The portfolio and synthasls project

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES AND COMPARATIVE CULTURAL STUDIES W ’X THE PORTFOLIO AND SYNTHESIS PROJECT Supervisor: Dr RICHARD BALDAUF Student’s name: HUYNH THI BICH NGOC Student number: 40446190 Email: s4044619@student.uq.edu.au June, 2004 CONTENT THE PORTFOLIO AND SYNTHESIS PROJECT PART A: ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO I SUBJECT ASSIGNMENTS A Semester 1, 2003 Final examination – Foundation of Syntax and Semantics (LING6100) Five articles – Second Language Teaching (SLAT 6826) Literature review – Intercultural Communication (SLAT 6899) Seminar Presentation on Critical Perspectives on TESOL (EDUC 7032) B Semester 2, 2003 Software Evaluation Essay – Principles of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (SLAT 6860) Mid-term Test – Foundation of Morphology and Phonology (LING 6105) Web Search – Defining Literacy (SLAT 6827) Curriculum Design and Teaching Project (EDUC 7031) C Semester 1, 2004 Essay: How does L2 grammatical knowledge develop? – Second Language Acquisition (SLAT 6805) 10 Vocabulary learning literature review and research proposal – The Lexicon and L2 Vocabulary Learning (SLAT 6830) 11 A Network Application – Electronic Networks for Language Learning, Teaching and Research (SLAT 6868) II REFLECTION ON THREE SELECTED ASSIGNMENTS Essay on Critical Perspectives on TESOL (EDUC 7032) Reflective Journals – TESOL Curriculum and Pedagogy: Classroom Strategies (EDUC 7031) Software Authoring and Testing – Principles of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (SLAT 6860) III BIBLIOGRAPHY Articles and books that have contributed to my learning and professional development Articles and books that best reflect my knowledge of the field Articles and books that constitute a valuable professional resource PART B: SYNTHESIS LEARNING AUTONOMY AND LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES IN SECOND/FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING Introduction Learner Autonomy and Learning Strategies Learner Autonomy, Learning Strategies and Computer Technology Learner Autonomy, Learning Strategies and Culture Learner Autonomy, Learning Strategies and Critical Pedagogy Implications Conclusion The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 THE PORTFOLIO AND SYNTHESIS PROJECT Section A: ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO I Subject Assignments A Semester 1, 2003 Final examination - Foundation of Syntax and Semantics (LING 6100) The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the discipline of linguistics by covering basic concepts and issues in syntax (sentence structure), variation in language, language change and language acquisition By the way, there will also be a particular focus on the relationship between form and meaning Syntax is known as the system or grammar of a language As far as grammar is concerned, L2 learners show similar development to children in L1 acquisition, in that they acquire the grammar which is significant for their immediate communication needs This would be of great importance for my teaching as I need to consider the students’ language level as well as their communicative needs in order to choose an appropriate level of difficulty for my lesson Meanwhile, the course also provided us with an understanding about linguistic change and variation, grammatical and semantic change as well, which I found of importance as it can help me have a more thorough understanding of the history and development of English This kind of knowledge is, of course, indispensable to EFL teachers in our teaching career The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 The exam covered fundamental notions in syntax (sentence structure) and semantics (word meaning) It emphasized the knowledge of such elements as subordinate clauses, second language acquisition, language variation, grammatical change, evolution of language and sign language, etc In preparing for this exam, I learned that a complex sentence can be formed by inserting a simple sentence into it This simple sentence is called a subordinate clause, which is usually preceded by the subordinator that, if, or whether as in the following sentences: Do you know that Mr Smith is the new manager? ; I wonder if you could lend me some money; We have not decided whether we should go on holiday this year, etc Although I had learned all this knowledge when I was at university, I still found it a good opportunity for me to revise all these things since they are quite important in my EFL teaching I would need to provide my students with this knowledge because in their process of learning English, they will need to write more complex sentences so as to express themselves in a more sophisticated way Five Articles – Second Language Teaching (SLAT 6826) The course Second Language Teaching aims at providing an examination of current approaches to TESOL and to second language teaching in the context of current understanding of second language acquisition This is a Master of Arts in TESOL studies class where students are encouraged to develop an understanding that theories help practice and practices help theory This assignment was a part of the overall assessment of the course It was supposed to help students develop skills in responding to second language teaching and The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 learning based on the topics introduced and discussed in class as well as develops students’ critical thinking about an issue In this assignment, we had to select five articles related to issues in second language learning and teaching The articles were to be examined