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Ch apter One Introduction1.1 The Rational for the ResearchThe development of student personalities and the ability to learn are important goals in education. However， these goals are often conspicuously absent in the language classroom. Learners may not always value these goals nor want to take more responsibility for their learning. Furthermore， students may not want the opportunity to develop themselves as independent learners， but may instead simply want the teacher to teach the subject matter. Learners may be quite content with a teacher responsible for the actual management of learning. Thus learners may react negatively in a course which promotes learner autonomy through a redefinition of roles that places greater responsibility on learners rather on teacher and requires more critical involvement of learners.In a course that promotes learner autonomy， students may have to think critically about their needs in order to make decisions about objectives、 resources、study strategies and evaluation. To be successful in such a course, students need to be willing and able to take on a greater role. If students are not willing, disharmony may result. So student attitudes and beliefs are important and need to be addressed. For English learning and teaching in EFL environment to be successful at promoting learner autonomy, teacher and student attitudes, belies and expectations need to be working in harmony. Past experiences、 values and role definitions shape expectations. Students and teachers must be ready and willing to take on different roles. Learning will have to become more involved in the management of their learning whereas a teacher may need to become more of a resource for learners.Current foreign and second language (L2) teaching methodologies suggest that there is a benefit in switching from the traditional teacher-centered class to a learner-centered classroom setting. One of the main differences between teacher-centered and student-centered class lies in the roles of teacher and learner. All these lead to a reexamination of traditional teacher roles .In a classroom context that is aiming to foster learner autonomy through interdependence, the roles and responsibilities of teachers and learners drastically change and need to be explicitly negotiated as a part of learner development. Teachers and students usually not have certain expectations about their roles, responsibilities and relationships toward each other. Autonomy clearly implies a challenge to social roles, stating with that of the teacher-expert due to the deeply ingrained nature of roles. Through explicit definition of roles, relationships and responsibilities combined with learner development comprising awareness、 involvement and intervention, learner evolution toward autonomy can take place.In terms of English Language Teaching in China, quality education, creativity and individuality have become the three priorities for education in general. While learner autonomy、 learning and creativity are about to replace teacher dominance、 teaching and rote learning respectively. New Curriculum Standardhas been designed and is trying out in overall country. It emphasizes that learners should not only become recipients of knowledge, but also be life-long autonomous learners, which help them be successful in an increasingly global society. Much attention has been paid to learner and learner autonomy. But this is not mean that teacher will not be important. Conversely, the teacher should still fully exert more roles effect in classroom interaction. Teacher should play some new roles in English Language leaching classroom. Such as: participant 、coordinator,、language learner、prompter assessor, resource and facilitator. These roles can help to foster learner autonomy. Teachers have a vital role launching learners into and helping learners in self-direction. Voller [1] states that the teacher’s ro le in autonomous learning can be characterized essentially as one of negotiation, both with learners and external authorities, about the syllabus and as a participant in and facilitator of the learning process . Breen and Mann [2] give the following attributes and actions required of a teacher of autonomous learners:to be self-aware as a learner in the learning processto have belief and trust in learners to self-directto desire to foster learner autonomyto be a resource for learners to use without teachingto share decision with learnersto facilitate collaborative evaluationto manage the risks that may materializeto be a patient opportunist to make the most of the learning experienceto get support from colleaguesPangWeiGuo[3] states that considering the reality of English teaching in China， the actual picture of most Chinese 1.2 classroom is that traditional teaching methodology is still being practiced. So that the teachers dominate class while students are “ignored audience”, waiting to be fed with word usage, grammar rulers and sentence structure analyses . No time and space is provided for students’ autonomous learning. In order to successfully teach a second or foreign language.，teachers must constantly adjust their methods and materials on the basis of their identification of the local needs of their students. While the problems with us today are whether we English teachers know what roles they should play and how to change the roles playing in classroom to meet the needs of autonomous learning, which is stated in the New Curriculum Standard. Very few researches have been done in this field in senior High school in China.The thesis aims to, by way of reviewing theories and studies concerning teacher’ role and learner autonomy, find out learner attitudes and beliefs towards their learning in a course that places greater responsibility on learners.1.2 Research on teacher’s role in EFL of ChinaResearching on the history of English language teaching in China, we find that different teaching methods and teaching theories were adopted in different periods. With most of the teaching methods, the teacher dominates almost all the classroom interactions. All these teacher-dominated classes are generally described as teacher-oriented class in ELT literature.With the reform of English language teaching in China, much attention has been paid to the students. It is believed that the students should be the center of the classroom teaching and the teacher should be the leader of it. The teaching process is made up of interactions among the teacher, students and teaching materials. And LiJinYu [4] views that the three different relationships, between teacher and students, Students and teaching materials and teacher and teaching materials, promote