An Investigation Of The Status Of English Autonomous Learning In Junior Middle School

Autonomous Learning is a capacity. The learners should learn independently and takecharge of their own learning. Autonomous learner should have the ability to determine theobjectives, to define the contents and progressions, to select methods and techniques to be used,to monitor the procedure of acquisition and evaluate what has been acquired. English educationin China has been expanded and made remarkable achievements since reform and opening.However, there are still some gaps, the status of English education cannot meet economicconstruction and social development’s needs. The English curriculum reform emphasizesstudent’s ability to use the actual language and advocates autonomous learning to developstudents’ overall language proficiency. Student-centered teaching method is adopted. Thestudents are required to adjust their life style to learn autonomously. It is obvious thatautonomous learning is very important.The study aims to explain the current status of English autonomous learning in junior highschool and how to cultivate the ability of English autonomous learning. Both quantitativeapproach and qualitative approach are used in the study. The subjects of the quantitative studyare150Grade8students in Jieshan Middle School in Dongping. The instrument for thequantitative study is questionnaire. The questionnaire reveals the current status of Englishautonomous learning in junior high school. The author analyzed them after collecting the data.The subjects of the qualitative study are15Grade8students and the author invited them to takepart in interviews.The quantitative study produces the following major findings. The students have the abilityto learn autonomously in Junior High School, but the current status is disappointing. First, mostof the students don’t have a clear understanding about the English learning objectives and themotivation was not strong enough. Second, students cannot choose the learning content andcontrol learning progress. They seldom make English learning goals and set learning plans. Third,learning English is not planned; most of the students do not understand the English languagelearning strategies and do not know how to apply them. Fourth, in the learning process, thelearner is not a good self-controller and students rarely do self-evaluation and self-regulation.Fifth, most of the students don’t know how to make use of extracurricular resources. They evendon’t know when and where to ask for help when in difficulty.The qualitative study reveals some reasons. First, the students rely more on teachers.Second, the students do not understand learning strategies and the motivations are low. Third, the students lack of comprehensive understanding of English autonomous learning. After revealingthe reasons, the author summarizes them in details and gives the ways to cultivate Englishlearning autonomy.The present study has some theoretical and pedagogical implications. The author hopes thatthe study can help the students improve their English learning autonomy and can use what theyhave learnt better.