Năng lực tự học vai trò của giáo viên và bạn bè LEARNER AUTONOMY: THE ROLES OF TEACHERS AND PEERS

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY LE HA TO QUYEN LEARNER AUTONOMY: THE ROLES OF TEACHERS AND PEERS PHILOSOPHY IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES DOCTORAL DISSERTATION HO CHI MINH CITY, 2023 ii MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY LE HA TO QUYEN LEARNER AUTONOMY: THE ROLES OF TEACHERS AND PEERS Major: Philosophy in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Code: 91 40 111 DOCTORAL DISSERTATION HO CHI MINH CITY, 2023 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP The Doctoral Dissertation titled “Learner Autonomy: The Roles of Teachers and Peers” has been submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Except for the references cited in this dissertation, I hereby declare that the whole or parts of this dissertation have not been published or used to obtain the degree elsewhere No other person's work/research may be used in this thesis that is not properly cited This thesis has never been submitted for any degree at any other university or training institution Ho Chi Minh City, …/…/ 2023 Le Ha To Quyen ii ACKNOWLEDGEMNENTS “Learner Autonomy: The Roles of Teachers and Peers” Doctoral Dissertation has been completed at Ho Chi Minh City Open University I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks and deep gratitude to all those who have contributed to the successful completion of this thesis Their continuous support, guidance, and encouragement have been instrumental in my academic journey First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my scientific supervisors, Ms Bui Thi Thuc Quyen, Ph.D and Mr Dang Tan Tin, Ph.D Their comprehensive knowledge, unwavering support, and enthusiastic guidance have been the cornerstone of my research Their insights and intellectual stimulation have been invaluable to my growth and understanding of the subject matter I am forever indebted to them for their roles in my achievement I am also deeply thankful to the Graduate Lecturers at Ho Chi Minh City Open University Their extensive expertise and generous provision of background knowledge have significantly enriched my study activities I must also extend my appreciation to my family, relatives, colleagues, classmates, and friends Their belief in me and constant encouragement have fortified me during the challenges and pressures of this endeavor Without their support and love, this journey would have been far more arduous Finally, I acknowledge all others who have contributed in any way to this project, whether directly or indirectly The collaborative spirit I have experienced will stay with me as cherished memories In closing, I reflect on this journey with profound appreciation for the collective wisdom, guidance, and support that have made this thesis a reality It is my hope that the work presented here honors the efforts and contributions of all those mentioned above Ho Chi Minh City, … /…/2023 iii ABSTRACT Learner autonomy has been considered the central aim of education because of its significant role in enabling students to develop into successful lifelong learners In modern times, students have many opportunities to learn outside the classroom, the ideal context for learner autonomy development Therefore, research about the development of learner autonomy in the out-of-class learning context needs to receive more focus Based on sociocultural theory as the theoretical framework, the current research explores the situation of EFL tertiary students’ learner autonomy in the out-of-class context and the potential of promoting it through teachers’ and peers’ roles in the classroom With the explanatory sequential mixed methods designs, the study collected data from answers to a questionnaire on learner autonomy and teachers’ and peers’ roles (N=709) and semi-structured in-depth group interviews (N=35) The findings pointed out that although students had a moderate capacity to control the situational, behavioural, and psychological dimensions of learner autonomy, they still faced many challenges when learning independently In addition, there were significant correlations between factors of the situational, behavioural, and psychological dimensions of learner autonomy and the roles of teachers as a resource, an evaluator, a controller, an instructor, a facilitator, and a co-learner in the classroom The mediating factors of these correlations were the students’ motivation, role model, trust, and care In addition, the correlations between learner autonomy and the four perceived peers’ roles in the classroom: a co-learner, an encourager, an assessor, and a supporter were also significant The mediating factors of these correlations were positive emotions, interdependence, responsibilities, and face value The research findings have provided empirical data about EFL tertiary students’ learner autonomy in the out-of-class context and the connection between in-class and out-of-class learning These findings provide pedagogical implications for learners, teachers, and peers to foster learner autonomy development in the out-of-class learning context TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS i LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii LIST OF FIGURES viii LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF APPENDICES xi Chapter INTRODUCTION 1.1 General context of the study 1.1.1 The history of English teaching and learning in Vietnam 1.1.2 The vital role of English in Vietnamese context 1.1.3 The challenges of English training in Vietnamese context 1.1.4 English training in Vietnam higher education 1.2 Rationale of the research .11 1.3 Research aims, objectives and research questions 13 1.4 Significance of the research 14 1.5 Scope of the research 14 1.6 Definition of key terms .15 1.7 Thesis organisation 15 1.8 Chapter overview 17 Chapter 18 LITERATURE REVIEW 18 2.1 Learner autonomy .18 2.1.1 Conceptualisation of learner autonomy 18 2.1.1.1 General conceptions of learner autonomy in language teaching 18 2.1.1.2 Models of learner autonomy 21 2.1.1.3 Operational definition of learner autonomy 25 ii 2.1.2 The importance of learner autonomy 26 2.1.3 Degrees of learner autonomy 28 2.1.4 Factors that influence the development of learner autonomy .29 2.1.5 Approaches to foster learner autonomy 32 2.1.6 Learner autonomy in out-of-class learning 34 2.2 Perceived teachers’ roles in the language classroom 38 2.2.1 A controller 40 2.2.2 An instructor 42 2.2.3 A facilitator 43 2.2.4 A co-learner 44 2.2.5 A resource .45 2.2.6 An evaluator 46 2.2.7 An explorer 47 2.3 Perceived peers’ roles in the language classroom .48 2.3.1 A co-learner 49 2.3.2 A supporter 50 2.3.3 An encourager .51 2.3.4 An assessor 52 2.4 Theoretical framework 53 2.4.1 Constructivism and social constructivism 53 2.4.2 SCT .54 2.4.3 CoP 57 2.5 Learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles 59 2.5.1 Perceived teachers’ roles in learner autonomy development activity 59 2.5.2 Mediating factors of learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles 60 2.6 Learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 61 2.6.1 Perceived peers’ roles in learner autonomy development activities 61 2.6.2 Mediating factors between learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 62 2.7 Previous studies and research gap .64 2.8 The conceptual framework of the study 67 2.9 Chapter overview 69 iii Chapter 70 METHODOLOGY 70 3.1 Research paradigm 70 3.2 Research design 71 3.3 The quantitative research 75 3.3.1 Objectives .75 3.3.2 Participants 75 3.3.2.1 Rationale for choosing English majors 75 3.3.2.2 Sample size .76 3.3.2.3 Sampling method 76 3.3.3 Instrument development .78 3.3.3.1 Rationale for choosing the questionnaire format 78 3.3.3.2 Questionnaire design 79 3.3.3.3 Questionnaire proofreading 86 3.3.3.4 Translating the questionnaire 87 3.3.3.5 Piloting the questionnaire .88 3.3.4 Quantitative data collection procedure 89 3.3.5 Quantitative data management .90 3.3.6 Quantitative analysis .92 3.3.7 Issues of reliability and validity of the quantitative research .96 3.4 The qualitative research 96 3.4.1 Objectives .97 3.4.2 Rationale for adopting semi-structured in-depth group interview .97 3.4.3 Participants and the recruitment process 97 3.4.4 Instrument 100 3.4.4.1 Instrument design 100 3.4.4.2 Piloting the interview protocol .101 3.4.5 Qualitative data collection procedure 101 3.4.6 Qualitative data analysis .102 3.4.7 The trustworthiness of qualitative data .103 3.5 Ethical considerations .105 iv 3.6 Chapter summary 107 Chapter 108 DATA ANALYSIS 108 4.1 Results of the quantitative phase .108 4.1.1 Demographic information 108 4.1.2 EFL students’ learner autonomy in out-of-class learning 109 4.1.2.1 Internal consistency reliability measure of learner autonomy scale 109 4.1.2.2 Descriptive statistics of learner autonomy 110 4.1.3 Perceived teachers’ roles in the language classroom 115 4.1.3.1 Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) of the Perceived teachers’ roles scale 115 4.1.3.2 Descriptive statistics of perceived teachers’ roles .119 4.1.4 Perceived peers’ roles in the classroom 122 4.1.4.1 Exploratory Factor Analysis of Perceived peers’ roles scale .122 4.1.4.2 Descriptive statistics of perceived peers’ roles 125 4.1.5 Correlations between learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles .127 4.1.5.1 Pearson correlations between learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles 127 4.1.5.2 Canonical correlation between learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles 130 4.1.6 Correlations between learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 133 4.1.6.1 Pearson correlations between learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 133 4.1.6.2 Canonical correlation between learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 137 4.2 Results of the qualitative research 140 4.2.1 Mediating factors of learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles .141 4.2.2.1 Motivation as a mediating factor 141 4.2.2.2 Trust as a mediating factor 143 4.2.2.3 Role model as a mediating factor 145 4.2.2.4 Care as a mediating factor 146 4.2.2 Mediating factors of learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 147 v 4.2.2.1 Positive emotions as a mediating factor .148 4.2.2.2 Interdependence as a mediating factor 149 4.2.2.3 Responsibilities