A Study On Language Learning Beliefs In Promoting Learner Autonomy At Tertiary Level

Learner autonomy, a concept originated in the Western culture tradition, calls for learners' taking charge of their own learning. It is advocated in College English Curriculum Requirements (issued in January 2004) as an educational innovation in the ongoing college English reform efforts carried out across China.Learner beliefs, a series of ideas about language learning learners bring to the language classroom, have a profound influence on learning behaviors and learning outcomes. They will either contribute to or impede the development of learners' potential for autonomy. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and refine learner beliefs before any intervention occurs.Recognizing the need to gauge learners' readiness for autonomy, the author designs a questionnaire investigation which explores college students' language learning beliefs about autonomy under the framework of metacognitive knowledge, classifying beliefs into three major variables—person, task and strategy.The current study is conducted within a group of non-English majors in SUES, Shanghai University of Engineering Science. The results show these students hold conflicting and restricted beliefs. On the one hand, they recognize learner responsibility and believe language learning achievement depends on their own efforts. On the other hand, specific autonomous learning behaviors fail to get endorsement from the students, who depend on teachers for decision-making and lack strategic knowledge, especially the knowledge of metacognitive strategies.It is evident these restricted beliefs will impede the development of learner autonomy, hence the importance of enhancing students' metacognitive knowledge. The author suggests teachers use means like group discussion, persuasive communication and diary keeping to help students identify, reflect and refine their language learning beliefs so as to promote learner autonomy at tertiary level.