On Reflective Teaching And Teacher Autonomy In College English Teaching

As learner autonomy has become a hotter and hotter topic in language teaching and research, discussion of teacher autonomy seems to begin to emulate. The promotion of teacher autonomy can not only enhance learner autonomy but also teacher professionalism and hence can improve the quality of education. Since teacher autonomy is such a new, complicated and multifaceted concept that there is a lack of systematic and explicit exploration on it, to say nothing of teacher autonomy in college English teaching and how to promote it.This study aims at investigating the current state of teacher autonomy in college English teaching and the functions of reflective teaching in promoting teacher autonomy. Firstly, the author states the literature on teacher autonomy and theories of reflective teaching. Secondly, the author analyzes the feasibility of applying reflective teaching in college English teaching to promote teacher autonomy and how to use it. Then the questionnaire and interviews are adopted to investigate the current state of teacher autonomy and reflective teaching in college English teaching. The subjects are 95 college English teachers from four different levels of colleges and universities. At the same time, a case study which lasts 18 weeks is carried out to explore the functions of reflective teaching in promoting teacher autonomy.The results of the study show that the general degree of teacher autonomy in college English teaching is very low. Teachers only have a high degree of autonomy in a narrow range of choices. Moreover, the study finds that there is negative significant correlation between teacher autonomy and the level of school, and there is positive significant correlation between teacher autonomy and reflective teaching. The case study shows that reflective teaching can promote teacher autonomy. It can raise teachers'self-consciousness of autonomy, increase their opportunity for autonomous practice and thus improve their autonomous ability.Based on the above findings, the study concludes that administrators, teacher educators as well as college English teachers themselves should take some responsibilities to enhance teacher autonomy. It is suggestible for them to create a supporting atmosphere for teacher autonomy and to apply reflective teaching in college English teaching to promote the teacher autonomy.