Effects of Taking a Course Designed to Promote Learner Autonomy on English Language Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of Autonomous Learning

Abstract

The role of teachers and teacher education in the practice of promoting learner autonomy has been a focus of discussion in the field of second or foreign language education. However, although the importance of including the concept of learner autonomy into the language teacher education programs has been emphasized continuously, the studies that focus on the practical applications of the promotion of learner autonomy in teacher education are limited. The purpose of this paper is twofold: First, it introduces a course offered in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher education program of a state university in Turkey. This course was designed to promote learner autonomy for EFL teacher candidates and it has been offered for several years to the first-year students in the program. Second, it presents the results of a study conducted with 260 students who took the course. The study was designed to investigate the effects of taking the course on EFL teacher candidates’ perceptions of learner autonomy. Findings of the study revealed that putting more emphasis on learner autonomy in English language teacher education may help future English teachers become better promoters of learner autonomy in their own classrooms.