Interrelationship of (Teacher) Autonomy, (Teacher) Agency, and (Teacher) Identity in Foreign Language Education

This paper discusses the historical development of the concept of teacher autonomy in foreign language education and its relationship to the idea of learner autonomy. Three major phases in the development of conceptions of teacher autonomy are reviewed, involving attention to teacher roles in autonomous learning projects, professional development and professional freedom. Different ways of conceptualising the link between teacher and learner autonomy are discussed and an alternative conception based on the notion of transition from learner autonomy to teacher autonomy in learning-teaching careers is proposed.

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The Connotations of Language Teacher Autonomy

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v10n10p134 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 134

Author(s):

Ligang Han

Keyword(s):

Teacher Education ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Language Education ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Teacher Autonomy ◽

Language Teacher Education ◽

Language Teacher ◽

Education Teacher ◽

Working Definition

With the research on the development of learner autonomy in foreign language education, teacher autonomy has become a hot topic in the research of foreign language teacher education. However, it is the most difficult question to define language teacher autonomy and any answer to it is likely to be subjective. On the basis of expounding upon the different definitions concerning the research on teacher autonomy in language teaching and learning, the focus of the present paper is to clarify the connotations of language teacher autonomy and a working definition is made.

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On the Correlations between Teacher Autonomy and Learner Autonomy under the Network Environment

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.271-273.1499 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 271-273 ◽

pp. 1499-1504

Author(s):

Shu Fang Wu

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Education ◽

Learner Autonomy ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Teacher Autonomy ◽

Network Environment ◽

College English ◽

Qualitative Approaches ◽

Influential Variable ◽

The Relationship

Following learner autonomy （LA）, teacher autonomy （TA） has recently acquired a prominence in discourse on foreign language education. This study, taking TA as one influential variable on LA, tries to explore the relationship between them by conducting the investigation of some Chinese college English teachers of non-English majors with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The results show that there exist some correlations between TA and LA. In the end, the author gives some suggestions on how to promote learners autonomy in their English learning by cultivating and promoting teachers’ own autonomy in English teaching under the network environment.

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On the Relationship Between Teacher Autonomy and Learner Autonomy

International Education Studies ◽

10.5539/ies.v13n6p153 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 153

Author(s):

Ligang Han

Keyword(s):

Teacher Education ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Focal Point ◽

Language Education ◽

Learner Autonomy ◽

Foreign Language Education ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Teacher Autonomy ◽

Theoretical Research ◽

The Relationship

With the research on fostering and cultivating learner autonomy in foreign/second language teaching and learning, teacher autonomy has gained momentum in the research of foreign language teacher education. There have been many theoretical research and discussions about the definitions of learner autonomy. Many researchers acknowledge that language teachers play important roles in developing learner autonomy. However, the relationship between teacher autonomy and learner autonomy needs to be explored. The focal point of the present paper is a tentative discussion on the relationship between teacher autonomy and learner autonomy in foreign language education and teacher education. This paper sheds light to foreign language education and teacher education in that language teachers should change their traditional roles to ones catering and facilitating the development of learner autonomy, and teacher education and training programs should include and design courses, practicum to enhance and promote teacher-learner autonomy.

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