Kleban, Marcin

English

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 155ZESZYTY NAUKOWE WYśSZEJ SZKOŁY PEDAGOGICZNEJ W RZESZOWIE  SERIA FILOLOGICZNA ZESZYT 42/2001   STUDIA ANGLICA RESOVIENSIA 2 Marcin KLEBAN SOME FACTORS CONDITIONING LEARNER AUTONOMY: SOCIAL CHANGES AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY  This paper aims to address the issue of modern influences on the learning and  teaching  English  as  a  foreign  language.  I  will  argue  that  the  use  of  the influences  may  lead  to  more  autonomous  learning  and  through  that  to  more effective language acquisition.  The  study  is  mainly  concerned  with  teaching  a  specific  age  group  of learners,  namely  secondary  and  university/college  students.  Therefore,  any assumptions or conclusions made in the article will concern the above mentioned group. The brief paper is merely meant to highlight some points related to the issue and I would like to stress that in order to fully exploit the vast area, which, at times,  crosses  over  the  boundaries  of  a  linguistic  study,  a  more  thorough investigation is needed. The problem of modern influences also calls for some classroom experimental study which is still ahead. Discussing learner autonomy it is worth defining the term. In more general terms it means being able to take responsibility for one’s own learning. In more specific terms learner autonomy also means developing learning strategies, using self access resources, negotiating grades and material with learners. There is a number of factors that contribute to autonomous learning. Riley and Gremo (1995) enumerate the following ones: 1. minority rights movements and their influence on education, 2. reaction against behaviourism: more emphasis on personal experience, 3. interests in minority rights, 4. development of technology: self study equipment, 5. social and economic changes: calls for greater flexibility on the market. This paper will be mainly concerned with a way of implementing learner autonomy with the use of technology and media and also some space will be devoted  to  the  social  changes;  that is, the points four  and  five  of the  above  156mentioned criteria. I will also refer to some cultural factors which might serve as tools for fostering learner autonomy.  The idea of a more autonomous approach to learning has recently become a very popular one. The development of all areas of science and humanities and the vastness of material and work being done in any of field of knowledge call for a constant development, knowledge update and frequently adjustment to new situations. One can easily find oneself in a situation when new skills or new knowledge is needed in order to comply with the requirements. The ability to enhance one’s skills and knowledge is a great asset both in the work market and also  in  any  situation  a  person  can  find  themselves.  Being  able  to  look  for knowledge is one of the essential characteristics of autonomous learning.  The  use  of  media  and  new  technologies  with  the  young  generation, accustomed to using them on a daily basis, seems appealing. And indeed it is. A classroom where a sample text from a target language magazine or a bit of an authentic video material is used increases students’ interest in the lesson. This suggests the use of the same methods for enhancing learner autonomy because of their relative availability. Students may be asked to look for knowledge using different  media,  e.g.  browsing  the  Internet,  referring  to  newspapers  or magazines, watching TV programmes, etc.  Before we move on to suggesting some specific methods of using the media in language teaching let us ask some questions first. Why is it so that using media  is  so  attractive?  What  makes  it  such  a  powerful  tool  for  language learning?  The world of media is often closely connected with the popular culture that overwhelms so much the television, radio, magazines and the Internet. Being exposed to the popular culture, almost at any point, young people are especially susceptible to influences from these sources. Cheung (2000:56) notices that: [...]  in  the  process  of  growing  up,  students  need  to  identify  with  something  and  a  large proportion of them choose the popular culture, which being readily accessible everywhere and highly acceptable to young people, acts as a bond between them providing means that are relevant to their lives. White (1995), quoted in Cheung, claims that for most young people popular culture serves as a valuable tool that helps them to cope with the difficult task of building and maintaining the identity. Another advantage of using the popular culture is its pervasiveness. The fact that various manifestations of the popular culture such as songs, films or other widely advertised commercial products are omnipresent makes them powerful and easy-accessible tools for teaching and learning especially the English language which, more often than not, is a vehicle for spreading the popular culture.  