AN ANALYSIS OF AUTONOMOUS LEARNING STRATEGIES USED BY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

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Zia Kemala, 2014

AN ANALYSIS OF AUTONOMOUS LEARNING STRATEGIES USED BY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This introductory chapter presents the background of the study, purposes of the study, research

question, and also the aims of the study. Finally, a brief overview of the significance of the study

will be included along with defining some special terms used in the paper. The chapter which

follows will present the theoretical foundation for the study.

1.1 Background of the Study

In teaching activities, teachers often find problems to handle. Some researches findings

indicate that a common problem for EFL teachers is dealing with a passive class, where students

expected to be spoon-fed and do not participate in class activities. They lack initiative to learn.

Most of them prefer to participate when the teacher tell them to do so.

Consequently, the class seems to be dominated by the teacher. In a class learning activity,

students seem have no autonomy. This autonomy problem is getting worse because of another

factor, the limited classroom time, not everything can be taught in class, due to students who

have not enough time to practice English better (Suryawan, 2008). These problems need to be

solved. Therefore, teacher needs to encourage the learner tobe autonomous learner.

Autonomous learner is a learner who has responsibility for his own learning in an

independent manner (Higs, 1988). The point of autonomous learner is also emphasized by

Geddes and Strurtridge (1997) that autonomous learner decides what he wants to learn of why he

needs to learn, and then decides how is going to tackle the problems. It means they are an

independent learner who knows what they want to learn and they decide what they want to do.

Therefore, teacher who understands the effect of the autonomous learning will promote learners

to become an autonomous learner.

A successful autonomous learner tends to use learning strategies (Skehan, 1989).

Learning strategies are defined as a specific method of approaching a problem or task as modes

of operation for achieving a particular end, or as a planned design for controlling and

manipulating certain information (Brown, 2001:210). The employment of learning strategies

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Oxford deems necessary that students be made aware of learning strategies. In line with

this, Oxford (1990b) proposes that foreign or second language (L2) learning strategies are

specific actions; behaviors, steps, or techniques students use--often consciously--to improve their

progress in apprehending, internalizing, and using the L2. It shows that learning strategies in L2

need to be taught specifically in order to improve their English skilss.

However, there are many different learning strategies can be employed by the language

learner. But, as we know that in Indonesia, learners are not explicitly introduced to learning

strategies and lack of awareness of learning strategies (www.academia.edu). Thus, these learning

strategies are necessary to be introduced in the classroom and to be taught explicitly. Hence,

teachers need to teach various learning strategies directly, which encouraged them to be

responsible for their own learning and to develop their own learning strategies. Then, let the

learners to choose the most suitable strategies which are appropriate for them.

As stated by Federholdt (1997:1) that language learner capable of using a wide variety of

language learning strategies appropriately can improve his language skills in better way.

Furthermore, according to Thompson and Rubin (1993) said that the use of appropriate language

learning strategies often results in improved proficiency or achievement overall or in specific

skills areas. This notion, suggest that employing appropriate learning strategies would help

students to develop their communicative English skills.

Based on the aforementioned explanation, it can be assumed that most teachers would

agree that autonomous learners are much more likely to succeed with their studies than those

learners who are heavily dependent on the teacher. As a result, most of the students are then

expected to be autonomous learners.

Therefore, it will be interesting to investigate autonomous learning more deeply with the

focus on autonomous learner since research concerning learning strategies employed by

autonomous learners still receives little attention in Indonesia EFL context. The result of the

study is expected to contribute and to support the dependent learners to enhance their English

skills. This research attempts to address the following research questions:

1. What characteristics do the autonomous learners have?

2. What strategies are employed by autonomous learners to improve their English competence?

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Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu 1.2 The Purposes of the Study

The purposes of the study are formulated based on the problems to be investigated. The

purposes of the study are as follows:

1. To find out the characteristics of the autonomous learners.

2. To investigate autonomous learning strategies which are applied by the autonomous learners.

3. To figure out the factors influencing the autonomous learners in learning English.

1.3 Significance of the Study

This research has a fundamental significance theoretically and practically. Theoretically,

this study would be empirical information for the English teachers about autonomous learning

strategies and factors which influence the choice of strategies used by the autonomous learners.

Practically the results of the research are expected to formulate the model of language learning

strategies used by the autonomous learner, to give some positive impacts both to the reader and

the researcher about the autonomous learner issues that might be encountered in teaching, to give

a practical guidance in implementing autonomous learning strategies and to be a reference either

for English teachers or researchers to do further investigations in terms of autonomous learner.

Moreover, the research findings may help other student to become an autonomous learner.

1.6 Definitions of Terms

To avoid misunderstandings of terms, the followings terms are defined as follows.

1. Autonomous learning : as “learners’ ability and willingness to make choices

independently”, ability depends on possessing both knowledge about the alternatives

from which choices have to be made and necessary skills for carrying out whatever

choices seem most appropriate. Willingness depends on having both the motivation and

confidence to take responsibility for the choices required (Littlewood, 1996:97).

2. Autonomous learner: a learner who knows what he thinks and does; an important area of

his life is determined by himself (Boud, 1988).

3. Learning strategy: refers to the actions and behaviors’ a person uses to learn (Oxford,

1989.)

