Loading...
The Role of the Teacher in Fostering Student Autonomy in the Modern Foreign Language (MFL) Classroom
Authors
Type
Dissertation
Journal Title
Book title
Publication Date
2024
Volume
Issue
Start page
End page
Publication Number of pages
External link
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Learner autonomy has gained momentum within the context of language learning in the last two decades. The movement towards learner-centred approaches has resulted in more emphasis on autonomy and students taking control of their own language learning process. This study explored Irish MFL teachers’ views on the importance of autonomy and effective pedagogical approaches to foster it. The sample size comprised of twenty participants for an online questionnaire and two external participants for two semi-structured interviews. The participants were MFL post-primary teachers with a minimum of five years teaching experience. The mixed methods data revealed that teachers employ diverse strategies daily and highly value autonomy. However, they face challenges implementing it at the Senior Cycle level due to curriculum constraints.
Keywords
learner-centred approaches, Learner autonomy, MFL teachers, Modern foreign languages, post-primary teachers