as a mediating factor 150 4.2.2.4 Face value as a mediating factor 151 4.3 Chapter overview 153 Chapter 154 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 154 5.1 EFL tertiary students’ learner autonomy in out-of-class learning 154 5.1.1 The situational dimension 154 5.1.2 The behavioural dimension .157 5.1.3 The psychological dimension .160 5.2 Perceived teachers’ roles in the classroom .161 5.3 Perceived peers’ roles in the classroom 164 5.4 Learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles 166 5.4.1 Correlations between learner autonomy in out-of-class learning and perceived teachers’ roles in the classroom 166 5.4.2 Mediating factors of correlations between learner autonomy in out-of-class learning and perceived teachers’ roles in the classroom 167 5.5 Learner autonomy and perceived peers’ roles 171 5.5.1 Correlations between learner autonomy in out-of-class learning and perceived peers’ roles in the classroom 171 5.5.2 Mediating factors of correlations between learner autonomy in out-of-class learning and perceived peers’ roles in the classroom 173 5.6 Finalising the research model 176 5.7 Chapter overview 177 Chapter 178 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS 178 6.1 Summary 178 6.1.1 EFL tertiary students’ learner autonomy in out-of-class learning 179 6.1.2 Correlations between learner autonomy and perceived teachers’ roles and their mediating factors 180 275 APPENDIX 4F MEDIATING FACTORS OF LEARNER AUTONOMY AND PERCEIVED PEERS’ ROLES Sub-themes Counts Extracts Positive emotions 24 S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S8, S9, S10, S11, S13, S16, S18, S20, S21, S23, S25, S27, S29, S30, S31, S32, S33, S34 S2 - I feel relaxed I am not afraid of saying something nonsense with them They not judge me, so I study with them after class S3 - Studying together can create the interest in learning, learning alone is boring I continue to explore more when I think it is interesting S5 - Peers can sit together and complain about any problems we have […] Having the opportunity to share feelings helps us feel comfortable and get close to each other, so it is easier to learn together S8- My friends give me comments in a funny way, I follow their comments and adjust my performance S11 - My friend’s hard work inspired me to learn She gave me positive energy I feel I want to learn more when working with her S18 - They keep encouraging me to try new ways of learning I feel more confident, and I try S29 – We feel free to share ideas, and we explore those ideas after class Interdependence 16 S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S8, S10, S14, S15, S19, S20, S24, S28, S31, S32, S35 S2- My friends are particularly good at speaking skills; I am strong at demo teaching We learn together after class, exchange our strengths, and help each other S3 - There are a lot of requirements from the teachers We form a group and support each other to work each person’s task We need each other to study well S14 - I try to help my friends as soon as possible and my friends the same to me We give each other instant help 276 to solve our own problems, which we could not expect from most of the teachers because they are busy S19 - My friends know what I am strong at and at what I am weak And I understand theirs, too When we see something that could work well for us, we tell each other immediately S20 - Most of the time, our parts overlapped, so we need to support each other When my friends ask me, I also read more so that I can support them Then the whole group can get the high score … Responsibilities 15 S4, S5, S6, S7, S9, S13, S16, S18, S20, S23, S26, S28, S30, S32, S33 S4 - I am busy at my part time job, so I only as I am required, but I also try to learn after class so that my friends not complain about my contribution S5, S8 - We are usually in charge of various parts, depending on our strengths I learn on my own a lot to be able to perform my part as required I not want to slow the group down S14 - I am the group leader, so when collaborating with my friends in class, I tend to more than my friends and must make the decision for the group They trust me I learn by myself a lot to be well prepared for the task and able to support my friends when needed S18 - When teachers required us to be the assessor of our friends’ work, I learned on my own a lot to be able to perform that role well S26 - When the teacher-in-charge often requires students to work in pairs in class, I prepare more carefully for the lesson beforehand, because I not want to waste our time sitting together doing nothing 277 Face value 11 S4, S5, S6, S8, S9, S13, S18, S20, S23, S26, S32 S1 - I find out on my own so that I can explain it to friends When doing it, I feel proud of myself I have a strong position in the group S9 - I want to be like my friends, I not want to be behind, so when my friends study, I study harder to catch up with them S18 - Before I did not pay much attention to studies, so I did not study very well Then, my friends did not want to work with me, and they even said it out in front of the teachers Since that time, I studied much harder outside the classroom to get better results and to say that I am not that useless