Analysis of Teachers’ Voices of Learner Autonomy in EFL Online Learning Context

Abstract

Autonomy of English language learners in a technology-supported learning environment has attracted much academic interest. However, learner autonomy in the Indonesian EFL setting has not commonly been considered as an important teaching and learning objective. Additionally, studies on teachers' voices of the emerging context of online learning platform over learner autonomy have not been well established. Therefore, the present study attempts to complement this line of research via a qualitative investigation of two EFL teachers. Interviews and classroom observation were used to collect the data about English teachers' voices regarding learner autonomy and learner autonomy-based practices. The finding suggests that the teachers perceived learner autonomy as the ability to learn independently and online learning helped them to promote learner autonomy. Teachers believe that learners should be able to make decisions about how they would like to learn, the activity they did, and what is involved in making decisions. With regard to learner autonomy-based teaching and learning practices, it was found that although the teachers desired to implement learner autonomy in their classroom context, and they used different strategies to promote learner autonomy. However, several factors such as learners' lack of autonomous learning experience, limited interaction, and insufficient proficiency in English became the constraints of developing learner autonomy in online learning classes. In this respect, it is important to provide learners with training to be autonomous and have a strong commitment to success in inculcating learner autonomy in an online classroom setting.

Promoting learner autonomy through EFL textbook: the textbook facilitation and the students’ and teacher’s perceptions

“…As for students, it is useful to help them with learning fulfillment based on their preferences. It aligns with other studies (Almusharraf, 2020;Borg & Al-Busaidi, 2012;Ningsih & Yusuf, 2020;Yuzulia & Yusuf, 2019) have found. Similar to this research finding, Borg and Al-Busaidi (2012) reported that teachers participating in the study witness their autonomous students as individuals with several characteristics, such as having higher motivation, better commitment, more learning excitement, better focus, and bravery to take risks.…”

“…Numerous studies have investigated the attitudes of EFL teachers toward LA implementation in their teaching (Almusharraf, 2020;Lengkanawati, 2017;Ningsih & Yusuf, 2020;Yuzulia, 2020;Yuzulia & Yusuf, 2019), as well as the perspectives from students (Boonma & Swatevacharkul, 2020;Dalilan, 2021;Tuan, 2021). Lengkanawati (2017) found that the majority of the teachers participating in her study were eager to bring LA principles into teachinglearning practices, regardless of the challenges in its implementation.…”

“…Studies on LA have been widely explored (Almusharraf, 2020;Boonma & Swatevacharkul, 2020;Dalilan, 2021;Lengkanawati, 2017;Ningsih & Yusuf, 2020;Tuan, 2021;Yuzulia, 2020;Yuzulia & Yusuf, 2019). However, there has been only…”

EFL Teachers’ Practices and Perspectives on Learner Autonomy in Virtual Language Learning Environments in Jordan

“…It can be inferred that learner autonomy in face-to-face learning environments is possible to promote despite the traditional trends in teaching, as stated by Ningsih and Yusuf (2021). Where teachers control the classroom, decisions regarding the lesson and the assessment remain in the hands of teachers.…”

English Teachers’ Perspectives of Learner Autonomy in Online Reading Comprehension in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…To achieve this goal, young learners should read proficiently as well as engage and be motivated to read throughout elementary school (Martha et al, 2021). When teachers support young learners' need for autonomous reading activities, it allows them to opt for reading materials that they find interesting and grasp the value of reading text to achieve reading competency (Xie, 2020) and as a result, learners can exchange cultural views with speakers of the target culture and activating their prior knowledge (Ningsih & Yusuf, 2021).…”