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

132 Karin Macdonald definition therefore addresses the need for those adult learners to take full responsibility for the content and organisation of their learning. For the instructed setting in question here, the learners' level of control will change and develop as their studies progress but they are unlikely to gain full control of all aspects of their studies due to the requirements and demands of the educational institution of which they are members. Nunan's levels of autonomy are a helpful reference point for the innovation proposals in this paper. The autonomy proposals for the syllabus in question are similar to levels one and two on Nunan's scale: level one being concerned with raising learners' awareness of pedagogic goals and content of the materials they are using and level two allowing learner involvement in the selection of their own goals from a range of alternatives on offer (1997: 195). It is important to note, however, that these levels of autonomy are general guidelines only as the levels will differ from learner to learner and according to the particular task at hand. 'Active participation' therefore reflects a view of autonomy specific to a particular educational setting where the level of autonomy is constrained but appropriate for that setting. 'Active participation' also reflects a philosophy of learning where learners work in cooperation with each other and their teachers. Kohonen describes cooperative learning as a situation where learners work to accomplish shared goals (1992: 33) and "the extent to which the decisions are taken together reflects a shared management of learning, with the teacher functioning as guide and expert consultant of learning" (1992: 32). His experiential model allows a more learner-centred approach in language instruction but acknowledges the roles the learners as a group and the teacher can play in 'positive interdependence' (1992: 34). Kohonen's summary of experiential learning is directly in line with the view of autonomy here as he states that personal awareness and responsibility axe part of autonomous learning but "personal decisions are made with respect to social and moral norms, traditions and expectations" (1992: 19). The definition for autonomy offered here concerns the development of the learners' ability to work collaboratively and on an individual basis in a way which will help his/her studies in the educational setting in question. This therefore argues in favour of a learner-centred approach but where a learner's autonomous decisions are made in positive cooperation with the expected norms of the educational setting. Language classes should therefore give the learner plenty of opportunities for interactive communication and for reflection on the language itself, on ways of learning, and on the learners' progress. In addition, learners' active participation, as described so far, needs to be supported through the development of the ability to make decisions and