A Study On Learner Beliefs About Learner Autonomy In English Language Learning

Since the early 1970s, the focus of research in foreign language teaching has been moving from "how to teach" to "how to learn", and many language studies have been taken from learners' perspective. Learners are now increasingly encouraged and expected to play a more active role in the learning. This means that learners need to develop the capacity to learn independently and take a greater degree of control over the content and methods of learning than they did in the past within traditional teacher-centered classroom contexts.Over the past few years, the concept of learner autonomy has received more and more attention in the field of foreign language learning. Many language researchers in China have shown great interest in learner autonomy and done a lot of research on learner autonomy and learners' variables in the language learning process. Learner belief is one of these variables. Many research have been conducted on learner beliefs in language learning or learner autonomy, but only a few of them involve learner beliefs about learner autonomy. The author of the thesis is very interested in the research area of learner beliefs about learner autonomy, and this thesis is an exploration in this field.The present study conducts an investigation into college students' beliefs about learner autonomy in English language learning. It is found that most college students have some knowledge of learner autonomy and are willing to take more responsibility in their English learning, but a small number of them have no idea of these concepts. Their perception of teacher's and learner's roles is quite different from the traditional one. They are no longer content with teacher's roles of imparting knowledge but favor more diversified learning environments and resources. The findings of the study will provide a general picture of learner beliefs held by college students and their link with learner autonomy. It can be expected that these findings will help foreign language teachers and learners further understand learner beliefs about learner autonomy, which may enable them to achieve successful college English teaching and learning.