S26– I want my friends to know me as a student who tries hard and has potential, so I work hard to achieve that S32 - My classmates study very well; I feel like I am in a competition I need to try harder so that I not fall behind too far from my friends I not want them to look down on me 278 APPENDIX 4G INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT GROUP INTERVIEW - GI1 (IN ENGLISH) Interviewer: Do your teachers introduce good learning resources in class? If yes, those resources help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: Yes Teachers provide materials so that we can learn more at home or give links to some online exercises for us to Teachers have a lot of experience, and they were an English major like us, so they know what are good for us [Trust] They share the materials they have or references sources so that I can explore more deeply They form a Zalo group with the class so they can contact us more easily and send the supplemental materials and other documents S2: Yes The materials teachers use and introduce in class will guide me while I study on my own The first day of the course is very important because on that day teachers would help us to visualise what we need to for the whole course Teachers usually stress for us the important contents, the challenging issues that students should overcome to master the course These explanations gave me the orientation to set up my learning [Trust] S3: Yes For some subjects, teachers introduce a lot of online resources and extra materials, which they did not have enough time to discuss in class I usually rely on that list and start searching Those resources suit me the most [Trust] I also reach out for teachers’ help when I am learning Their support helps me solve my problems and suggests new directions for me to learn more deeply, especially with subjects in which I am interested S4: Yes They suggest online materials and resources for us I based on those and study when I have time [Trust] In class, teachers also ask strong students to share the 279 learning resources that they found useful and justify together with the class about those sources S5: Yes They suggest to us where to find books for our specialty They also provide us with the justified knowledge [Trust] that we need for our majors The lesson content provided by teachers is more dependable than the sources everyone can find online, and we can base that on that to explore more I also think that the materials and the learning ways that teachers suggest are suitable for us [Trust] S6: Yes Online resources are rambling; but we not know which one is reliable and suitable for us Specialized materials are more difficult for us to find Therefore, teachers will introduce materials [Trust] They also tell us the skills necessary for self-study, such as the skill of finding good materials From that, we conduct our learning outside the classroom [Trust] Interviewer: Do your teachers give beneficial evaluation? If yes, those evaluations help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: Yes We can learn by ourselves, but whether we are doing the right things should be assessed by teachers [Trust] I usually wait for teachers at the end of the class, to ask whether I am doing the right thing or not Teachers are ready to help S2: I am in the middle I want my teachers to give different scores for different group members [Extrinsic motivation], because they did not put in the same effort If everyone gets the same score regardless of their contribution, I think it is unfair And I not want to more if my efforts are not considered 280 S3: Yes My teacher’s feedback is very detailed [Trust] For group presentations, they have comments on content, pronunciation, interaction with the audience and suggest for me what I need to work on [Trust] I base it on that to study S4: Yes Teachers often gave us time to share about our learning outside the classroom When they remember something about me such as my name and what support I need [Care], I feel that they are really concerned about what I am doing outside the class, so I not give it up S5: The strict teachers are helpful for my learning because when I am afraid, I will try harder to learn [Extrinsic motivation] Teachers who have their own principles and are fair to students make me want to study [Role model] Teachers cannot treat this student this way, the other student in a different way S6: Teachers’ evaluation is helpful for me My class is big, so teachers only give detailed comments for the groups who are the first few students So, sometimes it is a pity that teachers did not give very detailed comments for some of us I based on teachers’ comments to improve myself [Trust] Interviewer: Do your teachers control various aspects of the classroom? If yes, does their control help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: Yes Teachers are the people in control of everything that happens in the classroom They need to follow the curriculum but must decide which part is more important for the class Some teachers control the class so well I can feel their passion for teaching They are professional, too I am going to be a teacher in the future, and I want to have the passion and