ltu.lt
Law University of Lithuania (Vilnius, Lithuania)
gkaval [at] ltu.lt
Law University of Lithuania (Vilnius, Lithuania)
Introduction
Successful language learning entails learner motivation, cooperation and empathy. Naturally, this approach places emphasis on learner development. There are a number of stages in the learner development process. The uppermost stages include raising language awareness (how learners can contribute to their own learning), changing learning strategies (self-monitoring, responding to peers, etc.), and, finally, assuming responsibility for their own learning. The last stage implies transferring some traditional teacher's roles to learners which allows them to become more independent (Kavaliauskiene, 2002).
This paper describes two activities that can encourage learners' development towards autonomy by motivating and involving students in class activities, producing classroom materials and using them in class.
This paper describes two activities that can encourage learners' development towards autonomy by motivating and involving students in class activities, producing classroom materials and using them in class.
Checking and Correcting Homework
- LEVEL: post-elementary & above
- OBJECTIVES: peer-/self-assessment, developing autonomy, learner cooperation & interaction, recycling vocabulary
- TARGET LANGUAGE : vocabulary / grammar review
- MATERIALS: homework (done individually outside class)
- IMPLEMENTATION
- PROCEDURE: whole class interaction or in small groups
- TIME LIMIT: about 10 minutes
This activity transfers a common teacher's role to learners, encourages their cooperation, interaction, assessment and recycling earlier covered material. It can be used as a warm-up activity at the beginning or as a revision task at the end of the class.
Ask one of the students to start the activity by appointing a speaker who will provide an answer to the first question. If the answer is correct, this student asks somebody else to answer the next question, and so on. If the answer is wrong, the teacher's role is taken by any student who provides the right answer.
The activity works even better if you divide class into teams (3 to 5 students on a team), let students choose the names for their teams (lions, tigers, snails, etc.) and set up the implementation procedure in the same way as described above with one exception - nobody 'plays' teacher's role. Teams do all the checking in turns. Students have more fun this way.
In this activity, all students have opportunity to speak out and argue their points. The teacher is nearly redundant: his/her role is to monitor students' performance. The teacher's interference might be necessary in case of tricky questions, i.e. if learners are unable to come up with a right answer.
Ask one of the students to start the activity by appointing a speaker who will provide an answer to the first question. If the answer is correct, this student asks somebody else to answer the next question, and so on. If the answer is wrong, the teacher's role is taken by any student who provides the right answer.
The activity works even better if you divide class into teams (3 to 5 students on a team), let students choose the names for their teams (lions, tigers, snails, etc.) and set up the implementation procedure in the same way as described above with one exception - nobody 'plays' teacher's role. Teams do all the checking in turns. Students have more fun this way.
In this activity, all students have opportunity to speak out and argue their points. The teacher is nearly redundant: his/her role is to monitor students' performance. The teacher's interference might be necessary in case of tricky questions, i.e. if learners are unable to come up with a right answer.
Useful Tips
It is advisable, however, instead of prompting the right answer to give learners some tips that might help them produce the correct answer. Usually someone in class does.
At lower levels, students might lack self-confidence to use English. If learners feel like using their first language, do not discourage them. Let students become familiar with activity and feel comfortable and secure.
At lower levels, students might lack self-confidence to use English. If learners feel like using their first language, do not discourage them. Let students become familiar with activity and feel comfortable and secure.
Alternatives
This activity can be used for peer-checking of progress tests administered by teachers. Having administered a few versions (to avoid cheating) of progress tests, ask students to exchange their worksheets, correct their peer's work and allow them to grade it. Learners enjoy playing teachers!
Next, let students discuss their performance by working in pairs or small groups. The teacher's role is to monitor pairs' work and give advice if necessary.
Next, let students discuss their performance by working in pairs or small groups. The teacher's role is to monitor pairs' work and give advice if necessary.
Useful Tip
Avoid 'denouncing' students for making mistakes. The damage to a student's reputation might be irreparable. Individual counseling is preferable.