thoroughly by using a set of eight questions assigned by the lecturer such as what the authors’ goals were, what the authors wanted to address, whether the context within which the authors worked affected the way we read the paper and so on Finding the answer to these questions developed my skill in understanding and dealing with professional literature This kind of assignment has changed my way of thinking in that I used to have no doubt about the work or studies done by scholars and experts in the field, but now I started to realized that nothing is absolute unless you can find enough evidence to prove it, and we should also question theories and claims made even by professionals and experts Literature Review Essay – Intercultural Communication (SLAT 6899) The goal of SLAT 6899 is to explore the concept of communication across cultural boundaries in terms of theory, description, analysis and application The course approaches these issues both globally and with special reference to intercultural communication in the contemporary Australia In addition, the course also addresses a range of issues including possible intercultural miscommunications, and strategies to investigate such issues and to react appropriately to them The aim of this assignment was to have students investigate the literature on various aspects of intercultural communication, and describe a specific issue or area for its own interest as well as in the context of Intercultural Communication in general The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 I chose to look at the issue of “ the differences between Vietnamese and Western traditional values” Cultural difference has always been a topic of interest to me especially when I was a foreign student who had just arrived in Australia and also experienced the so-called “culture-shock” due to the differences between my culture and Australian culture In doing this assignment, I had a chance to investigate the literature on the issue to have a more thorough understanding of the Vietnamese traditional values, and compare them to Western ones The review of the relevant literature provided me with a deeper insight into culture and intercultural communication, which I found of great value for me as a teacher of English, whose job is not only to teach the language but also the culture since language and culture are, in my opinion, indivisible Seminar presentation on Critical Perspectives on TESOL (EDUC 7032) Over the past years, TESOL has been dominated by a search for appropriate methods and theories for classroom pedagogy and teaching, which leads to a strong reliance on psychological, psycholinguistic and applied linguistic models and theories of teaching and learning The purpose of this course was, as a result, to develop an understanding of current trends and issues in TESOL education internationally, with a specific focus on the problems and challenges of teaching TESOL in educational settings such as schools as well as to critically assess issues around educational change The presentation is a part of the final assessment which aims at discussing the suggested issues such as “how does power come to play in the language classrooms”, “how does power come to play in social language use?”, “what insights does critical theory bring to the field of TESOL?”, or “language use/ language learning/ bilingualism in local The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 context” We could talk about a local context we know, and to which we can apply some of the perspectives and issues we have encountered in the course EDUC 7032, such as power, social perspectives, discrimination, etc This seminar presentation would be based on our work in progress for the final assignment, in which I chose to examine the issue of power in the Vietnamese EFL classroom with “the dominance of Western culture and the inaudibility of the Vietnamese EFL teachers at Hochiminh City University of Technology” This kind of work gave me a valuable chance to examine the issues relating to my own EFL teaching situation in Vietnam, where the power of Western culture exerts itself quite clearly through the selection of materials and textbooks, and EFL teachers almost have “no voice” in this process In critically looking into the issues, we could come up with suggestions and possible solutions for the problems Meanwhile, the seminar was also a good opportunity for us to talk about the difficulties we had in the process of writing the final assignment B Semester 2, 2003 Software Evaluation Essay – Principles of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (SLAT 6860) This course aims at introducing the principles underlying the use of computer technology in language teaching and learning, and to integrate this knowledge into practice In this process, students would have an opportunity to discuss CALL software and hardware by exploring relevant theories, principles and models, and through software demonstrations The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 The first piece of assessment was software evaluation in which we had to develop a set of criteria for evaluating CALL software Our criteria may be either global, i.e they are designed to be used with any CALL software, or specifically designed for macroskill development such as criteria for evaluating vocabulary programs for learners of a specific language Meanwhile, we have to describe our criteria in broad terms in our essay and include discussion of the reasons underpinning our choice of criteria Finally, based on the general principles laid out in our essay, we had to produce a software evaluation form with specific sections and criteria, which