PROMOTING LEARNER AUTONOMY: IMPORTANT ROLES OF THE TEACHER

Abstract

Learner autonomy is seen as an important goal in language education. One of major impacts on learner autonomy is the teacher’s perception about autonomy as well as their ability to foster it. This paper attempts to clarify this impact by critically reviewing a range of studies related to the teacher's role in promoting learner autonomy. Some factors that influence the development of learner autonomy are discussed, followed by a number of suggestions recommended by researchers in different EFL/ESL contexts. The review introduces some theoretical and empirical ideas for language teachers to incorporate learner autonomy promotion into their teaching.