The availability and a natural interest in popular culture events make it a great ally in achieving the goal of more autonomous learning. The use of the  157popular culture increases students’ level of motivation so much desired in the process of learning. As we read in Cheung (2000:56): Popular culture touches the lives of students, and grows out their natural experience and interest. If  a  satisfactory  level  of  learner  motivation  could  be  achieved,  then  this would  naturally  lead  to  greater autonomy  and  finally  better command  of  the target language. Another  important  issue  concerning  fostering  autonomous  learning  is creating an appropriate environment. Esch (1996) mentions the following five criteria for the learner autonomy environment:  choice flexibility adaptability/modifiability reflectibility/negotiability shareability   The first criterion offers students genuine alternatives as far as the materials, modes of studying, learning strategies and tasks are concerned. Flexibility means being able to go back easily to the starting point when a wrong  option  is  chosen.  The  criterion  of  adaptibility  concerns  the  way  of organizing stock of materials to suit both learners and those who organize the studying (e.g. a tutor, teacher or librarian). The materials should also be easily recognisable and teachers and learners should be able to play with them. The element of reflection or looking back and reviewing should also be present and the room for negotiation of ways of learning or methods of work should also be provided. The criterion of shareability refers to e.g. the idea of pairing students with different languages.  Discussing  the  use  of  the  popular  culture  with  reference  to  the  above mentioned criteria it seems that they can be really well fulfilled reaching to the resources  of  the  popular  culture.  The  abundance  of  materials  offered  by  the television, radio, newspapers or the Internet allows plenty of room for choice, flexibility  and  adaptability.  The  same  refers  to  the  criterion  of reflexibility/negotiability. Also, students using the Internet as a medium of communication comply with the condition of shareability. Let us turn now to the specific discussion of the potential power of the use of media  in  teaching  the  English  language.  Here  I  would  like  to  pay  special attention to the television, as it is probably the most powerful medium. An interesting discussion of the potential of the television and especially satellite television can be found in Meinhof (1999). The author discusses the use of some TV genres (news, soap operas, game shows and adverts) in the context of  learning  a  foreign  language.  The  study  offers  some  useful  methods  of employing the television in the process of learning. Almost any of the advice  158suggested can contribute to learner autonomy also through the very fact that it develops  the  use  of  the  learning  strategies  such  as  seeking  opportunities  for practice  or  contact  with  the  target  language  or  promoting  cross  cultural understanding or tolerance for different values and concepts. Apart from that, most of the activities can be repeated, done outside of the classroom without the need to refer to a teacher. Meinhof mentions the application of the videotext. This includes film and other programmes’ subtitling, primarily offered for the hard of hearing but also suitable for language learners to supplement and support listening strategies. The video text is also a source of some useful information, however it seems that  its  main  advantage  is  that  it  presents  the  language  learner  with  more linguistic input. The fact that a great deal of TV material is not culture specific but very often of  global  nature  provides  room  for  comparison  between  the  same  kinds  of programmes run often simultaneously on different TV channels. An example of this would be the almost simultaneous screening of some soap operas, sitcoms, dramas or game shows on e.g. British, German, Swedish and Polish TV channels (e.g. Ally McBeal, Eastenders, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire or Big Brother). The  same  feature  may  be  a  good  starting  point  for  cross  cultural comparisons and also may form an element of media analysis. Meinhof  also  points  to  the  interconnectedness  between  TV  material  and other media. An example of that could be some popular soap operas or sitcoms, which have their web sites (learners-viewers can find more about their favourite characters, actors or the development of the plot and also exchange e-mails with other viewers virtually anywhere on the globe). The productions are discussed, previewed, reviewed and listed in newspapers, magazines and TV guides again providing opportunities for enhancing reading skills and understanding. Discussing modern influences that may enhance the autonomy in learners one  cannot  overlook  the  whole  area  of  computer  technology.  Some  of  its applications, such as the use of the Internet and e-mail messages, have already been mentioned. But apart from them, the computer technology opens up a wide range  of  other  learning  opportunities  through  the  use  of  various  multimedia software. The application of computer software in learning a foreign language could  serve  as  a topic for  an extensive  study  but  here  I  would like  to draw attention only to some aspects from the point of view of developing a learner autonomy.  The most obvious characteristic that is relevant to the issue of autonomy is that  computer  materials  are  very  often designed  to be  studied  outside  of the classroom. Computer software serves here as a practice material and also a tool for language assessment and comparison. Modern computer software lets the user monitor their progress and provide opportunities for reflection on the work already  done  thereby  developing  learning  strategy  use,  an  element  of  159autonomous learning. Computers with accompanying software may form a part of resources of a self access centre. At this point I would like to touch upon some cultural considerations about living in the age of technology and media. I think that these modern influences are well summarised under the common name of postmodernity.  