Autonomy in Language Learning

levels of learner actions: “awareness, involvement, intervention, creation, and transcendence”. At the awareness level, for example, learners would be “made aware of the pedagogical goals and contents of the materials”, “identify strategy implication of pedagogical tasks”, and “identify their own learning styles”. At the other end of the spectrum, in the transcendence level, “learners would make links between the content learnt in the classroom and the world beyond” and “become teachers and researchers”. Nunan 1997 contended that “most learners do not come into the learning situation with the knowledge and skills to determine content and learning proccesses which will enable them to reach their objectives in learning another language” and that “fully autonomous learners are a rarity”. Nunan 1997 suggested that teachers need to encourage learners to become autonomous and, for the purpose of the current research, this best takes place in the language classroom. Littlewood 1999 classified learner autonomy into two levels: proactive autonomy and reactive autonomy. Proactive autonomy is where learners are able to plan, monitor, and access their learning. In this way, learners establish their own “personal learning agenda” and their own “directions for learning”. This level of autonomy is often seen as the autonomy generally attributed to learners in Western cultures, such as Australia. However, in education in general and in language education in particular, Littlewood 1999 argued that it is necessary to mention and pay attention to the second level called “reactive autonomy”. Reactive autonomy is “the kind of autonomy which does not create its own directions, but once direction has been initiated enables learners to organize their resources autonomously to reach their goal ”. Reactive autonomy is seen as a lower order autonomy than proactive and is considered a preliminary step towards proactive autonomy. For instance, if a learner is in a state of reactive autonomy, she will learn vocabulary without being pushed and may volunteer to form a reading group to deal with assignments. It can be inferred that with reactive autonomy the level of decision making in class merely complements rather than challenges the traditional structures of knowledge and authority. This classification is worth attention in Asian educational contexts where the concept of learner autonomy is only recently being explored and where one must consider cultural and social constraints that are different to those of Western cultures Benson, 2000; Little, 1997; Littlewoods, 1999. However, in one study, Dang 2010 examined the relationship between autonomy and language proficiency at a university in Vietnam and found a positive relationship between the two. In the current research, the study focuses on fostering learner autonomy in foreign language learning in Vietnam, where the learners‟ level of English is quite mixed. Additionally, these learners are generally se en as „passive learner s‟ Therefore, it is important to heed Nunan‟s 1997 ideas about learner autonomy to explore the educational context for developing learner autonomy. Although there are different definitions of learner autonomy in the world, Sinclair 2000 pointed out some common characteristics of learner autonomy which are generally agreed. These include that autonomy is a construct of capacity which is not inborn ; autonomy consists of learners‟ willingness to be responsible for their own learning ; there are degrees of autonomy which are unstable and changeable ; autonomy can occur both inside and outside the classroom ; autonomy has a social as well as an individual dimension ; and that promotion of autonomy needs conscious awareness of the learning process . Rather than being interested in how knowledge is acquired, the focus is on how knowledge is constructed Von Glasersfeld, 2004 . Although researchers may approach issues and factors affecting learning and learners differently, the theories that umbrella their research is constructivism Von Glasersfeld, 2005 . For teachers, helping learners develop learner autonomy requires attention paid to the negotiation and support their learners. In order to foster learner autonomy, the autonomous learners must be willing to be involved in their learning. This means that they must be motivated and active towards their studies. As Dam 1995 identified, an autonomous learner as : an active respondent in the social processes of classroom