Maintaining Control: Autonomy and Language Control

Whereas in previous decades autonomous, self-directed or 'independent' learning may have been assumed to be an alternative to classroom learning, the emphasis has now shifted to the point where learner autonomy, viewed as capacity to take charge of one’s own learning, is increasingly being promoted as a goal for general language education. Autonomy, as Phil Benson points out in his chapter, has "become part of the current orthodoxy of language teaching and learning research and practice: an idea that researchers and teachers ignore at their peril". This volume brings together a diverse body of work by leading theorists of autonomy in language education, as well as locally situated accounts by autonomy practitioners working with secondary-level, university or adult migrant learners, or engaged in teacher education and curriculum development. Localising autonomy in such settings, different views of autonomy emerge as social practice, much less an abstract set of discrete skills, attitudes or behaviours to be developed, and much more a historically and socially situated process that evolves through relations among persons-in-action in specific contexts of practice. Different authors explore learners' and teachers' voices to raise thought-provoking questions about roles, resources and practices important to any pedagogy for autonomy. Suitable for use with teachers in pre-service and in-service training, this landmark volume will also strongly appeal to teachers working in different education sectors, as well as teacher educators and researchers. Maintaining Control - Autonomy and Language Learning......Page 4 Copyright ......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Contributors......Page 8 Introduction......Page 14 1. Maintaining Control: An introduction......Page 16 Theories and discourses of autonomy and language learning......Page 24 2. Making sense of autonomy in language learning......Page 26 3. Crash or clash? Autonomy 10 years on......Page 40 4. Discursive dissonance in approaches to autonomy......Page 58 Practices of learner autonomy......Page 78 5. Controlling learning: Learners’ voices and relationships between motivation and learner autonomy......Page 80 6. Learner autonomy in a mainstream writing course: Articulating learning gains......Page 100 7. Reflective lesson planning: Promoting learner autonomy in the classroom......Page 122 8. The use of logbooks — a tool fordeveloping learner autonomy......Page 138 Practices of teacher autonomy......Page 158 9. Learner autonomy, the European Language Portfolio and teacher development......Page 160 10. The teacher as learner: Developing autonomy in an interactive learning environment......Page 188 11. Defending stories and sharing one: Towards a narrative understanding of teacher autonomy......Page 212 12. Autonomy and control in curriculum development: ‘Are you teaching what we all agreed?’......Page 230 Commentary......Page 252 13. Autonomy: Under whose control?......Page 254 Notes......Page 268 References......Page 272 Index......Page 296 Maintaining Control - Autonomy and Language Learning 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Contributors 8 Introduction 14 1. Maintaining Control: An introduction 16 Theories and discourses of autonomy and language learning 24 2. Making sense of autonomy in language learning 26 3. Crash or clash? Autonomy 10 years on 40 4. Discursive dissonance in approaches to autonomy 58 Practices of learner autonomy 78 5. Controlling learning: Learners’ voices and relationships between motivation and learner autonomy 80 6. Learner autonomy in a mainstream writing course: Articulating learning gains 100 7. Reflective lesson planning: Promoting learner autonomy in the classroom 122 8. The use of logbooks — a tool fordeveloping learner autonomy 138 Practices of teacher autonomy 158 9. Learner autonomy, the European Language Portfolio and teacher development 160 10. The teacher as learner: Developing autonomy in an interactive learning environment 188 11. Defending stories and sharing one: Towards a narrative understanding of teacher autonomy 212 12. Autonomy and control in curriculum development: ‘Are you teaching what we all agreed?’ 230 Commentary 252 13. Autonomy: Under whose control? 254 Notes 268 References 272 Index 296 9622099238,9789622099234,9622099548,9789622099548 Hong Kong University Press

This volume brings together major contributions from the 2004 Autonomy and Language Learning: Maintaining Control conference and provides different critical interpretations of autonomy in second language education. Contributors include Naoko Aoki, Phil Benson, Sara Cotterall, Edith Esch, Terry Lamb, David Little, Phil Riley, Barbara Sinclair, Richard Smith and Ema Ushioda.

Hong Kong University Press

This work explores how to make sense of autonomy in language learning. It also looks at controlling learning, learner autonomy in a mainstream writing course, reflective lesson planning, autonomy and control in curriculum development, and much more