the whole teaching process. Of the three, the relationship between teacher and student is the key one. And the different roles the teacher and the students play affect learning effects. Meanwhile different attitudes on the teacher and the students’ roles will affect teaching process. So it is n ecessary to discuss the roles the teacher and the students play in classroom.Concerned with teacher’s role, although there are very few theories to about it at present English language teaching in China,almost all the teachers and educators care much about the roles they play in class.LiJinYu[4] states that the students should not be the recipients of knowledge from the teacher any more. According to New Curriculum standard, the teacher should not only provide knowledge to the students but also construct good context which involves the students. It emphasizes the development of the students, who should not only become recipients of knowledge, but also be life-long autonomous learners. The teacher’s roles in classroom teaching need to be reexamined.1.3 Research on learner autonomy in EFL of ChinaAutonomous learning is a relatively new concept to EFL teachers and learners in China. Although there has always been the Chinese idea of zi xue (self-teaching), the idea is different from the concept of autonomous learning and is only peripheral in the Chinese educational culture. Confucius believed that it was important for students to learn of their own initiatives. As learning should be a process of independent exploring and understanding, but in reality greater importance has been attached to the teacher’s role as the only source of knowledge.、the instructor.、the authority and the judge. Formal classroom learning is always favored over self-teaching. With many misconceptions, students in China are generally very teacher-dependent and lack the initiative to implement learning on their own. To many of them, the classroom is the only place where they can learn English. This situation should be changed for EFL teaching at our schools to be more affective and successful.We believe that in the Chinese context self-access language learning (SALL) should be nurtured and encouraged because it contributes to learners, successful acquisition of English in many ways:1. Self-access learning provides learners with extra exposure to the target language. Our common sense as EFL teachers tells us that the more students are exposed to English, the faster they acquire. Extra exposure is especially beneficial and necessary in an input-poor environment like China, because the limited class hour (usually 6 lessons per week for Senior High School students) is far from enough for SLA to be successful. In the non-native environment self-access maximizes the opportunities to learn2. Self-access learning better caters to the individual needs of learners at all levels, which are so diverse that no formal classroom teaching can satisfy. SALL is very flexible. It can be conducted in a classroom, in a self-access center, in a library or in students’ residences, and at times convenient to the learner. It can function at all the four language skills and at all proficiency levels. It accommodates individual differences in learning styles and strategies. It allows freedom in selecting the content of learning materials. It supports individualism but does not exclude collaborative learning.3. Dickinson[5] views that Allowing students more freedom and autonomy will enhance the learner’s motivation and quality of learning. Formal classroom teaching deprives students the freedom to decide what to learn and how to learn. Self-access learning. on the other hand, returns them the long-lost right to exercise responsibility for their own learning. As a result of this freedom. Self-access learners usually are more motivated than students who are teacher-dependent, and are more efficient in learning. There is a convincing evidence that people who take the initiative in learning more things and learn better than people who sit at the feet of teachers, passively waiting to be taught.4. Once learners become autonomous. They have acquired a life-long learning skill and a habit of independent thinking which will benefit them long after leaving school.1.4 Organization of the ThesisThis thesis is divided into four chapters. The first chapter justifies the reasons of selection of the research topic. Then some related theories and studies on teacher’s role and learner autonomy are reviewed in chapter two. After all these literature review, I describe my research design and analyze the collected data of the research in chapter three. The last chapter summarizes the study with its main findings and discusses the implementations for English language teaching and learning in China.Chapter 2 Literature review2.1 Definition of AutonomyIt is difficult to define and exemplify autonomy in language learning for three reasons. First, different writers have defined the concepts in different ways. Second, they are areas of ongoing debate and therefore definitions are continuing to mature as more discussion takes place. Third, these concepts have developed independently in different geographical areas and therefore they have been defined using different terminology.The concept of autonomous learning stemmed from debates about the development of life-long learning skills and the development of in dependent thinkers both of which originated in the 1960s By 1981 Holec[6] had defined Autonomy as “the ability to take charge of one’s own learning ” Holec has been a major influence in the debate about autonomy in language learning and his initial definition has been taken as a starting point in much subsequent work in the area. Dickinson [5] for example accepts the definition of autonomy as “a situation in which the learner is totally responsible for all of the decisions concerned withhis or her learning and the implementation of those decisions ”Little[7] notes that learner autonomy is a capacity for detachment critical reflection、decision making and independent action. Even in this simple definition it is clear that “autonomy ”is not any one specific thing — it is a capacity, and like any other capacity, it will grow with practice, or be lost through inactivity.The majority of students are still being taught in ways which promote dependence and leave them ill-equipped to apply their school learnt knowledge and skills to the world beyond the classroom and from this we may recognize that the role of the teacher in promoting autonomy may be central to its success. It is not true, however to say that the non-autonomous classroom is devoid of any relationship with the outside world: on the contrary, it is a place where skills and capacities may be developed and tried out before and during contact with the world beyond. Me Garry concisely sums up. Then essential arguments for autonomy:“Students who are encouraged to take responsibility for their own work, by being given some control over what, how and when they learn, are more likely to be able to set realistic goals, plan program of work, develop strategies for coping with new and unforeseen situations,evaluate and assess their own work and, generally to learn how to learn form their own successes and failures in ways which will help them to be more efficient learners in the future .”