This paper presents a study on investigating the learner autonomy of the first-year non-English major students in English learning at Thai Nguyen University of Technology. The results report that student’s autonomy in English learning is not quite positive. | Hoàng Thị Thắm Tạp chí KHOA HỌC & CÔNG NGHỆ 103(03): 97 - 101 STUDENTS’ AUTONOMY IN ENGLISH LEARNING AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Hoang Thi Tham* College of Technology - TNU SUMMARY This paper presents a study on investigating the learner autonomy of the first-year non-English major students in English learning at Thai Nguyen University of Technology. The results report that student’s autonomy in English learning is not quite positive. It is suggested that more attention should be paid to learner autonomy during learning and teaching process at the university. In addition, some implications to encourage learner autonomy are suggested. Key words: learner autonomy, learning strategies, language learning, autonomous learning INTRODUCTION* The concept of learner autonomy first appeared in language teaching in 1981 with Holec. According to Holec, learner autonomy is 'the capacity to take charge of ones' own learning [1]. Based on Holec's definition, Leni Dam defines autonomy in terms of the learner's willingness and capacity to control one's own learning. She emphasizes that a person can be seen as an autonomous learner when he or she independently chooses aims and purposes and sets goals; chooses materials, methods and tasks; exercises choice and purpose in organising and carrying out the chosen tasks; and chooses criteria for evaluation [2]. In a more general way, Benson and Voller state that the term autonomy can be used in five ways including situations in which learners study entirely on their own; a set of skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learning; an inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education; the exercise of learners' responsibility for their own learning; and the right of learners to determine the direction of their own learning [3]. Learner autonomy has been interpreted in various ways and different terms have been frequently used to make reference to the autonomy of the language learner such .