professionalism for my teaching [Role model] I want to be like them, so I try to study more S2: Yes Teachers are the ones who control all aspects of the class, and help the class achieve the goal of the course They led us in the right direction The activities 281 conducted in the classroom are for the learning goals we need to achieve, so we just need to follow their guidance [Trust] S3: I have the same ideas as S2 S4: They give deadlines; group activities and exercises for us to study to improve skills and self-study ability With their requirements, I study more outside the classroom S5: Teachers have no impact on students’ self-study if students are not self-disciplined Teachers give low marks, students realize that they need to learn on their own, so teachers’ decision on assessment is the key factor [Extrinsic motivation] S6: I prepare before going to class because I want to get the bonus or plus points [Extrinsic motivation] The questions are about the content of the teaching, but the answers can go from easy to difficult; the answers can be found entirely in the textbook to completely cannot be found in the textbook Interviewer: Do your teachers impart knowledge well? If yes, does it help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: Yes Teachers help me understand the lesson in class, their lessons make me want to learn more about the subject to dig deeper My studies outside the classroom stem from what teachers introduced to us in class I usually touch on the part I find interesting [Intrinsic motivation], but teachers did not have time to discuss much in class They usually ask additional questions for us to discuss together to dig deeper into the learning content The students can openly share their ideas In addition, S2: I agree with S1 Teachers often not have enough time to expand the matter in the classroom, so they only provide the foundation for us Some teachers have good ways of instructing learning points, so they make the lesson very interesting, and I want to explore more to understand it [Intrinsic motivation] S3: My major is English teaching, so I usually look at how teachers organize activities in class I like the way they organize fun activities and solve problems that arise in class 282 I want to be able to give interesting learning activities and control the classroom well when becoming a teacher in the future, so I try hard to be like them They also share about their learning journeys [Role model] Some did not like English at the beginning Some had to overcome difficulties in life to study Some share with us the ways they apply for jobs at big schools and for scholarships to study abroad I can learn so much from these stories, such as the ways they overcome difficulties S4: Yes, especially when teachers make me curious to find out more about the lesson [Intrinsic motivation] S5: Some teachers explain everything and say students only need to study to answer questions in this list, the students will get bored and just wait until the exam day to study in the restricted section On the other hand, I feel eager to learn more on my own when teachers let me explore something new [Intrinsic motivation] S6: I have the same idea as S5 Teachers guide students and give us space to explore Interviewer: Do your teachers check if the task is going well? If yes, does it help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: When I study, if I have any problems, I can ask questions directly in the classroom or after class If the task needs more time to finish, we also have Zalo group, so if the class is over, we can put the questions in the group and teachers are willing to answer [Care] So, I not get stuck, and I just move on with my studies S3: Yes Teachers are friendly to students, so we can consult them when we have difficulties [Trust] From that, we know what we need to study more Some teachers not want to talk to students besides lecturing, so we not dare to ask or say anything to them S4: Yes, but not always My classes are so large with more than fifty students, so teachers cannot pay attention to each student However, when I hear the teacher memorize our names, and ask generally if we are doing well, if we need any support [Care], I feel that the teacher cares about my study I want to learn more 283 S5: I have the same idea as S4 Teachers walk around the classroom and check whether we are doing well They give suggestions for us if we are stuck with any part of the task S6: Teachers usually let us work together and they only intervene if someone raises their hands for help So, I wait until the evaluation time to listen for their comments Interviewer: Do your teachers understand students’ concerns? If yes, does it help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: I usually see my teachers join students’ activities, maybe because she is the Head of the department, not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom such as at the English-speaking clubs, radio stations, sharing talks can make students feel that teachers are with the students for their learning [Care] S2: My teachers are friendly; they encourage students to ask questions when they have problems understanding the lessons, even when studying outside