Learner Training In The Junior English Classroom

Over the last two decades a number of learner-centred approaches to foreign language teaching have emerged, all of which include learner autonomy and independence among their aims. These approaches are adopted to develop learner autonomy, the ultimate goal of teaching. Therefore, teachers should not only teach the students knowledge and develop their language skills, but also train them to be independent and autonomous learners who are responsible for their own learning.This thesis aims to raise the students'self-directed learning attitudes and develop their ability of employing learning strategies so as to help them become independent learners.The procedures and techniques for doing this have been known as learner training.This paper presents a learner training programme conducted with Junior One 65 students in No.1 Middle School of North Heavy Industry Factory in Baotou.Most of the students are thirteen or fourteen years old. And they have learned English for three years in primary school. The research lasted for one semester, from September 2006 to January 2007. Techniques which are employed for data collection include: questionnaire, interview, learner diaries and teacher journal. The data are carefully arranged ,analysed and compared.Findings obtained from various data show that:1. The training helps students to self-diagnose their strengths and weaknesses in language learning.2. The training makes students become aware of employing of learning strageties helps them to learn the language more efficiently.3. Students have grasped a variety of learning strategies and experimented in different learning activities after the training. 4. Students can apply the metacognitive strategies (especially in planning, monitoring and self-evaluating) in their learning process more effectively after the training.5. The students'attitudes have changed from teacher-dependant to self- dependant. After the training students become more willing to take responsibility for their learning.Some lack of the training is also written in the analysis results.