Student-produced Tests
- LEVEL: elementary & above
- OBJECTIVES: peer-assessment, self-assessment, producing materials, reflection on usage, interaction, recycling grammar/vocabulary
- TARGET LANGUAGE: vocabulary, grammar, word-building, matching words& definitions
- MATERIALS: handouts, worksheets, transparencies from
- web-based, authentic or textbook materials
- IMPLEMENTATION
- PROCEDURE: work in pairs / small groups / whole class discussion
- TIME LIMIT: flexible
The choice of materials that students can use for producing tests for their peers depends on their level. Higher level students are apt to create a variety of exercises (word-building, gap-filling, language in use, matching words and definitions) and use authentic materials. Lower level students prefer to produce grammar exercises similar to ones in their textbooks.
For students, making their own tests is an extremely motivating activity, which also has an element of self-study and self-assessment. Learners are bound to reflect on the items they have chosen for testing
In class, learners hand out worksheets to their peers, set a time limit and provide assistance if needed. The outcome is discussed either between groups or in the whole class.
The teacher's role is to monitor learners' activities in pairs or small groups unobtrusively. Intervention is unnecessary unless learners need assistance.
Useful Tip
It is advisable to check and correct mistakes on the learners' worksheets before they are handed out to their peers.
Tests might be presented on transparencies and implemented as a whole class activity (provided an overhead projector is available in the classroom).
Tests might be presented on transparencies and implemented as a whole class activity (provided an overhead projector is available in the classroom).
Reference
- Kavaliauskiene, G. Three Activities to Promote Learner's Autonomy. The Internet TESL Journal. Vol. VIII, No. 7, July 2002. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Kavaliauskiene-Autonomy/
The main role for the learner autonomy is defined as someone qualifies as an autonomous learner when he independently chooses aims and purposes and sets goals; chooses materials, methods and tasks; exercises choice and purpose in organizing and carrying out the chosen tasks.
ReplyDeleteThat was my first beginning in autonomy where we’re able to put in practice what do we o in class it could be developed in each homework.
The autonomous learner is a self-activated maker of meaning, an active agent in his own learning process. He is not one to whom things merely happen; he is the one who, by his own volition, causes things to happen.
Also,
Nowadays, learners are the active agent to use their knowledge in real situations in context not only in the traditional methods like less teaching more practicing. They are not the only one to receive information in order to learn, and don’t get involved to practice in real situations, so students practice their language in real situations and languages are not only to share words it’s also to share feeling and emotions.
Motivation is also important involved into EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES because learning is not only in intelligence or mind habitudes it’s also On feelings, emotions and obviously it gets into Motivational experiences, that’s the capacity to let the student autonomous of their learning around their own motivation and experiences.
Positivism, which reigned supreme in the twentieth century, is premised upon the assumption that knowledge reflects objective reality.
For me is the principle or more surprising information point to focus about working on PBL, not only in students, even when teachers are well formed in education or instructed on PBL, behaviors and personalities are necessary to take place in classroom or any activity as PBL.
Because it’s also necessary to express feelings into Positivism to be shared with our students. O'Malley and Chamot (1990). According to them, learning strategies are 'the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn, or retain new information'.
Certainly, though, autonomous learning is not akin to "unbridled learning." There has to be a teacher who will adapt resources, materials, and methods to the learners' needs and even abandon all this if need be. Learner autonomy consists in becoming aware of, and identifying, one's strategies, needs, and goals as a learner, and having the opportunity to reconsider and refashion approaches and procedures for optimal learning. But even if learner autonomy is amenable to educational interventions.
Nevertheless, just to give an extra point to my comment for example teachers’ use to guide students to make their own habitudes for example when techers give them some exercises or task.
Usually I take different activities for fostering autonomous learning one of them are correcting homework, before the written task is taken I review the same homework in oral way.
So, they catch up on their speaking and mistakes we work in groups and everybody participate. When I have a so strong work to do in a special occasion with a specific student I make an individual counseling.
Finally, to support the main conclusion for these articles I want to add that: it should be recognized that it 'takes a long time to develop autonomous learning, and--simply removing the barriers to a person's ability to think and behave in certain ways may not allow him or her to break away from old habits or old ways of thinking' (Candy, 1991: 124). As Holyoake (1892, vol. 1, p. 4) succinctly put it, knowledge lies everywhere to hand for those who observe and think.
Wilson