Facilitating Japanese College Students’ Autonomous Learning Outside the English Classroom

This study explored the effectiveness of an autonomous learning support program implemented with 23 Japanese college students to promote self-instructed English learning outside the classroom. The program incorporated the following five learning activities: language learning strategies, setting goals, making plans, reflecting and self-evaluating, and receiving feedback from an English teacher, all of which have been considered significant elements of autonomous learning (Benson, 2011; Holec, 1981). At the end of the program, an original questionnaire was administered to the students. English proficiency test scores and evaluation sheets recorded by their teachers were also collected. Analyses of the data showed that: (1) the program had positive impacts on out-of-class learning, such as increasing student motivation, clarifying learning goals, increasing study time, and improving English proficiency; and (2) the students were likely to have difficulties following their study plans when they had less contact with their teachers and classmates. 外国語教育では様々な自律学習支援が教員によって実施されている。本論では日本人EFL大学生23名を対象とした教室外での自律学習支援プログラムの有効性を調査した。プログラムでは先行研究に基づいて、(A)英語学習方略の紹介、(B)学習目標の設定、(C)学習計画の作成、(D)学習の反省と自己評価、(E)教員によるフィードバックの5つの活動を実践した。プログラム終了後、参加者に質問紙を配布し、各活動の有用性や自身の自律学習の変化について尋ねた。さらに教員による学習者評価シートや英語能力テストスコアのデータも収集した。分析の結果、本プログラムの有効性として、参加者の学習意欲の向上、学習目標の明確化、学習時間の増加、英語能力の向上が示唆された。一方、計画的学習の遂行は、教員やクラスメートとの接触が少ない時期に計画の遂行度が低いことが確認された。