Thai EFL Teachers and Learners’ Beliefs and Readiness for Autonomous Learning
Abstract
The emergence of the ASEAN Economic Community has spurred countries in the region to relook their English language teaching approaches to ensure it is in line with regional and global changes. This has resulted in Asian countries seeking to modernise their teaching and learning of the language to promote higher order thinking skills and pave the way for better learner autonomy. This paper examines Thai teacher and learner beliefs about autonomous learning within the Thai culture of learning to determine if both are ready for autonomous learning. Using a qualitative approach employing interviews with teacher and students data was created from 76 English language teachers and 116 lower secondary school students, subdivided into high performing and low performing groups from 41 schools in Bangkok. The overall results indicate that both teachers and students hold positive beliefs about autonomous learning. The findings further reveal that the teachers supported communicative language learning while the students emphasised their needs for mental support, that teachers from large schools have higher academic expectations than those from smaller schools, and that lower performing students struggle for more academic and psychological support than their higher performing peers. The exam system, students’ dependence on teachers, and a lack of understanding from families and surrounding communities make it difficult for both teachers and students to achieve a high degree of autonomy. The study sheds some light on the challenges facing policy makers, particularly the Ministry of Education, with regard to what they can do to promote autonomy in the Thai school system.
Keywords: autonomy; culture of learning; English language teaching; learner-centeredness; teacher and learner beliefs
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Basturkmen, H. (2012). Review of research into the correspondence between language teachers’ stated beliefs and practices, System. Vol. 40, 282-295.
Benson, P. (2003). Learner autonomy in the classroom. In D. Nunan (Ed.), Practical English Language Teaching (pp. 289-308). New York: McGraw Hill.
Benson, P. (2012). Learner-centred teaching. In A. Burns, &J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge Guide to Pedagogy and Practice in Second Language Teaching (pp. 30-37). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Berendt, E, & Mattsson, M. (2013). Poles apart: Protocols of Expectations about Finnish and Thai Teachers. In M. Cortazzi & L. Jin (Eds), Researching Cultures of Learning: International Perspectives on Language Learning and Education. (pp. 222-247). Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Borg, S. & Al-Busaidi, S. (2012). Learner Autonomy: English Language Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices. London: The British Council.
Campbell, J. (2009). English language reform and the process of democratic change. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies. Vol. 15(1), 143-170.
Chatreepinyo, P. (2012). Integrated language teaching emphasizing tasks and metacognitive strategies to enhance English writing competence and autonomous learning of Year 4 secondary-school students. Unpublished
Master’sthesis, Chaingmai University, Thailand.
Cortazzi, M. & Jin, L. (2006). Changing practices in Chinese cultures of learning. Language, Culture & Curriculum. Vol. 19(1), 5-20.
Cotterall, S. (1995). Readiness for autonomy: Investigating learner beliefs. System. Vol. 23(2), 195–205.
Ellis, R. (1992). Second Language Acquisition and Language Pedagogy. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Fukham, K. (2004). Genre-based courseware for development of English writing ability and learner autonomy. Unpublished Master’s thesis,
Chaingmai University, Thailand.
Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon.
Illes, É. (2012). Learner autonomy revisited. ELT Journal. Vol. 66 (4), 505-513.
Iemjinda, M. (2005). Teachers and changes: A school-based professional development programme for Thai teachers. Silpakorn University International Journal. Vol. 5(1-2), 91-107.
Islangkura Na Ayudhaya, W. (2013). Developing personnel and their image for the ASEAN community. Unpublished research report, funded by the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Thailand.
Javadi, F. (2014). On the relationship between teacher autonomy and feeling of burnout among Iranian EFL teachers. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Vol. 98, 770-774.
Joshi, K. J. (2011). Learner perceptions and teacher beliefs about learner autonomy in language learning. Journal of NELTA. Vol. 16(1-2), 13-29.
Kwangsawad, T. (2007). Bridging the gap between CLT and CBI theories and practices in Thai small rural schools In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Educational Reform 2007, November 9-11,
(pp.266-276). Mahasarakham University, Thailand.
Limpriwatana, K. (2011). Portfolio-based writing assessment to promote English writing ability and learner autonomy among undergraduate students. Unpublished Master’s thesis, Chaingmai University, Thailand.
Little, D. (1995). Learning as dialogue: The dependence of learner autonomy on teacher autonomy. System. Vol. 23(2), 175-181.
Musa, N. C., Lie, K. Y. & Azman, H. (2012). Exploring English language learning and teaching in Malaysia. GEMA Online® Journal of Language Studies. Vol. 12(1), 35-51.
Nakata, Y. (2011). Teachers’ readiness for promoting learner autonomy: A study of Japanese EFL school teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education. Vol. 27(5), 900–910.
Nunan, D. (1997). Designing and adapting materials to encourage learner autonomy. In P. Benson, P. & P. Voller (Eds), Autonomy and Independence in Language Learning (pp. 192-203). London: Longman.
Saengpakdeejit, R. (2002). Effective reading through autonomous learning. Unpublished Master’s independent study, KonKaen University, Thailand.
Sangsawang, P. P. (2011). A study of learning efficiency and attitudes towards autonomous learning of students enrolled in foundation English courses. Unpublished research report, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Thailand.
Shaw, J. (2008). Team-teaching as negotiating autonomy and shared understandings of what we are doing. In T. Lamb & H. Reinders (Eds.), Learner and Teacher Autonomy: Concepts, Realities and Responses (pp.
-204). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Sinclair, B. (2000). Learner autonomy: The next phase? In B. Sinclair, I. McGrath & T. Lamb (Eds.), Learner Autonomy, Teacher Autonomy: Future Directions (pp. 4-14). London: Longman.
Smith, R. C. (2000). Starting with ourselves: Teacher-learner autonomy in language learning. In B. Sinclair, I. McGrath & T. Lamb (Eds.), Learner Autonomy, Teacher Autonomy: Future Directions (pp. 89-99). London: Longman.
Suraratdecha, S. & Tayjasanant, C. (2016). Creating an English language learning culture for learners at the secondary school level toward the ASEAN community through the involvement of learners and teachers. Unpublished research report, funded by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF).
Thepseenoo, B. (2004). Experience-text-relationship instruction via internet to promote English reading comprehension and learner autonomy of Undergraduate students. Unpublished Master’s thesis, Chaingmai University, Thailand.
Tirataradol, Y. (2010). Development of Chinese language instructional model based ob self-efficacy theory and autonomous learning to enhance Chinese speaking ability of undergraduate students. Unpublished PhD thesis, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.
Vasile, C. (2013). Autonomy variation in teachers. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. Vol. 78, 610-614.
Weiner, B. (1986). An Attributional Theory of Motivation and Emotion. New York: Springer Verlag.
Williams, M., Mercer, S. & Ryan, S. (2015). Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wisaijorn, P. & Tremayne, B. (2008). Thai university students’ attitudes to learner autonomy and self-directed learning. Journal of Humanities and Social Science, KonKaen University. Vol. 25(1), 92-115.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
eISSN : 2550-2247
ISSN : 0128-5157