can be used to evaluate three CALL software packages that we were not going to use in the second assessment piece for this course As for evaluating three software packages, I chose to evaluate the Microsoft Encarta Reference Library version 2002, Play and Learn, and the TOEFL Practice Test This kind of assignment did help us to significantly develop our critical perspectives on CALL software and programs for English language teaching and learning by highlighting some basic concerns for EFL teachers in selecting suitable CALL software packages for our students in different contexts Mid-term Test - Foundation of Morphology and Phonology (LING 6105) The aim of this course is to introduce students to the discipline of linguistics by covering basic issues and concepts in morphology (the structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds), phonology (sound patterns), language acquisition, and comparative and historical linguistic The subject focuses on the sounds and words of language As a result, this test’s goal was also to help develop our knowledge about all these aspects of the English language During the course and while preparing for this test, I learned that a word in English is not only composed of sound or a group of sounds, but The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 also composed of the smallest meaningful unit called morpheme We also came to the realization that there are two kinds of morphemes: free (functional) morphemes and bound (grammatical) morphemes A difference between the two is that the free morpheme is acquired earlier This phenomenon is also found in children learning their first language (L1) The reason for this phenomenon is because the free morpheme carries the meaning and thus, is very useful for the learners’ communication The knowledge of suprasegmental features such as stress and syllable is also useful for my professional development Thanks to this knowledge, I can explain to my students that such a word as record can be categorized into different parts of speech and therefore has different meanings if the stress is placed on different syllables For example, when the stress is on the first syllable (record), the word is noun while it is verb when the stress is on the second syllable (record) This is a problem that often causes much confusion among the students and thus, we EFL teachers should help them deal with it In short, I particularly found these linguistic aspects of great use for me in helping my students with difficulties related to linguistic in their process of learning English Web Search - Defining Literacy (SLAT 6827) As the term “literacy” has many meanings and is widely used in many different ways and in different contexts, it is not an easy task to find a proper definition for it In this assignment, we were asked to observe five websites and examine how literacy is used, what the sites (organizations) with literacy, and who the target audience of the sites or the organizations are After examining the what, how, and who of literacy in these sites, we were required to compare the sites and finally draw a conclusion based on the The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 comprehend, learn, or retain new information” (p.1) Finally, according to Stern (1992, p.261), “the concept of learning strategy is dependent on the assumption that learners consciously engage in activities to achieve certain goals and learning strategies can be regarded as broadly conceived intentional directions and learning techniques” From these definitions, we can see that all language learners use language learning strategies either consciously or unconsciously when processing new information and performing tasks in the language classroom With a clear understanding of what learner autonomy and learning strategies refer to, we can now investigate their role from the perspectives of computer technology regarding the significant role of computers in language teaching and learning in this new era of high technology Learner Autonomy, Learning Strategies and Computer Technology Understanding learner autonomy from different perspectives has given us, language teachers, a more thorough insight, which is critical and useful for our professional development as well as the development of learners’ language competence Thanks to this knowledge, we may come up with various ways to help our students develop their autonomy and learn the target language more efficiently In this era of new technology, the computer has emerged as a useful tool which language teachers can count on in their process of teaching The emergence of computer technology has made a significant contribution to language teaching and learning Computer technology has grown exponentially and is now extensively used for the purpose of language teaching Technology, especially CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) or CELL (Computer Enhanced 29 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 Language Learning), is believed to have the potential to improve learner autonomy in that it provides students with the power to control the speed, rate, timing and order of tasks in a language program It allows students to work at their own level Besides, Stevens (1992) also claims that CALL provides an authentic environment for the learners which is necessary for their self-expression and interaction, thus leading them to be autonomous learners In addition, Little (1996) states that information technology can play an important role in the development of learner autonomy in that it facilitates the students’ learning as well as provides students with the opportunity to use what they