Constructivism & Learner Autonomy

Since the 60 "s of 20th century, an important branch of CognitivePsychology-Constructivism theory is gradually widely acceptedin western countries, it is the latest teaching and learning theories of western educational psychology. Constructivists think : Knowledge is acquired by learners under a certain social cultural background, with the help of others, using the necessary studying materials through constructing of the meaning . Quantity of learning is the function of the meaningful construction ability, not the function that learners value teachers' thinking processes ability. Constructivists advocates: Under the guide of the teacher, focus on the learners, learning is a process of constructing meaning actively(for learners); They emphasize: the initiative sociality and situatedness. In the whole teaching environment, teachers should develop the students' enthusiasm and creative spirit, It emphasizes,employing following factors-situatedness., cooperation,dialogue...... It emphasizes the function of the learners cognitivemain body, while doesn't neglect the teachers' function of guiding. It emphasizes the teacher is a helper, promoter of meaningful construction, not a passer-on and inculcator of knowledge; Learners are main body of information process, active constructors of meaning, not the passive receiver of outside stimulation, not a target of being inculcated; The knowledge of textbooks isn't the knowledge that the teachers teach, is a target of the students' construction meaning actively; Medium is a cognitive tool of students' active learning, cooperative, exploring, in order to create situatedness and has cooperative learning and interflows through dialogues, not means, the methods of helping teachers pass on knowledge. The main representative figures are John Dewey, Jean Paul Piaget, Lev Vygotsky...The teaching method of constructivism emphasizes that training ability of self regulated learning is an important link in teaching; that we should support learners' learning , but not teacher's teaching; that the final target of learning is finishing constructing ofconstructing of meaning, is not finishing teaching aims. Self-regulated learning is a kind of active self ware and independent learning, it is opposite to passive , mechanical, acceptable learning, it is a learning process of construction. In this process , at first students determine study target by themselves, then keep watch on adjusts control cognition . motivation and behaviors that are caused and restrained by target and situatedness features. Self-regulated learning activities play an medial role in students individual, environment and total achievement.The teaching that benefits to the students' self-regulated learning includes primarily: the self-regulated learning check, teacher explanation in details, establishment of problem situatedness, arousing the inside learning motivation, student independent study, group discussion, results evaluation...The analysis of the data of the questionnaire investigation shows that: There is tremendous relativity between the student's independent learning ability and study result. The training of self-regulated learning ability is the social demand, the demand of the whole life, the demand of quality education, Let students learn how to learn , the teaching should be carried out from the standpoint?learners as the foundation, the classroom teaching should obey the rule "learner-centered" .Reflective teaching is a great part of constructivism theories. From the teachers professional development it inquires into the characteristics the methods and the relations to students knowledge construction. From the views of learning and teaching of constructivism , it sets forth the relationship among teachers, learners, tasks and contexts and teaching principles-, modes, methods -, teaching strategies ...etc . Especially from the combination of constructivism and English language teaching reform, English language teaching should train the students intercultural...