EFL Learners' Perceptions of Their Autonomous Learning Abilities

Abstract

Learner autonomy is an essential component in educational contexts and plays a key role in language learning. The aim of the current study is to explore the EFL learners' perceptions of their autonomous learning abilities in terms of language learning at the tertiary level in the Turkish EFL context. In accordance with this purpose, a 5-point Likert scale, which was developed by Demirtaş (2010), was utilized. Participants of this research were randomly selected 87 preparatory class students in two different language levels (i.e., elementary and starter). Besides, this paper attempts to ascertain whether there is a relationship between students' autonomous learning abilities and their language proficiency level. The collected data were analyzed by running an independent sample t-test on SPSS software. The findings reveal that most of the students in this study perceive themselves as having low-level autonomous learning abilities. This investigation indicates that there is no statistically significant difference between students' autonomy levels and language proficiency levels. These results provide important insights into the perceptions of Turkish EFL learners of their autonomous learning abilities.

Keywords

• learner autonomy
• autonomous learners
• learning abilities
• EFL learners
• language proficiency level

References

1. Reference1 Allwright, D. (1990). Autonomy in language pedagogy in CRILE Working Paper 6. Centre for Research in Education: University of Lancaster Reference2 Balçıkanlı, C. (2010). Learner autonomy in language learning: Student teachers’ beliefs. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(1), 90-103. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2010v35n1.8 Reference3 Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning. London, UK: Longman. Reference4 Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy in foreign language learning. Oxford, UK: Pergamon.