exploring-how-to-foster-english-autonomous-learning-in-junior-middle-school---英语本科毕业论文.doc

Exploring How to Foster English Autonomous Learning in Junior Middle School
Contents
Abstract ...............................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................2
2. Autonomous Learning...................................................................................................2
2.1 Definitions of Autonomous Learning ...........................................................................2
2.2 The Influencing Factors of autonomous Learning ....................................................,,,,3
2.3 The Roles of Students in Autonomous Learning ..........................................................3
2.4 The Roles of Teachers in Autonomous Learning ..........................................................4
3. Analysis on Current Autonomous Learning ..................................................................5
3.1 The Importance and Feasibility of Autonomous Learning in Junior Middle School .........................................................................................................................5
3.2 Current Situation and Problems in English Teaching among Present Junior Middle Schools ...........................................................................................................5
3.3 The Main Reasons for That Situation and Problems ....................................................6
4. How to Foster Autonomous Learning in Junior Middle School ....................................6
4.1 The Autonomous Learning Ability Theory ..................................................................7
4.2 Ways to Foster Autonomous Learning ..........................................................................7
4.2.1 Improving Learning Interest and Stimulating Learning Motivation ..........................7
4.2.2 Training Learners to Grasp English Learning Strategies ...........................................8
4.2.3 Innovating Teaching Method .....................................................................................9
4.2.4 Perfecting a Scientific Evaluation System ...............................................................10
4.3.5 Applying Computer Assisted Instruction .................................................................11
5. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................12
References .........................................................................................................................13
12

Exploring How to Foster English Autonomous Learning in Junior Middle School
Abstract: With the rapid development of the world and the new curriculum standards of China, more and more people have realized the necessity of cultivating lifelong learning ability. The traditional teacher-centered teaching obviously cannot fit the demand for learner’s autonomy. Instead, the student-centered teaching has been drawing more and more attention. Teachers’ main targets are to cultivate learner’s autonomy ability and lifelong learning ability. Autonomous learning is a kind of ability to take charge of one’s own learning. This paper gives a brief introduction of autonomous learning about its definition and influencing factors. It also puts out the roles of teachers and students in English teaching to elaborate how to foster students’ learning ability. Then, it analyzes the realities of education and the needs of the times by exploring the necessity of cultivating junior middle school students’ independent learning ability. Finally, some means are given to improve autonomous learning in junior middle school.

Key words: autonomous learning, junior middle school students, student-centered, cultivate.