the classroom They form a Zalo group [Care] for the whole class, and students can post their questions there or send them directly to the teachers Teachers normally reply quickly S3: Teachers are the guides who suggest ideas and directions [Trust] for students to explore They also raise our awareness of the importance of self-study Therefore, I try to find out more, especially with the subjects I like S4: When I move from high school to university, I feel lost without the guidance of teachers I only want to pass the course Teachers’ requirements help me to go in the right direction [Extrinsic motivation] S5: Teachers have a Zalo group and remind [Care] about class assignments, I will follow their reminders and learn [Extrinsic motivation] S6: When teachers apply new teaching methods in the classroom, I really appreciate that I also admire teachers who share with us updated knowledge, or just some new websites, new tools that they think we should know They show me that updating oneself is especially important They give me time to ask questions and talk about my ideas and concerns during class and after class [Care] so I can consult them to find the solutions for my problem 284 Interviewer: Now, let us move to the roles of peers in the classroom Do your friends learn comfortably with you in the classroom? If yes, does learning comfortably in class help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: Friends are companions to solve the issues that teachers raise and orient Peers’ opinions may be the same or different from my opinion I feel that we can exchange and defend our opinions Through the process of defending my own opinions, and my friends defending their opinions, we have learned more Ideas from three, four people are better than only one idea We respect each other’s ideas Friends need to work together discussing how to deal with assignments Depending on the strengths and weaknesses of each member, the assignments will be divided into various parts During the process of doing our part, we can ask for mutual support [Interdependence] S2: There is a spirit of support [Positive emotions] for each other when studying together with peers Peers are the same age, learning with them is easier to understand than with a teacher Peers can explain the matter to me repeatedly if I not understand I am shy so I not dare to ask questions to the teacher I will reach out more to friends, talented students, or students who listen carefully in the classroom Learning with friends is easier to understand than studying with teachers I can ask more questions, expand the topic, and friends explain the matters repeatedly to you if you not understand They not judge me I am good at persuading other people Thus, my responsibility when working with peers is to remind every member to their part We value teamwork, and we know that self-study is important, so I try to fulfil my parts And support others if needed I think that peers have different ways to make each other comfortable when studying together [Positive emotions] S3: I find learning in my groups of friends effective My friends respect each other’s ideas, learn together, and find a solution for the problem When peers have the same interest with the same subject, peers support each other to share with each other and together find the excitement when being able to solve a problem [Positive emotions] We raise ideas for everyone to explore and discuss together The sense of learning 285 enhances, friends support the spirit of learning, not manipulative I want to have a voice [Face value] when collaborating with my friends, so I try to learn hard and read more materials After exploring things, I have more to share with my friends, and my position in the group has improved a lot S4: I am busy at my part time job, so I only as I am required, but I also try to learn after class so that my friends not complain about my contribution [Responsibilities] S5: Peers can sit together and complain about difficult problems We encourage and support each other to find the solutions Having the opportunity to share feelings helps us feel comfortable [Positive emotions] and get close to each other S6: I receive support from peers when we are studying in groups However, it depends on each group of friends Some groups we only get together to class assignments We fulfil our duties but are not close enough to share our feelings I have a group of close friends and I have more feelings when studying with them, I feel familiar and relaxed [Positive emotions] Interviewer: Do your friends allow you to put down/ give up? If yes, does it help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: My friends encourage me all the time We are at the same age, so friends can understand the difficulties friends I am facing With friends’ encouragement, I will try harder S2: My friends usually ask me to go to the English-speaking club with them because they know my speaking skill is not good enough I feel encouraged and try speaking up [Positive emotions] to practice more S3: The orientations are from teachers, but peers are people to work out that with me With the same interests, peers support each other mentally Studying together can create an