Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2004. Vol. 4. Eger Journal of English Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 30)

KARIN MACDONALD Promoting a Particular View of Learner Autonomy Through an English Language Syllabus

Promoting a Particular View of Learner Autonomy 131 range of factors to do with the personality of the learner, their goals in undertaking the study of another language, the philosophy of the institution (if any) providing the instruction, and the cultural context within which the learning takes place. (1996: 13) He recognises that contextual variables will affect the version of autonomy to be promoted in a particular setting and they will affect whether that form of autonomy is both practicable and beneficial. Although Benson argues that, "autonomy is fundamentally concerned with the interests of learners, rather than the interests of those who require their skills" (2001: 21), by necessity, a definition of autonomy must acknowledge the interests that exist beyond the learners themselves. For example, there are clear economic reasons for learners to choose certain languages for particular contexts and the learners' priority may simply be to achieve success in those societal terms. Benson warns against the danger of autonomy being "viewed simply as a matter of consumer choice" (2001: 20) and it is indeed important to avoid a misinterpretation of autonomy which might encourage employers to save money on hiring teachers in the name of promoting the autonomous learner. However, as with any innovation, contextual factors are an essential consideration, as the effective implementation of innovation depends on it being acceptable to all those involved (Nicholls 1983), which includes the learners, teachers and the institution, who are all in turn influenced by the wider cultural setting. The definition of autonomy presented in this paper promotes the learner as an active participant in the language learning process within an instructed environment. This statement attempts to address the concern expressed by myself and other teachers with regards to our observations of learners who sit in classes as passive recipients of presented information and display an apparent reluctance and/or inability to voice opinions and contribute effectively to their learning in and out of class. This part of the definition is loosely related to Holec's definition of autonomy which he describes as "the ability to take charge of one's learning" (1981: 3), as 'taking charge' does suggest positive action on the part of the learners. Active participation is used here instead, however, to underline the fact that the learners are expected to be active members of a group of learners within an instructed environment. The statement therefore recognises the contributions learners can make whilst nevertheless accepting the need for continued guidance oil the part of the teacher. The difference between the definition here and Holec's is mainly in terms of the level of control the learners are likely to have. Holec's definition resulted from his report on the Council of Europe's Modern Languages Project, which was concerned with adult lifelong learning. His