Promoting Learner Autonomy in Entry-level Teacher Education Courses

Daniel (Dan) Kirk presented on 'Promoting Learner Autonomy in Entry-level Teacher Education Courses' at the 7th online Future of English Language Teaching Conference.

See the video recording below:

Abstract

This is based on my dissertation for my MA in Professional Development for Language Education (MAPDLE) (for which received a Pass A grade in 2021).

It focuses on three main areas:

1) allowing trainees to choose an action plan for the final assessed teaching practice lessons
2) allowing trainees to select assessment criteria throughout the course
3) ensuring an input session on learner autonomy

The session will focus on the idea that the earlier we start encouraging autonomous teacher development the greater impact it subsequently has on promoting learner autonomy. Trainee teachers at entry-level require an experiential element of training course in order to understand how to promote autonomy in their own classrooms. This can also encourage motivation amongst entry-level teachers.

I propose to present the documents used in my own dissertation and explain how they were influenced by autonomous learning practices, including how to measure motivation using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI).

While I don't propose to have all the answers it is a starting point to begin the conversation about how we encourage more autonomous, self-dependent learners to emerge from initial teacher training courses. I expect people to disagree with my approach.

About the presenter

Dan has established his own teacher training organization in Sri Lanka, U.K. Training Academy, following more than 15-years of experience working in the EFL industry in Slovakia Ukraine, Borneo, Bahrain, Austria, Turkey, Algeria, and now Sri Lanka. He has been working in teacher development since 2006 in both ELT and in local state school education.