A Research Project On Fostering Learner Autonomy Through Mediation Of A Teacher

In recent years, learner autonomy has been a buzzword in the field of foreign language education. In China, at present, most of the researches on learner autonomy focus on the importance of learner initiative, which is based on criticism over the traditional teaching theory and mode. In addition, researchers lay particular stress on the development of learner autonomy by means of network and multi-media. On the contrary, the studies on the necessity and significance of the teacher's mediation are rare.Psychologist Feuerstein put forward the theory of mediation. He suggests that right from birth a child's learning is shaped by the intervention of significant adults. These adults, at first parents, but later teachers, select and organize stimuli that they consider most appropriate for the child, shape them and present them in the ways considered most suitable to promote learning. They also intervene in shaping the child's early attempts at responding to stimuli, directing and encouraging more appropriate responses while explaining why one response is more useful or appropriate than another.The author of this thesis has adopted the methodology of action research, and applied Feuerstein's theory of mediation into the practical teaching practice by shifting her role from the traditional information transmitter to mediator. The researcher makes a study of the role played by the teacher during the process of fostering learner autonomy. Through the five-month study, the data collected from classroom observation, field notes, questionnaire and semi-structured interview has confirmed the hypothesis made at the beginning of the research that through the application of Feuerstein'theory of mediation the teacher can highly motivate the students to learn English, guide them to master learning strategies and promote the development of learner autonomy.