Sunday, August 7th, 2011
WEEK 7
LEARNER AUTONOMY
We never stop learning and we learn something every day. This week we were reflecting about the importance of learner autonomy, which is the ability to take charge of one's learning, which in my opinion is the most important aspect we should teach our students in order to have competitive leaders, who do not depend on teachers but on themselves.
The teacher plays an important role here, we need to adapt resources, materials, and methods to the learners' needs and even abandon them if necessary. The teacher can help students to take responsibility for their own learning, making them read for pleasure and suggest them to listen to as much English as possible, e.g. english programs on TV or radio, make them to form groups to share their experiences. This could encourage those who are less motivated to learn by choosing and doing what they wanted and liked, and sharing with their friends. And nowadays with the use of technology it is easy to find interactive tools for learning English language and students can access to them anytime of course if they have the resources. Unfortunately, in my country, no many people can have access to internet very often, but if they get the opportunity it is an advantage for them to learn.
And finally my suggestion is to continue learning the advantages of technology in order to share them with our students. Most of the students don't have access to internet, but we can share with them what we have researched by the use of a computer, speakers and a head projector in our classes.
Let's get better for our students.
Hi Mónica,
ResponderEliminarI really agree with you that we as teachers have to encourage autonomy in our students, that why we need to use some different tools not only by using technology but also without it.
In order to do this we alwyas have to be updated in technology.
Sylvia
Hello Monica and Sylvia,
ResponderEliminarGreat points you make here. Teachers are key agents in improving learner autonomy. I don't know how it is in your culture but teachers might be over-protective in Turkey and leave very little for students to do themselves maybe it is because parents are often over-protective in Turkey, at least this is what I observe. What I mean is that instead of leading students to find the information themselves, we, over-protective teachers, often present the information ourselves so students do not make much effort and in the end they cannot learn to learn.
How about in your countries?
Thanks for your wonderful insights.
Best,
Abdullah