learning. An active interpreter of new information in terms of what she already and uniquely knows...knows how to learn and can use this knowledge in any learning situation she may encounter at any stage in hisher life p. 102. However, in order to be willing to learn, it is important for learners to understand the tasks they have been given to do, which calls on the importance of the teacher in the process. Second, when they are willing to learn, it is important to know how to learn and how to take the responsibility. Wenden 1991 emphasized the importance of learner training in how to learn, suggesting that even „successful‟, „expert ‟ or „intelligent‟ learners have learned how to become autonomous. All learners have to acquire effective learning strategies, knowledge about learning, attitudes that enable them to use their skills and knowledge confidently, flexibly, appropriately and independently of a teacher. And when they can do this, they are autonomous learners. Put another way, if learners are willing to learn and have strategies to take control, they will become autonomous. Little 1995 stated that autonomous learners are motivated learners. Motivated autonomous learners are able to apply their knowledge and abilities further. In the context of English language learning, autonomous learners can freely apply their language and skills outside the immediate situation of learning. The main idea of autonomous language learning is to emphasize the role of learners rather than teachers by focusing on the process rather than the outcomes. Teachers should start to acknowledge the fact that working together with learners in the idea of learner-centered tasks does not mean losing their authority in the classroom. Autonomous language learning should be viewed as the collaborative effort that will empower learner oriented teaching Brown, 1994 and the importance of teachers roles should never been neglected or hindered since the responsibilities of learning should be shared equally between teachers and learners. Autonomous language learning should be able to encourage learners in identifying and developing their learning objective and introduced them with the notion and practices of lifelong learning Jacobs Farrell, 2001; Camilleri, 1999 Little, 1991; Dam, 1995; Nunan, 1997; Benson, 2001. Teachers indicated that most of the learners do not have the ability to identify language concepts on their own that they rather wait for their teachers to inform them or to teach them the concepts. However, sharing goal setting and decision making will actually encourage learners in taking responsibilities or taking charge on their own learning and but the teachers possess lack of awareness in regard to the importance of these two activities during learning session. The teachers need to realize that some learners might not be learning anything unless they has a clue on what they are trying to achieve Cotterall, 2000. At the end, the learners might feel lost and they will neglect self- evaluation process during ELT session resulting them to be unaware of their strength and weaknesses toward their learning This condition demonstrates a very teacher-centered practice in the current situation of PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI ESL classroom Reinders Lazaro, 2011; Al Asmari, 2013. Autonomous learners can practice it in several ways. To enhance their learning, they can use the various ways and modes. Benson 2007 summarizes the followings modes of autonomy beyond the classroom: Self-Access: To foster autonomy, various self-access centers have been established around the world. These centers provide essential materials where the learners work on their own to learn from the material provided. Self-access is an approach to learning not an approach to teaching. Tandem learning, in which two people are learning each other‟s‟ language work to help one another, has long association with autonomy Benson, 2007. There can be several such modes of practice, for example, self- study, library study, group learning and so on. Learners not only are found to be independent beyond classroom but also inside the class. Autonomy in the field of language learning has influenced of variety of approaches of language learning. Some influences on language learning autonomy are political philosophy, personal autonomy, educational reform, freedom in learning, Self-directed learning, Adult Education, and Psychology of learning constructivism. Michell, R. and Myles, F. 2004.