have learned CALL software programs have been designed for the purpose of language teaching while other tools such as the Internet, e-mail, etc., also promote student-centered language learning as “e-mail allows for communication between students in a context where the teacher’s role is no longer at the center” (Patrikis, 1995, cited in Gonglewski, Meloni, & Brandt, 2003) These tools alsod help students develop their communicative skills as well The interactive and multimedia capabilities of the computer network technology make it a motivating learning tool for language learners (Chun & Brandl, 1992) What is more, CALL programs also provide learners with a variety of choice in terms of which aspects of the target language such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc they want to practise or what skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) they want to develop and which topics they are interested in Thanks to this kind of new technology, learners can manage their own learning at their own speed and based on their own choice At the same time, the teachers’ roles have also changed Teachers now are no longer the sole source of language information They not “pour information from their 30 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 store into the heads of waiting and willing students” (Warschauer & Healey, 1998), but play the role of the facilitator of learning by providing their students with a variety of material for improving their language skills, teaching the students to use the material effectively, especially with the help of multimedia and computer technology Besides, in learning strategy training, teachers can also make use of computer technology to provide students with a wide range of classroom activities and tasks to match varied learning styles The students, on the other hand, have to actively interpret and organize the information they are given as well as work out their own strategies so as to learn the language most efficiently This is how computer technology, in my opinion, can help build up learner independence, autonomy and learning strategies in language learning in that the learners can take control and responsibility of their own learning Now that we have discussed the assets brought about by computer technology in developing learner autonomy and learning strategies, let us observe these notions in relation with culture, an aspect which is also believed to play and important part in the process of language teaching and learning Learner Autonomy, Learning Strategies and Culture The National Center for Cultural Competence defines culture as an “integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting and roles, relationships and expected behaviours of a racial, ethnic, religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations” (Goode, Sockalingam, Brown, & Jones, 2000) This means that language is not only part of how we define culture, it also reflects culture Therefore, it is no wonder that culture plays an important role in language 31 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 teaching and learning, and is believed to have certain impacts on the learners’ process of language learning, including aspects such as learner autonomy and language learning strategies In terms of learner autonomy, discussion and issues raised about it have not always been positive Some critics have claimed that the very idea of autonomy is part of the Western cultural tradition and thus alien to non-Western learners (Jones, 1995) Besides, there have also been arguments that the methods used to foster the development of learner autonomy are also alien to non-Western pedagogical traditions This is, to some extent, true to the teaching and learning contexts of Asian countries, especially in my country Vietnam, where I worked as an English teacher In Vietnam, we usually teach and learn English in a “teacher-centred” traditional classroom method, in which the teacher is usually considered the “fount of knowledge to be delivered” (Liu, 1998, cited in Littlewood, 2000, p.31), whereas students are used to being “spoon-fed” with information from the teacher and only whatever is told by the teacher Most of the time, it is the teacher who does most of the job and is the center of the classroom This may somehow affect the students’ language learning and their language competence as “success in learning very much depends on learners having a responsible attitude” (Scharle & Szabo’, 2000, p.4) In order to foster students’ autonomy in learning, teachers now should be fully aware of and adapt themselves to their new role as facilitators They should have a thorough understanding that “…preferred learning styles, and cultural attitudes set limits to the development of autonomy” as stated by Scharle and Szabo’(2000, p.5) With this understanding, teachers can come up with 32 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 approaches that can be applied to Asian teaching context so as to help students adapt themselves and become successful autonomous learners In terms of language learning strategies, culture is also a highly influential factor For example, learning by memory is very common to most Asian students in general and to Vietnamese students in particular Moreover, some students may find it embarrassing if they are corrected; some just keep silent in class for fear of losing face as face is an important factor in our culture Another point to consider is that in my country, under the influence of Confucian values, people are used to paying respect to the elderly and the better - qualified Therefore, the students rarely challenge what the teacher says As