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The organization of the paper will be presented in five chapters. The subsequent chapters

were organized as follows. Chapter I is Introduction. This chapter contains background of the

study, reasons for choosing the topic, the scope of the study, research questions, aims of the

study, the significance of the study, the clarifications of the key terms, and organization of the

paper.

Chapter II highlights the detailed theories and frameworks which are related to

autonomous learner. The theories have to do with explanation of Holec, 1981; Little, 1991;

Dickinson, 1987; Broady & Kenning, 1996; Oxford, 1990; Barnett, 1993 about autonomous

learner theories.

Chapter III emphasizes on the Methodology. This chapter points out the research

methodology and procedures used in this study. It comprises the research method, and

techniques in analyzing data.

Chapter IV deals with Data Presentation and Discussions. This chapter contains the result

of the study that comprises findings followed by the discussions of the data.

Chapter V conveys the overview of the findings consisting some conclusions and

suggestions. In this last chapter, the conclusion will be drawn and the suggestions will be put

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Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMENDATIONS

This chapter consists of two parts. The first part draws some conclusions based on the

findings of the study. The second part deals with some recommendations addressed to the future

researchers.

5.1 Conclusions

This research has attempted to identify the characteristics of the autonomous learners,

then to investigate autonomous learning strategies applied by the autonomous learners, and to

figure out the factors influencing the autonomous learners in learning English.

Based on the finding and discussions presented in previous chapter, several conclusions

can be drawn. Regarding the first research question, there are some conclusions which are

derived from three instruments of data collection used in this research. It is found that there was

an indication that learners tend to show low autonomy in learning. 52 of 63 learners were

included into non-autonomous learners. It means only eleven learners were included into

autonomous learners. Therefore, it can be concluded that there were still minimum autonomous

learners in this second grade of senior high school.

Then, finding revealed that the eleven learners have the characteristics of an autonomous

learner. The strongest characteristic of the autonomus learner is they could find another resources

or materials that they intended to learn. The other strong characteristics are the autonomous

learners were able to identify their learning needs, and select learning projects. It means they

knew what they need, what they wanted to do, and what suitable material for them.But not all of

the learners have strong characteristics of an autonomous learner. There were ten learners who

worked collaboratively to learn English and used the teacher as a guide in learning English, nine

learners learned outside the class, eight learners set their goals to learn English, six learners assist

themselves in problems to tackle and chose when and where they will learn, three of them who

plan activities to learn English and only a learner who decided when learning was complete.

It showed that even the learners who seemed weak and showed low autonomy in some

aspect, but they are on the right track which leads them to be a better autonomous learner.

It can be concluded that autonomous learners are highly motivated. They are aware of

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to learn better which is easier and more fun. They realized that spoon-feeding was not the correct

way of teaching-learning process, thus they learned independently and took responsibility for

their own learning. Finally, high self-motivation might be considered as one of the aspect in

developing autonomy in EFL learning processes.

Regarding the second question, it is found that the autonomous learners use five

strategies out of six strategies in learning English which are (1) memory strategy, (2) social

strategy, (3) cognitive strategy, and (4) metacognitive strategy. According to the data collection,

it can be concluded that the most preferred learning style among autonomous learners are

memory strategy and social strategy. They use memory strategy and social strategy to recall what

they have been learned and practice communicative interactions with other people. These actions

have been taken in order to increase their learning autonomy.

This finding implies that since the amount of information to be processed by language

learners is high in language classroom, learners use different language learning strategies in

performing the tasks and processing the new input they face. The learners have acquired some

degrees of autonomy because those strategies require them to act independently. In other words,

language learning strategies consciously or uncounciously influence their characteristics to be

more outonomous.

Regarding the third question of this study, therefore the interview is employed. The

results of the interviewed showed that autonomous learners were influenced by positive

exposures in becoming autonomous learner; there were five factors: motivation, environment,

task, teacher, and material. These exposures can be influenced by their motivation such as future

career, social aspect such as their parents, brother, siblings and friends which improve their

knowledge, vocabulary and ability in English, challenging task which encouraged or even

sometimes forced the autonomous learner to take responsibility for their tasks, good teacher who

can create comfortable environment, and vary material which can arouse learners enthusiasm.

The finding implies that knowing the autonomy level, the autonomous learning strategy

and the factors influencing the autonomous learner in learning English helps to foster the

students’ learner autonomy in the classroom that might help improve the students’ English proficiency. It also infers that the more autonomous a learner becomes, the more likely he

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outcome of learning and taken as a desirable educational aim in order for students to master the

foreign language.

5.2 Recommendations

In relation to the findings of this study, the writer suggests that the following issues

should be taken into account:

The result of this research recommends teacher to observe unsuccessful students more

carefully than usual and to reflect on why they are unable to maintain motivation, change their

attitude, or take positive actions towards learning. It will be meaningful to educational

development and it will help such students in future.

Then, teacher must encourage and promote students to become autonomous learner

because students will get more benefit from becoming autonomous learners. In attempts to

promote a higher level of learner autonomy, it is important for the institutional education to

“promote learner autonomy through the curricula”. Teachers should take consideration such

factors when choosing the appropriate techniques and task for their lessons in order to assist and