d. Characteristic of Autonomous Learner

Still talking about language learners characteristic, Learner beliefs is other language learning characteristic which also influent the language learning. Language learners are not always aware of their learning style but actually they have strong beliefs and opinions about how their instruction should be delivered. These beliefs are usually based on their previous learning experiences and the assumption on the particular type of instruction is the best way for them to learn Lightbown and Spada, 1999. Learners preferences for learning, whether related to their learning style or their beliefs on the way the languages are learned, will influence the selection of strategy to learn new material. There are several researches which try to profiling autonomous language learner. There are more than 100 competencies associated with autonomy in learning, which grouped into 13 headings. One of the most substantial attempts to list the characteristics of the autonomous learner comes from beyond the field of language education in Candys 1991 list of more than 100 competencies linked to autonomous learning in the educational literature In the context of language education, Breen and Mann 1997 offer a reduced set of characteristics, suggesting that autonomous learners: 1 see their relationship to what is to be learned, to how they will learn and to the resources available as one in which they are in charge or in control; 2 are in an authentic relationship to the language they are learning and have a genuine desire to learn that particular language; PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 3 have a robust sense of self that is unlikely to be undermined by any actual or assumed negative assessments of themselves or their work; 4 are able to step back from what they are doing and reflect upon it in order to make decisions about what they next need to do and experience; 5 are alert to change and able to change in an adaptable, resourceful and opportunistic way; 6 have a capacity to learn that is independent of the educational processes in which they are engaged; 7 are able to make use of the environment they find themselves in strategically; 8 are able to negotiate between the strategic meeting of their own needs and responding to the needs and desires of other group members. One observation that can be made about these kinds of checklists is that the components described are often of very different orders, ranging from skills to aspects of attitude and personality. This raises an initial question of whether the autonomous learner is someone who has acquired certain attributes or simply a person with a certain personality and approach to learning and life. It is also possible that both are involved and, if so, we will need to separate out the attributes that make up autonomy from the factors of attitude and personality that may predispose individuals towards their acquisition. We will also need to distinguish the attributes that are specific to autonomous learning from those that simply describe good learning. Lastly, it seems important that we make a distinction between description of what autonomous learners are capable of doing and description of the psychological competencies that underlie these capabilities. One of the main arguments is that we can describe what autonomous learners are capable of doing in terms of control over various aspects of their learning. While it is difficult to say how many aspects of learning need to be under the learners control in order for the learner to be considered autonomous, there must at least be some degree of control over the content of learning. Whether learners are able to control the content of their learning or not is partly a matter of their own capabilities, but also partly a matter of the circumstances in which they are learning. The capacity to control ones learning is, in principle, independent on the act of controlling it, but it also seems unlikely that someone will develop this capacity without ever having had the opportunity to exercise it. This points, perhaps, to a more holistic view of learner autonomy as a broad capacity to control those aspects of learning that are particularly salient to the learner, the learners goals and purposes, and the context of teaching and learning. The question remains of whether we are able to identify certain core competencies that underlie this broad capacity to control learning flexibly, in response to contextual needs and constrains. If such competence do exist, they are probably best described at a relatively broa psychological level and are likely to involve direction of attentional resources, reflection and metacognitive knowledge. According to Candy 1991 in Benson, 2001, the learner capable of autonomous learning will characteristically as follows: 1 be methodical and disciplined, 2 be logical and analytical, 3 be reflective and self-aware, 4 demonstrate curiosity, openness and motivation, 5 be flexible, 6 be interdependent and interpersonally competent, 7 be persistent and responsible, 8 be venturesome and creative, 9 show confidence and have a positive self-concept, 10 be independent and self-sufficient, 11 have developed information seeking and retrieval skills, 12 have knowledge about and skill at, learning processes, 13 develop and use criteria for evaluating. When the learner plays on the strategy and they are willing to explore it in their language learning, they will be an autonomous learner gradually. Defining the profiles of autonomous language learner is rather complex because it is also in relation with the personality and characters

B. Theoretical Framework

This study attempted to describe the learners‟ belief about language learning to measure the readiness of the learners to be autonomous learner. Little 1995 stated that autonomous learners are motivated learners. Motivated autonomous learners are able to apply their knowledge and abilities further. In the context of English language PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI learning, autonomous learners can freely apply their language and skills outside the immediate context of learning. The data collected by using questionnaire. A questionnaire is a set of systematically structured questions used by a researcher to get needed information from respondents. This research belonged to survey research that was done by means of questionnaire, survey research is included in a descriptive research which requires a researcher to interpret, describe, and explain thoroughly the natural situation revealed in the answered question Nazir, 1998. This research will reveal how learners belief about autonomous language learning. The importance of understanding learner beliefs in language learning is clear. Le arners‟ beliefs about language learning influence their affective states. So belief study can provide a reasonable account for the occurrence of learners‟ anxiety. Learners‟ language learning beliefs have impact on their choice of learning strategies. Therefore, understanding the learners‟ beliefs will help teachers to guide the learner to avoid ineffective learning strategies and instead apply effective learning strategies. Learner beliefs indicate to some degree learners‟ readiness for autonomous learning, thus play a vital role in motivation stimulation and formation of learner autonomy. The decision to promote learner autonomy comes usually from the teacher, and the success of attempts to empower learners to become actively involved in their learning depends to a large extent on the