Developing Students' Autonomous Learning Ability In Communicative Language Teaching Class: A Classroom-based Model

The function and positive effect of learners'autonomy in promoting learning outcomes have been widely recognized in China today. As is stated in the state level education guidance official document College English Curriculum Requirements (for trial implementation), the instruction in all college English courses should be fully individual-student-oriented, and teaching methods should help developing the abilities of "individual and autonomous learning" on the part of the students. These requirements all direct the instructors to help develop the related autonomous learning abilities of their students in their teaching process. Many studies have shown that college students in China, especially at fundamental levels, are lack of or have low autonomous learning ability. Since autonomous learning does not exclude the guidance and help of teachers, the author of this thesis chooses this topic with the hope of establishing a teaching model that can help developing college students' autonomous learning ability in foreign language (English) teaching classroom environment.By summarizing studies and research findings on autonomous learning by educators both abroad and at home, and the teaching principles in communicative language teaching (CLT) method and major principles for developing students' autonomous learning ability, the author of this thesis concludes that CTL method can create a classroom teaching and learning environment that can help developing college students'autonomous learning ability. Based on this conclusion, this thesis builds up links between CLT method and the development of students'abilities for autonomous learning, and illustrates these links through a theoretical model of developing students'autonomous learning ability through communicative language teaching method in classroom environment. This theoretical model is the focus of the research reported in this thesis. It is hoped that, in the future, when time and resources allow, real-situation field studies as well as experimental studies will be conducted as a follow-up step of the initial step of establishing this theoretical model. Then, this model can be tested, revised and improved, so that it can serve the effectiveness of developing students'autonomous learning abilities through college classroom English language teaching in China.