interest in learning, learning alone is boring 286 S4: I often ask friends to practice speaking English If I not ask them to practice, they will ask Friends urge each other to study [Positive emotions] Friends make me speed up and keep up with them Working together to exercises sharpens my language and self-study skills S5: We are usually in charge of various parts, depending on our strengths I learn on my own a lot to be able to perform my part as required I not want to slow the group down [Responsibilities] S6: My friends encourage me [Positive emotions] to study harder to get good grades and improve my skills Interviewer: Do your friends point out your problems if there are any? If yes, does it help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: Yes My friends point out my problems But I think that we can only encourage each other to try [Positive emotions], teachers are the factors that can give us the right answers for our problems S2: I think that even though peers cannot give comments like teachers, they go through the same journey as us and experience the same difficulties, so they may know how to overcome it more effectively My friends point out the problem I am facing, for example final sound And they remind me to practice it I feel relaxed when my friends point out my mistakes [Positive emotions], but maybe when I go home, I forgot their comments already S3: I have the same idea as S2 S4: We give comments on each other’s performance because it is part of the task We use the rubric that teachers prepared for us I can improve my performance using my friends’ comments and vice versa But sometimes, we not have enough time to 287 that Teachers at the end of the task will mention all the points we need to practice more, so I not remember much what my friends had said S5: We not give comments on each other’s performance very often Only when teachers request us to that I sometimes ask my friends to look through my work or listen to me giving a talk, but my friends just give very general comments, they not want to make us feel bad S6: My friends give their comments on my performance when we rehearsed I also give them my feedback about their performance [Interdependence] Peers need to know how to talk with each other to make sure that they not insult other friends but encourage everyone to fulfil their parts But we not it often, we are lazy Interviewer: Do your friends share the outside resources they have with you? If yes, does it help you study more outside the classroom? In which ways? If not, why not? S1: I cannot understand some parts of the lesson well, but my friends Other parts I could understand more clearly So, we explain them to each other [Interdependence] We support each other in learning, we share how to better optimize the ways of learning, what materials are better for us When I troubleshoot a problem together, I learn more than my friend gives me the answer right away When peers ask me their opinion on an issue, I find out on my own so that I can explain it to friends When doing it, I feel proud of myself [Face value] When I can explain to peers, it means that I can remember the lesson well S2: My friends are particularly good at speaking skills; I am strong at demo teaching We learn together after class, exchange our strengths, and help each other [Interdependence] S3: Peers are important to me There are a lot of requirements from the teachers We form a group and support each other to work each person’s task We need each other to study well [Interdependence] 288 S4: I also exchange our strengths and help each other [Interdependence] My friend helps me with my Chinese, and I help her back with Writing skills Peers also share learning materials and learning experiences S5: When we have a class assignment, we get together to study or at the end of the term to prepare for the end-of-term tests, we study together Each of us must oversee a part [Responsibilities] of the final product Or else when we get together, we can waste time chit chat or discuss what to First, I only listened to and received support from my friends Then I want to be like them, to have my ideas and give support to my friends about the aspects I know [Face value] Thus, I want my group to respect the contributions from everyone and encourage everyone to that S6: I am usually the leader of the group, so I must make decisions for the whole group Sometimes I must cover other friends’ parts [Responsibilities] because they just did it very carelessly So other friends rely on me, not the other ways Table 1: Summary of mediating factors coded in Group Interview (GI1) Theme 1: Mediating factors of correlations between learner autonomy and teachers’ roles Sub-themes Frequency Participants Counts Extrinsic S2, S4, S5, S6 4 S1, S2, S4, S5 0 motivation Intrinsic motivation Motivation intensity 289 Trust 15 S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6 Care 10 S1, S2, S4, S5, S6 Theme 2: Mediating factors of correlations between learner autonomy and peers’ roles Sub-themes Frequency Participants Counts Positive 10 S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6 Interdependence S1, S2, S3, S4, S6 Face value S1, S3, S5 Responsibilities S4, S5, S6 emotions