a result, they tend to become passive students in class participation because it is considered inappropriate for them to ask questions This is undoubtedly a big drawback to developing their communicative competence in the process of language learning Understanding this problem, language teachers can decide what to in order to encourage the students to contribute more to class discussions and develop their language competence So far, I have presented the issue of learner autonomy and language learning strategies in relation with computer technology and culture The following section will be devoted to discussing learner autonomy and learning strategies in a broader perspective of critical pedagogy Learner autonomy, Learning Strategies and Critical Pedagogy Critical pedagogy claims that learning should be directed to the transformation of society Therefore, it aims at raising learners’ awareness of what and how they learn In 33 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 other words, it stresses the need for learner’s independence and autonomy in the learning process In traditional pedagogy, the learners are seen as passive recipients of knowledge as mentioned above, while the teacher is considered the one who has “dominant power” over the students and is the source of knowledge So powerful is the teacher that the students are usually required to learn whatever they might like or not, and in a way which is usually set by the teacher This is in contrast to the critical pedagogy, which emphasizes that the content of the language lesson should be the culture and real-life experiences of the students (Freire, 1970, in Boyce, 1996) In terms of critical pedagogy, what happens in the traditional language classroom is seen as the reproduction of power in the society (Auerbach, 1995) This is clearly demonstrated by the teacher’s position in the traditional classroom, especially in my own teaching context in Vietnam Interaction is mostly directed from the teacher to students There is limited interaction and discussion between students in class, and there is almost no need for learners to involve in other parts of the learning process apart from doing the activities and tasks set by the teacher As a result, students are not encouraged to develop as independent creative learners, and have few opportunities to explore or experiment with different learning styles and strategies The teacher, in this situation, is the figure of authority who is always there to tell the students what to Under such a circumstance, it is very difficult for the transformation of the society to be carried out by the students if this kind of “power” just goes on and the students always have to keep doing what they are asked to 34 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 It is high time the teacher allowed students to have their own “voice” in the classroom so that they develop their responsibility and autonomy in learning Teachers should also be fully aware that each individual student is different from others in terms of learning strategies, motivation, interests, learning objectives, etc The teacher’s role has changed from the dominant figure to the facilitator, who helps students with selfexpression In doing so, the teachers share responsibility with the students in terms of learning outcome When learners are given more freedom in learning, they can feel more confident of themselves, which leads to their empowerment in the learning process Learners then can believe that they are capable of managing their own learning, and can rely not only on the teachers, but also on themselves In doing so, their “identity” and “audibility”, which according to Miller (1999) are key factors in the transformation of the society, can be realised The transformation of society, however, is not an easy task to carry out at all as there are many constraints and influential factors such as the teaching and learning context, the students’ motivation, learning styles, culture, or the nature of the exams, to name just a few Hence, fostering learner autonomy and learning strategies is just our first step toward it The following section, therefore, is devoted to the implications of how teachers can help foster learner autonomy in the context of second/ foreign language teaching, especially in EFL teaching Implications After thoroughly examine the notion of learner autonomy and learning strategies from different perspectives, I finally come up with the question of how to foster the 35 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 students’ autonomy and learning strategies, especially in the teaching and learning context at the Hochiminh University of Technology in Vietnam, where I professionally work as an EFL teacher In Vietnam, together with the open-door policy in 1986 and the “globalisation”, the “English teaching and learning industry” is thriving as English becomes the dominant foreign language The presence of multinationals and foreign companies in Vietnam has created an appetite for learning English People learn it as a means for communication, business, for better understanding, for promotion, or as “a passport to a degree, a convenient ladder to a job and consequent privileges” (Pennycook, 1994, p.21) English has also been made a compulsory subject in all institutions including my university However, despite its predominance, the teaching of English, especially at my university, has been recognised as lacking support in terms of facilities and resources The textbooks, especially English for Science and Technology textbooks, are available in limited number and are often the main sources of material for our teachers and students