Channeling Autonomy Among Lifelong English-Language Learners

Eric M. Skier
NHK Culture Center, Hikarigaoka

Introduction

It is generally agreed among language educators that one goal of English education should be to foster the development of autonomous language learners. However, what happens when you have lifelong language learners who are already autonomous learners and have the desire to direct, or take control of, their learning? Such was my experience at a culture center in Tokyo. Many students, ranging from 50 to 83 years of age, were eager to take an active role in directing their own learning by deciding lesson content, suggesting presentation strategies, sharing out-of-class experiences, and generally participating in planning lessons to the point where the teacher became more facilitator, reflective listener, and peacekeeper than instructor. This seemingly desirable situation of having autonomous learners has drawbacks and pitfalls. The purpose of this presentation is to share two scenarios as a common starting point to engage in a conversation on the best way to handle various challenges, especially in cases of disparate opinions among learners with strong personalities. Techniques for incorporating the “energy” and differences to be found in learning styles (some students in the same classes prefer more traditional student-teacher interaction) will also be presented.

Presentation

At the LLL SIG Forum, I presented two classroom scenarios to illustrate the autonomous nature of students at an NHK Culture Center (Skier & Vye, 2003); to describe classroom issues arising from interactions among autonomous learners; and to explain possible techniques for resolving these issues. I began with definitions of the term autonomy found in the literature, which included independent in nature (Sheerin, 1997); dynamic in nature (Murphey, 2003); negotiated among learners or between teacher and learners (Murphey, 2003); and collaborative in nature (Benson, 1997; Jacobs, Power, & Loh, 2002). For the purpose of my presentation, I adopted a comprehensive, rather than a narrow, perspective of autonomy that included the elements of independence, dynamics, negotiation, and collaboration. I then proceeded to describe my teaching environment and the personalities of the students who were the focus of the scenarios in order for forum participants to have a fuller picture of the classroom dynamics. Finally, after seeking input from forum participants, I shared my own techniques for resolving the issues.

Scenario 1

One day, out of the blue, the sole male student in a class of eight raised his hand and suggested that the lesson focus less on the textbook and more on simply speaking English. How would you have responded to this situation?

Scenario 2

In a false-beginner class, two students stand out for their ability and eagerness to both ask questions and speak in English. Most of the time, no one else understands them. Despite a teacher recommendation for these two students to transfer to a higher-level section, both have refused.
How would you have responded to this situation?

Forum Participant Discussion

All forum participants were able to contribute to the discussion, whether they were currently teaching lifelong language learners or not. Many participants came up with resolutions similar to mine, which, of course, made me happy and gave me a sense that I was on track. In the end, the ideas shared were both constructive and practical.

Regarding Scenario 1, forum participants suggested speaking to the man after class; addressing the man’s concerns openly and in a timely manner; having students take a vote on the man’s suggestion; and forgoing a vote for fear that the man might “lose face.” My resolution was to address the man’s suggestion at the point at which it was raised. Since I had taught these students for over three years, I believed that they could engage in a frank and open discussion without personal attacks. First, the majority of students expressed support of a textbook-focused approach, that is, the status quo. Then a hand vote was taken, which the man lost 7-1. However, in future classes, I did incorporate the man’s suggestion for general conversation at the start of the lesson.

Regarding Scenario 2, forum participants suggested having the two students rephrase their comments in simple English, and teaching students how to ask for repetition and clarification. My resolution first was to teach gambits for interruptions, repetitions, and clarifications. Then, using student examples, I showed students how to revise sentences into simpler English. This approach served not only to validate the English of the higher-level students but also to show them how they could more effectively and respectfully communicate with their classmates by paraphrasing into simpler English. At the same time, students had the socially appropriate language for clarifications, giving the higher-level students a chance to reformulate their messages and, in the process, speak more English.

Conclusion

The forum participants had much to offer in terms of their reactions to the scenarios and sharing similarly experienced scenarios in their individual teaching situations. There seemed to be a sense of reinforcement and support among participants as the different resolutions were discussed for their relative advantages and disadvantages. It was interesting to note that native speakers of English and Japanese speakers of English seemed more often to agree than disagree on their approaches to the scenarios. All in all, the forum provided an excellent opportunity for sharing teaching experiences and learning about differing approaches.

Volume 3, Issue 3 [December, 2007]