Learner Autonomy Principles

“Active learners taking initiative learn more things and learn better
than do people who sit at the feet of their teachers.” – Knowles

“Autonomy is essentially a matter of the learner's psychological

relation to the process and content of learning--a capacity for
detachment, critical reflection, decision-making, and independent
action” – Little

“The autonomous learner is a self-activated maker of meaning, an

active agent in his own learning process. Learning is seen as the
result of his own self-initiated interaction with the world.” – Rathbone

“Autonomy is a situation in which the learner is totally responsible for

all the decisions concerned with his/her learning and the
implementation of those decisions” – Dickinson

How can we develop responsibility and autonomy?

On the part of the LEARNER

- Motivation and self-confidence:

- Monitoring and evaluation:

- Learning Strategies

- Cooperation and group cohesion:

On the part of the TEACHER

- Sharing information with the learner

- Consistent control

- Delegating tasks and decisions

Adapted from Learner Autonomy by Ágota Scharle and Anita Szabó, Cambridge University Press
2000
Self-assessment as part of Learner Autonomy development

Types of Self-Assessment

1. Assessment of [a specific] performance

2. Assessment of [general] competence

3. Metacognitive assessment [for setting goals]

4. Socioaffective assessment

5. Student-generated tests

Guidelines for Self-Assessment

1. Tell students the purpose of the assessment

2. Define the task(s) clearly

3. Encourage impartial evaluation of performance and ability

4. Ensure beneficial washback through follow-up tasks

From Language Assessment by H. Douglas Brown, Longman 2004