Another problem is that, most of the language classrooms usually consist of forty or more students, which is too large for the teachers to manage Moreover, although the syllabus is designed by the Head of the Foreign Language Department according to our own training objectives, it is still under the management of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) Therefore, it is supposed to be the guideline for teachers to follow in their instructional process Besides, we should also take into account the reality that the Vietnamese education system is still exam-oriented, and the students’ language competence is evaluated in terms of the exam results Consequently, teachers usually have no other way than to focus the students’ attention on topics related to the exam, the 36 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 test formats, and the test-taking strategies without allowing much of students’ creativity, communication, and autonomy in learning This reality, in my opinion, seems to be an obstacle to the teachers’ freedom in selecting materials and topics that meet students’ needs and interests These obstacles are often seen as constraints that hinder the promotion of students’ independence, autonomy and strategies in learning However, despite all those difficulties, EFL teachers in our country still have to find the way out in order to promote learner autonomy and help students develop their “learning-how-to-learn” skills in such a situation To begin with, teachers should encourage the students to make best use of the available English resources and materials, especially with the help of computer technology, the Internet, and the World Wide Web to compensate for the lack of books in the library Since the Internet is now more and more popular in my country, it can be used to make up for the lack of printed materials Technology, especially multimedia, supports different learning styles while computers and the Internet provide a wealth of resources to independent learners, and software packages can offer language tasks and activities that students can choose to practise on their own to develop their four skills in language learning However, in order that learners learn efficiently on their own, it is the role of the teacher/ facilitator to provide them with necessary guidance by suggesting good web pages and software programs for them to work with independently What is more, facilitators also play an important role by helping students assess where they are 37 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 and understand where they need to go next, helping them organize their learning as well as create a motivation for them to continue Next, teachers should have a thorough understanding of the cultural expectations about teacher and student roles In our culture, students will expect teachers to impart knowledge to them, while their duty as learners is just to memorize it Teachers can make the students change this learning attitude by helping them realize that they could take better advantage of resources by being more independent, as stated by Oxford (1990, p.10), “just teaching new strategies to students will accomplish very little less students begin to want greater responsibility for their own learning” What is more, if we want to encourage independent learning, we should give our students good reasons and motivation for that since “motivation and responsibility can mutually reinforce each other” (Scharle and Szabo’, 2000, p.7) Learners need to feel motivated to explore the different resources available for them, understand how to use them effectively, and thus develop confidence in their autonomy skills Only after they have reflected on their own learning can they become aware of the part they can play in determining it As language teachers, we should orient our instructional pedagogy to encourage such reflection and find ways to gradually lessen the students’ dependence on us By the way, in addition to teaching language, we EFL teachers should also begin the process of “sensitizing learners to the learning process” (Nunan, 2000) According to Nunan, this can be carried out by many different ways through learner strategy training, namely making goals explicit, focusing on learning processes, providing students with opportunities for reflection, self-assessment, explicit presentation of strategies, giving 38 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 learner choices, and providing opportunities for individualization What should be done first in my own teaching context, in my opinion, is goal setting Students should be provided with a syllabus that provides explicit goals of the course and objectives of the lessons so that they can focus on the tasks to come This practice, however, is usually neglected by language teachers in the teaching context at my university Setting explicit goals for students helps enhance their motivation as claimed by Green and Oxford (1995), “goal setting can have exceptional importance in stimulating L2 learning motivation…” Another important factor to be taken into consideration is learning strategies, which serve as tools to improve the students’ language competence Only with an awareness of these tools can learners be responsible for their learning process What EFL teachers need to then is to show our students the variety of available strategies, help them to find out which one is most suitable for them, and help them discover how and when to use these strategies effectively (Scharle and Szabo, 2000) Conclusion Learner autonomy and language learning strategies are issues which still arouse keen interest among EFL teachers and