Use the target language as the preferred medium of classroom communication and require the same of her learners
Involve her learners in a non-stop quest for good learning activities, which are shared, discussed, analysed and evaluated with the whole class – in the target language, to begin with in very simple terms
Help her learners to set their own learning targets and choose their own learning activities, subjecting them to discussion, analysis and evaluation – again, in the target language
What does the teacher do?
Require her learners to identify individual goals but pursue them through collaborative work in small groups
Require her learners to keep a written record of their learning – plans of lessons and projects, lists of useful vocabulary, whatever texts they themselves produce
Engage her learners in regular evaluation of their progress as individual learners and as a class – in the target language
Questions for discussion
“[It] is not the function of the Framework to promote one particular language teaching methodology, but instead to present options” (CEF, p. 142) Consider those options (CEF, p. 143; provided on a separate handout) and answer these questions:
Which of the options best characterize language teaching practice in your context?
How many of them are compatible with learner autonomy as elaborated in this presentation?
Which of them are most likely to accommodate work on the ELP?
How would you encourage learner autonomy in your context?
References
Deci, E. (with R. Flaste), 1995: Why we do what we do: understanding self-motivation. New York: Penguin.
Holec, H., 1981: Autonomy and foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon. (First published 1979, Strasbourg: Council of Europe).
