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

140 Karin Macdonald 3.3 Principles oil Which the Proposed Syllabus is Based The principles governing the proposed syllabus are summarised in figure 2. Autonomy is the main principle at the top of the diagram and is to be promoted through a communicative paradigm, which in turn is intended to develop students' communicative competence and study competence. The diagram thus shows the hierarchical nature of the principles. The arrows point in two directions, however, to show the inter dependency of the principles in the context in question. The fundamental guiding principle behind the language programme on the proposed syllabus is therefore the definition of autonomy presented in section 2. Through that definition it is recognised that learners in a higher educational institution are presupposed to have "the intellectual competence to acquire a fully rational grasp of a particular discipline or subject area" (Heron 1988: 78), but need to be supported in the organisation of their studies and their learning with a more learner-centred approach to language teaching and learning through the proposed syllabus. The promotion of autonomy, as it is defined here, is to be achieved through a communicative paradigm for teaching and learning English at the college. Teachers at the college have already adopted communicative language teaching methods for the implementation of English language practice units. The communicative approach is supported to some extent by the existing syllabus through the specification of themes and functions and is reflected in the choice cf main textbook for English units in the first year. To illustrate, Jones (1998), the main textbook used in the department, is designed to practice all four language skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing, and includes a number of 'Communication Activities' (1998: 5). As Breen and Candlin state, "The use of (these) communicative abilities is manifested in communicative performance through a set of skills. Speaking, listening, reading and writing skills can be seen to serve and depend upon the underlying abilities of interpretation, expression and negotiation" (1980: 92). Language teachers at the college thus make use of materials and methods that support communicative language teaching principles. The teachers' existing familiarity with such methods is an advantage as the communicative paradigm serves as a useful base to promote the view of autonomy here. As Breen and Candlin argue, in a communicative curriculum, "the implication for the learner is that he should contribute as much as he gains, and thereby learn in an interdependent way" (1980: 100). Therefore the alternative syllabus is based on a view of teaching and learning in line with the communicative approach that: • concentrates on language use and appropriacy as well as form;