In  this  context  it  is  argued  that  the  subject  of  postmodernity  is  best understood as (Featherstone 1991:5, quoted in Usher and Edwards (1994)):  [...] the ideal type channel hopping MTV viewer who flips through different images of such speed that she/he is unable to chain the signifiers together into a meaningful narrative, he/she merely enjoys the multiphrenic intensities and sensations of the surface of images. This sounds like many contemporary teenagers or even adults equally, or perhaps even more, interested in hyperreality as in reality. The  situation  depicted  above  becomes  more  and  more  pervasive.  The aesthetic and moral assessments may vary but whatever the judgement we cannot argue with the reality where most people are so much engulfed by the world of information.  Whether we approve of it or not the situation calls for giving it a chance of being utilized for the sake of achieving some educational goals including more effective language learning. A  few  words  should  also  be  said  about  experiential  learning  which  has become a dominant discourse in western countries in education and with the new political and social changes is gaining ground in Poland. The  emphasis  here  is  put  on  experience,  constructing  and  negotiating knowledge  through  being  active  rather  than  passive,  a  controller  rather  than being a subject of education. Through these ideas experiential learning shares a lot with learner autonomy. It is interesting to note that these ideas seem attractive to different political and  social  orientations.  The  support  for  experiential  learning  comes  from different  sources  and  for  different  reasons.  Within  the  European  perspective Usher and Edwards (1994) claim that new right are ready to accept the idea putting the emphasis on the practical and adaptive element. The new middle class see the benefits in the personal development. In Poland the educational changes are still in progress and we are at a point of transition from the “traditional” to more modern system of education, quite likely based on experiential learning. Neither is the system of the social classes mature  enough  to  make  here  any  comparisons  between  the  consideration concerning the situation in the EU and Poland. The discussion will probably start when  the  social  and  political  systems  become  better  established  and  more attention will be given to the issues of education. Another issue here is the readiness and willingness on the part of language teachers and educators to accommodate the new paradigm. However, there is a  160growing  interest,  understanding  and  approval  for  more  autonomous  teaching. This is probably facilitated by the instinctive feeling that the old system does not stand up to the test of the modern times and requirements. Many teachers realise that in order to be flexible and competitive in the work market one needs to be able to enhance their qualifications and know how to gain knowledge and new skills. The above discussion is just a brief presentation concerning the questions at the juncture of learner autonomy, social changes and modern technology. The problems  only  sketched  here  need  further  analysis  and  also  some  closer examination in the form of classroom research is needed. However, it seems that the changes still going on in the Polish educational system and the way of teaching and learning will supply plenty of room for  in-depth  analysis.  It  seems  inevitable  that  we  will  witness  more  and  more extensive  use  of  media  and  computer  technology  leading  to  greater  learner autonomy.   References Cheung, C-K. 2000. “The use of popular culture as a stimulus to motivate secondary students’ English learning in Hong Kong”. ELT Journal vol. 55/1. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Esch,  E.  1996.  “Promoting  learner  autonomy:  Criteria  for  selection  of  appropriate  methods”. Taking Control: Autonomy in Language Learning, ed. by Richard Pemberton et al.. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. Featherstone, M. 1991. Consumer Culture and Postmodernity. Sage Publications Inc. Gremo, M-J. and P. Riley 1995. “Autonomy, self direction and self access”. Meinhof,  U.  1999.  Language  Learning  in  the  Age  of  Satellite  Television.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press. Usher  R.  and  R.  Edwards  1994.  Postmodernism  and  Education:  Different  Voices,  Different Words. New York: Routledge. White, A. 1985. “Meaning and effects of listening to popular music: Implications for counselling”. Journal of Counselling and Development 64/I, 65–69.      

Autonomy, self direction and self access”.

Consumer Culture and Postmodernity.

Language Learning in the Age of Satellite Television.

Meaning and effects of listening to popular music: Implications for counselling”.

Postmodernism and Education: Different Voices, Different Words.

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The use of popular culture as a stimulus to motivate secondary students’ English learning in Hong Kong”.

Some factors conditioning learner autonomy : social changes and modern technology

Some factors conditioning learner autonomy : social changes and modern technology

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