( Ibid)However, the fully autonomous learner is an ideal, rather than a reality . There are different degrees of autonomy Most researchers use the term“self-access” to refer to the approach that assists learners to move from teacher dependence to autonomy .On a general note, the term autonomy has come to be used in at least five ways .Benson & Voller [1] sum up as follows:for situation in which learners study entirely on their ownfor skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learningfor an inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education;for the exercise of learners’ responsibility for their own learning;for the right of learners to determine the direction of their own learningFrom the descriptions above, learner autonomy can be seen to entail an empowered qualitative commitment and control over content and process of learning with an aware involvement, a feeling of responsibility toward learning and action in implementing the learning. Thus an autonomous learner is an enlightened, responsible action minded individual that critically appraises situation processes, actions and outcomes in order to reach obtainable aims and objectives.2.2 The Characteristics of AutonomyLearner autonomy places the learner at the center of focus, so it is important to identify the characteristics of an autonomous learner.Breen and Mann [2] def ined one as “an active participant in the socialprocessed of classroom learning …an active interpreter of new information in terms of what he/she already and uniquely knows… (someone who) knows how to learn and can use this knowledge in any learning situation he / she may encounter at any stage in his/her life”. In addition,Breen and Mann [2] characterize learner autonomy as “a readiness to take charge of one’s own learning”.Holec[6] define autonomous language learners as those who “initiate the pl anning and implementation of their own learning program” However as Benson and voller[1] points out “it may well be that the fully autonomous learner is an ideal rather than a reality”. He argues for degrees of autonomy and that learners potential for achieving different degrees depends on factors like their personality, their goals institutional philosophy and cultural context.Breen and Mann [2] combine eight qualities that characterize autonomous learners:the person’s stance towards the worldtheir desire for what it is they are learning。
Unit5 WORKING THE LANDSection B Learning About Language课后篇巩固提升必备知识基础练Ⅰ.单词拼写1.When you start to get tired of the busy (城市的) life,it would be better to spend a week at the beach.2.A passer-by described what he saw moments after the car b had exploded.3. (小麦) is grown in places which have cold winters and warm,dry summers.4.It has rich milk (味道) with a little bitter taste,and many people love it.5.The farmers shouldn’t use so heavy c in their products.6.They thought the prisoner had escaped through a specially constructed (隧道).Ⅱ.短语填空1.Let’s break down the project into smaller parts in order to them one by one.2.The friendly discussion had a violent argument.3.The class time should be to help students grasp the text’s focus on content.4.I think everybody will have to quickly the new work environment.5.Parents that children spend so much time on computer games.6.Mr Ma will have the national football team by the end of this year.7.The manager has not yet as to who will be in charge of the project.8.They finally finding a solution to the problem.Ⅲ.语法专练(主语从句)1.It is a fact English is being accepted as an international language.2. they would support us or not still remains a problem.3. you are coming to London is the best news I have heard this long time.4. surprised us most was that her works of art soon became famous and were on display in the British Museum.5.Every year, makes the most beautiful kite will win a prize in the Kite Festival.6. is reported that China has sent another man-made earth satellite into orbit.7.When and we will have the sports meeting hasn’t been decided yet.8. we can have clean drinking water lies in what effective measures will be taken.关键能力提升练Ⅳ.阅读理解主题语境:人与社会历史、社会与文化Farmers in India’s northern state of Himachal Pradesh are now growing herbs instead of traditional crops such as rice,wheat and corn.They are trying to save their farms from monkeys eating their crops.For years,farmers have fought a losing battle with increasing number of monkeys.The animals invade farms in several northern Indian states,searching for food and destroying crops worth millions of dollars.Many have given up on farming because of the monkey problem.Officials estimate that 40 percent of the farmland in the area is unplanted.Agriculture experts say switching to herbs will protect farmers’ crops and bring higherprofits.Monkeys do not attack herbs with medicinal properties.Farmers can make more money as demand for herbs boosts from Indian companies making medicinal and personal care products.India’s herbal product industry is worth $4 billion and growing quickly.Some farmers have already started planting herbs with help from the medicinal plants board.Experts have listed about 100 herbs that can be grown on the empty farmland where villagers stopped growing crops.So far,nearly 4,000 farmers have switched to growing herbs in seven North Indian states.In Himachal Pradesh,the number is 300.An expert says the most successful farmers have strong business sense and are willing to innovate.His organisation also links farmers in distant villages with possible buyers to make sure they can market their crops.Monkeys are also becoming problems in cities,including India’s capital New Delhi.They are famous for stealing food and even mobile phones.In December,experts gave lawmakers advice on dealing with monkeys often seen around parliament.The experts advised leaving the animals alone and not making eye contact.The monkey population has increased since India banned their export for biomedical research in 1978.But many in Hindu-majority India respect and feed the animals.They link the monkeys to the Hindu god Hanuman,who takes the form of a monkey.【语篇解读】本文是新闻报道。
