An Investigation Of The Effect Of Streaming On Learner Autonomy In A Vocational School

Developing leaner autonomy is one of the main goals in published in 2002 by Ministry of Education. Thus it is obviously important for students in vocation schools to cultivate and promote learner autonomy. Learner autonomy can be affected by outer factors and inner factors. As teaching pattern belongs to one of outer factors, it cannot negatively affect students'autonomy learning.Meanwhile, for the quality of students'resource in vocational schools has been declining and the extent of students'difference has been enlarging (especial English), it is helpful and effective for mere streaming to solve these questions so that teaching students in accordance of their aptitude and meeting every student's need would be done and every student would be enhanced.Streaming is based on practical situations, specific situations of students'knowledge, capability , personal desirability and so on. Streaming is operated to divide classes, organize and develop teaching activities. Thus streaming is a sort of teaching model which teaches students in accordance to their aptitude. Moreover, not only students'subjective initiative can be mobilized, teaching efficiency can be maximally improved but also students'principal status can be adequately respected. Therefore streaming is a type of teaching model which can promote students'autonomous learning. Based in GuiYang Economy and Trade School, with perspective to intensive English for grade 2003 of students majoring English Education who have been teaching in streaming, the investigation is operated to seek out whether streaming can necessarily promote students'autonomous learning. This survey lays on solving the following questions1) Whether is it necessary for streaming to boost learner autonomy?2) Which elements play important roles in promoting learner autonomy,if streaming boosts learner autonomy3) Which factors are possible to hinder to develop the students'autonomous learning in the period of streaming?A conclusion is obtained through the investigation: streaming is helpful to develop learner autonomy according to the theoretical analyses. However, if streaming is operated, the students'autonomous learning cannot be improved naturally. Factors which can hasten vocational school students include: sanity the streaming mechanism, the self diathesis of teachers, the understanding that the students consider streaming and fulfillment that autonomous learning strategies are trained. The above essential elements that are in opposite conditions are likely to hinder the vocational school students'autonomous learning development. Due to these questions, the following suggestions are put forward: the streaming mechanism should be strengthened; the self diatheses of teachers should be improved; autonomous learning strategies should be trained; awareness of autonomous learning and streaming should be raised.