Strategies Used in Learner Autonomy Development in English as a Foreign Language Learning among 9th Grade Students

Abstract

Recently, teaching and learning languages has largely and directly focused on students' ability to study independently. Therefore, it is necessary for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students to develop learner autonomy (LA) in learning. Conducting studies to explore the ability to study autonomously among secondary students is necessary. This study, hence, aimed to explore the 9th grade students’ perceptions of their strategies in LA development in learning EFL at a state-owned secondary school (SOSS) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study involved 152 ninth graders. Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained through the use of two instruments, namely the questionnaire and interviews. For analyzing the collected data, descriptive statistics and content analysis were employed. The findings of the study revealed that to develop LA, most students used strategies related to identifying learning needs and trying to achieve learning goals, and over half of them used such strategies as setting learning goals and making plans, applying learning strategies, and evaluating the learning process and outcomes. The study also made some recommendations for both teachers and students, as well as their families, with the aim of enhancing students’ LA in learning EFL. This study is expected to shed light on methods for language teaching and autonomy-based learning orientation.