1. Introduction
Autonomous learning now is one of the basic means of survival and development, as modern society becomes a learning society. It is also an important theme in today’s educational research. Therefore fostering students’ autonomous learning ability is the urgent need for teaching reform.
Autonomous learning is a modern method of learning which corresponds with the traditional method. It emphasizes that students are the subject of learning. With certain purposes, students achieve the learning objectives by their independent analysis, exploration, practice, and creation. And autonomous learning requires educators to make school a main front as well as pay attention to family education and social education, which will foster and promote student’s basic qualities such as self-study, communication, production, existence and so on.
Autonomous learning is particularly important in English teaching. The purpose of this paper is to search for good ways to help students in their English studies. To fulfill the purpose, the students should be encouraged to do autonomous learning on their own under the teacher’s guidance.
2. Autonomous learning
The research on autonomous learning has long been conducted in various fields like psychology, education reform, and political philosophy etc. In today’s educational research, autonomous learning is an important theme. It focuses on the students’ subjectivity and initiative in order to make students know how to study and achieve life-long learning and development. As a kind of learning ability, this not only helps to improve the academic performance of students in the school, but also makes the foundation for lifelong learning and development.
2.1 Definitions of Autonomous Learning
Professor Zimmerman(1994), the authority of the United States of autonomous learning, proposed that it is hard to make a certain definition from the different perspectives and theories. Based on the summary and analysis of relevant theories of autonomous learning, the definition of it can be classified into the following three categories: the definition in terms of pattern, capacity and process.
The definition in terms of pattern considers autonomous learning is opposite to passive learning. It emphasizes self-control, self-orientation, self-evaluation, and self-regulation.
The definition in terms of capacity, we can quote from Henri Holec (1981) who describes autonomous learning as “the ability to take charge of one’s own learning”. It believes autonomous learning is that self-regulated in each influencing factor which includes five areas: ①determining the objective; ②defining the contents and progressions; ③selecting methods and techniques to be used; ④monitoring the procedures of acquisition; ⑤evaluating what has been acquired.
The definition in terms of process regards autonomous learning as learning activities or event, emphasizing it is a passive process which has successively performed subroutine and procedures.
2.2 The Influencing Factors of Autonomous Learning
The influencing factors of autonomous learning are complicate, which can be summarized as three aspects: the intelligence and non-intelligence factors of students, and learning environment.
The intelligence factor is the basic of fostering autonomous learning ability. Under the influence of non-intelligence and learning environment factors, the intelligence become internalizing, systematizing. Then, the relatively stable cognitive structure gradually cultivates. In static perspective, cognitive structure is the form of knowledge storing in students’ mind. In dynamic perspective, it can stimulate process and access the storage object while keeping it systematically.
The non-intelligence factor is considered as the key factor involves motivation, attitudes etc. It seemed no obvious relation between the non-intelligence factor and autonomous learning. However, it has significant and everlasting influence which functions as orientation, regulation and guidance.
The learning environment factor is regarded as the main external cause. Zimmerman believes autonomous learning originates in acquisition of external learning skills which internalized as self-ability in four levels: observation, imitation, self-control and autonomy.
2.3 The Roles of Students in Autonomous Learning
Autonomous learning requires students to cultivate these typical characteristics: ①understand the purpose of their learning plan; ②explicitly accept responsibility for their learning; ③share in the setting of learning goals; ④take initiatives in planning and executing learning activities; ⑤regularly review learning and evaluate its effectiveness.
It can be concluded to foster autonomous learning that students firstly should be willing to take responsibility for their own learning, then he/she should be conscious of or aware of the learning process involved and learning strategies needed, finally he should have the ability to carry out his learning activities and the ability to monitor and evaluate his learning results and effectiveness.
2.4 The Roles of Teachers in Autonomous Learning
The ever-increasing necessity for training students to be independent and autonomous has brought new perspectives of the teaching profession and changed traditional ideas about language teachers’ roles.
Traditionally, teachers are viewed as authority figures, identified with roles like parent, instructor, director, manager, leader, controller, or even doctor who must “cure” the ignorance of the students. But things change now. Student-centered requires teachers should inspire, organize, encourage, and guide students to participate in autonomous learning. Teachers assume new functions as a facilitator, estimator, resource library, and organizer.
The change in the roles strengthens the teachers’ roles making them varied and more creative. Their status is no longer based on hierarchical authority, but on equality and importance of their relationship with learners. Autonomous learning involves the teacher to become less of an instructor and more of a facilitator, to discourage students from relying on the teacher as the main source of knowledge, to encourage students’ capacity to learn for themselves, to encourage students to make decisions about what they learn, to encourage students’ awareness of their own learning styles, and to encourage students to develop their own learning strategies.
It is evident that when learners become more and more autonomous, the teachers will not become redundant or even have nothing to do, as some people will imagine. The requirement of the teacher will become more demanding, with not only the contents of teaching to get familiar with but also the skills and knowledge of fostering autonomous learning to master.
3. Analysis on Current Autonomous Learning
As a famous Chinese saying goes, “Give a man fish, and he enjoys a meal. Tell a person the way how to fish, and he enjoys his whole life.” Once learners master the ability in autonomous learning, life-long education can be made possible. Autonomous learning is also important in EFL.
3.1 The Importance and Feasibility of Autonomous Learning in Junior Middle School
Autonomous learning matches our educational goal which is to train an independent learner and cultivate his or her autonomous learning and creative ability. It helps students to make improvements beyond knowledge which can lead to a better, more effective learning. If learner autonomy is developed, then students become skillful in learning how to learn and capable to face new challenges and task. Autonomous learning can adapt to students’ individual differences and facilitates personal growth.
Now, it is a great period to develop students’ autonomous learning ability in junior middle school stage. They are capable to foster learning autonomy in both physical and mental conditions. As they grow older, the sense of independence and social ability enhances. Teachers and parents are not the only important directors. Students gropingly form their own evaluation system in cooperative learning. Students’ psychological cognition of junior middle school is formal operation. They think abstractly and memorize actively. In this period, learning tasks and contexts increase which determines students must foster self-management, and autonomy.
3.2 Current Situation and Problems in English Teaching among Present Junior Middle Schools
In recent years in China, learning English has been a very prevalent tendency and it has become more popular. Mastery of a foreign language, especially English, is viewed as a passport to one’s future success. Thus, more and more people swam into the tide of English learning. However, there are some problems in teaching. The high school students, especially in the first grade, their English self-study ability is not satisfactory and generally low. The vast majority of junior school students have not formed the awareness of independent study.
The new curriculum reform emphasizes cooperative learning, inquiry learning, and autonomous learning. However, in junior middle school, the teachers who usually focus on cultivating students’ abilities, through the ways of experience, practice, participation, cooperation and task-based teaching to carry out English teaching are not too much. “Duck-stuffing” remains their main teaching method which is falling behind. Rote learning ties up students’ creativity, weakens their dynamism, drops their enthusiasm. As new learned can’t be assimilated in time, more tasks produce more pressure which makes study more difficult. A sense of fear and conflict may form. And teachers use too much mother tongue in the class, which creates a context for negative transfer. All of these set barriers for students to foster autonomous learning ability in junior middle school.
3.3 The Main Reasons for That Situation and Problems
The root comes from the traditional teaching methods and teaching modes. For a long time, the environment of examination-oriented effect caused the negative impact.
The duty of the teachers seems to complete the class within the limited 45 minutes. The old teaching method makes students’ learning in a passive position. Students don’t want to participate in and have not the position of autonomous learning. The situation of our teaching form is single, which limits student’s ability of thinking. The reason of this situation is that some teachers are affected by the fixed answer, which makes students believe that there is only one right answer. They depend on the teachers too much and copy the answers from their classmates, which not only limit their identifying problems ability and problem-solving ability, but also hinder the development of their personality. It is already obvious that junior school students have weakness in self-efficacy which constraints their sense of responsibility, autonomy, self-regulation and cooperation in learning.
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