In China, the traditional model of foreign language teaching has fundamentally been the teacher-centered model of knowledge instilling, in which students as objects, are always in the position of passively receiving knowledge. Students have to follow what teachers teach, therefore, they can not adequately bring their conscious activities into play. This model has been confining students’ ideality and creativity as well as the teaching quality. To solve all the problems, the practice of autonomous learning in foreign language teaching is definitely one of the solutions in shifting the students passive positions into active positions so that teachers can take great advantage of students’ ideality and the learning motivation in improving their teaching quality. Autonomous learning has been a popular word in foreign language teaching in the recent twenty years, especially in western countries. Sufficient facts and related researches have proved that it is a creative and effective teaching approach, and there has been a growing consensus among researchers about its positive effects. The author thinks that the application of this teaching technique of approach can change effectively the traditional grammar-vocabulary-centered English teaching method, which can develop students’ English linguistic competence.
This thesis mainly talks about how to cultivate students' autonomous learning in senior high school. The author firstly looks into the possibility of developing autonomy in English learning among senior high students by introducing the background of the study on autonomous learning. Secondly, the author analyzes the theories related to autonomous learning after telling us its core definitions, puts forward characteristics. Thirdly, after the theoretical inspection of autonomous learning, the author then demonstrates the current situation of learning English in senior high school, and tells us some main problems existing in autonomous learning, at the same time tell us the causes of the problems. Lastly, suggestions are made on how to cultivate and promote the awareness and improve the competence of learners' autonomous learning in senior high school. Due emphasis is put on the improvement of classroom teaching, the shift of teacher's and learner's role and the change of learning strategies to better the current English teaching and learning in senior high schools. In the end, highlights that developing autonomous learning in middle school in China are our long-term goal. On the condition of the provided systematic supporting circumstances, the ultimate goal of developing the students’ autonomous learning can come true.
Key words: English teaching; autonomous learning; teachers’ and learners’ roles
Contents
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………...2
中文摘要…………………………………………………………………………………3
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..4
I Theoretical Bases of Autonomous learning…………………………………5
1.1 Definitions of autonomous learning………………………………………5
1.2 Characteristics of autonomous learning……………………………………5
1.3 Factors affecting autonomous learning………………………………………6
1.3.1 Internal factors………………………………………………………………..7
1.3.2 External factors……………………………………………………………….8
II Current Situation of English Learning in Senior High School……….9
2.1 Main Problems of Autonomous Learning in Senior High School…………9
2.1.1 Students' much dependence on the teachers psychologically………9
2.2.2 Too much emphasis on test scores……………………………………………9
2.2.3 Students' negative learning motivation………………………………….9
2.2 Causes of the Problems……………………………………………………………. 10
2.2.1 The traditional teaching style……………………………………………10
2.2.2 Examination-oriented English learning………………………………10
2.2.3 Less concern about learners' affective needs……………………10
III Suggestions on Promoting Autonomous Learning……………………………….11
3.1 Teacher's Roles and Teaching Strategies..........................11
3.2 Students' attitudes, Roles and Learning Styles…………………………12
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...14
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………16