professionals in the field of language teaching and learning Creating a good autonomous learning environment is a difficult task It requires a thorough understanding and careful planning on the side of the teachers as well as an ongoing commitment to adjust to learner needs Promoting learner autonomy, at the same time, also implies that learners are the central figure, and the emphasis of language instruction or the center of the classroom should be the students Therefore, students 39 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 should be helped toward developing their responsibility and independence in learning In becoming actively involved in the process of learning, the students can set their own goals and objectives Moreover, by working independently of the teacher both inside and outside the classroom, and by selecting and using learning strategies most appropriate to their own learning context, the students can enhance their own autonomy This process is, undoubtedly, worth the teacher’s and students’ effort 40 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 REFERENCES Auerbach, E (1995) The politics of the ESL classroom: Issues of power in pedagogical choices In J.W Tollefson (Ed) Power and inequality in language education, 993 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Boyce, M E (1996) Teaching critically as an act of praxis and resistance Retrieved 10 April from: http://newton.uor.edu/Faculty/Folder/Mboyce/1CRITPED.HTM Chun, D M & Brandl, K K (1992) Beyond form based-drill and practice: Meaningenhanced CALL on the Macintosh Foreign Language Annals, 25 (3), 255-267 Gonglewski, M., Meloni, C & Brandt, J (2003) Using e-mail in foreign language teaching: Rationale and suggestion The Internet TESL Journal, (3) Retrieved 13 April from: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Meloni-Email.html Goode, T., Sockalingam, S., Brown, M., & Jones, W A planner’s guide Infusing principles, content and themes related to cultural and linguistic competence into meetings and conferences Washington, DC: Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, National Center for Cultural Competence Retrieved 10 April from: http://www.georgetown.edu/research/gucdc/nccc/ncccplannersguide.html Hall, S (1997) Language learning strategies: from the ideals to classroom tasks Language and Communication Division, Temasek Polytechnic on the Internet Holec, H (1981) Autonomy and foreign language learning Oxford: Pergamon Holmes, J L & Ramos, R (1991) Talking about learning: establishing a framework for discussing and changing learning processes In James, C & Garrett, P (Eds.) (1991) Language awareness in the classroom 41 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 Jones, J (1995) Self-access and culture: Retreating from autonomy ELT Journal, 49 (3), 228-234 Little, D (1990) Autonomy in language learning: Some theoretical and practical considerations In Gathercole, I (Ed) Autonomy in language learning Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT), pp 7-13 Little, D (1996) Freedom to learn and compulsion to interact: promoting learner autonomy through the use of information systems and information technologies In R Pemberton, et al (Eds.) Taking control: Autonomy in language learning Hongkong: Hong Kong University Press, pp 203-218 Littlewood, W (2000) Do Asian students want to listen and obey? ELT Journal, 54 (1), 31-35 Mercer, N (1995) The guided construction of knowledge Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Nunan, D (1988) The learner-centred curriculum Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Nunan, D (1995) Closing the gap between learning and instruction TESOL Quarterly, 29 (1), 133-158 Nunan, D (2000) Autonomy in language learning Plenery Presentation, ASOCOPI 2000 Cartagena: Colombia O’Malley, J M., & Chamott, A (1990) Learning strategies in second language acquisition Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Oxford, R (1990) Language learning strategies: what every teacher should know Boston: Heinle & Heinle 42 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 Patrikis, P (1995) Where is computer technology taking us In Gonglewski, M., Meloni, C & Brandt, J (2003) Using e-mail in foreign language teaching: Rationale and suggestion The Internet TESL Journal, (3) Retrieved 13 April from: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Meloni-Email.html Pennycook, A (1994) The cultural politics of English as an international language London: Longman Rubin, J., & Thompson, I (1994) How to be a more successful language learner Heinle & Heinle Publisher Savignon, S J (1997) Communicative competence: Theory and classroom practice (2nd edition) Sydney: The McGraw Hill Companies Scharle, A & Szabo’, A (2000) Learner autonomy: A guide to developing learner responsibility Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Warschauer, M & Healey, D (1998) Computers and language learning: An overview Language Teaching, 31, 57-71 Wenden, A., & Rubin, J (1987) Learner strategies in language learning New Jersey: Prentice Hall 43 ... Strategies and Culture Learner Autonomy, Learning Strategies and Critical Pedagogy Implications Conclusion The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 THE PORTFOLIO AND SYNTHESIS PROJECT. .. language is the learner learning and for what purpose?”; “How is the learner learning?”, “Who is the learner, who is the teacher and what is the setting?”, The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc... where they are 37 The Portfolio and Synthesis Project Ngoc Huynh - 40446190 and understand where they need to go next, helping them organize their learning as well as create a motivation for them