An analysis of learner autonomy in selected secondary school english language classrooms in a rural district of Mwense.
| dc.contributor.author | Musonda, Chishimba Josephine | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-31T09:15:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-31T09:15:48Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description | Thesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics. | |
| dc.description.abstract | English Language is the official language of Zambia which has to be taught in schools for learners to gain communicative competences. It is widely used in government, education and the business world. Because of such importance, it has a higher status quo compared to indigenous languages. Teaching of English Language in secondary schools requires learners to take an active part in the learning process which centres on autonomy. Learner autonomy is a critical issue in English Language learning which the Ministry of Education has been emphasising on through the learner centred approach to teaching and learning. English Language teaching is interpreted using two approaches that must be used concurrently which are text-based integrated and communicative approaches. These approaches used to language learning still encourages learning of the English language to be centred on the learner which supports autonomy. Hence, the study aimed at analysing learner autonomy in selected secondary school English Language classrooms in a rural District of Mwense. The study was guided by the constructivism research paradigm and a descriptive case study design which is qualitative in nature. In this regard, classroom observations, interviews and focus group discussions were instruments used to collect data. In addition, document and lesson plans analysis were conducted. Homogeneous sampling was used to select 363 Grade 11 learners who comprised 162 boys and 201 girls while expert sampling was used to select 21 Grade 11 teachers of English comprising 9 females and 12 males. Data was analysed using thematic analysis by familiarising with the data. Thereafter, codes where assigned to specific responses which answered the research questions. The codes were grouped according to similarities on the type of responses given then a theme was generated which encompassed all the codes which answered a specific research question. The study drew insights from the pedagogical discourses theory to analyse classroom practices by both the teacher and the learner in the learning of English Language that shape learner autonomy. The concept of classification and framing was used to provide a meaningful and systematic framework for analysing on how the curriculum content is structured and how it brings about aspects of power and control on schools as well as the teacher who has the mandate of implementing it. In addition, critical discourse analysis theory was used to analyse power relations in the interactions between the learners and the teachers as well as the selection of the methodology used in teaching English language. Likewise, analysis was also on the discriminatory practices among learners in their interactions. Finally, metacognition was used to analyse the perspectives the teachers have on autonomy, the strategies the teachers use in the teaching of English language to help develop learners’ awareness of how they learn and strategies used when learning, how the teacher develops learners’ metacognition knowledge through the structuring of content and the formulation of objectives that has to be achieved. The findings on the first research question revealed a varying perspective on learner autonomy. The findings showed that 11 teachers representing 52% had a positive perspective on learner autonomy because it made their teaching easy because they would not be required to give all the information to the learners during the teaching and learning process. In addition, 6 teachers representing 29% had negative perspectives that were attributed to the learners’ unwillingness to take charge of their learning. They blamed learners for their negative attitudes towards learner autonomy and they avoided using strategies that would help learners to learner independently. Lastly, 4 teachers representing 19% lacked the knowledge of learner autonomy and they neither held a positive or negative attitude to it. They did not know what autonomous learning was all about as well as how it was supposed to be fostered in the classroom. On objective number two, the study revealed that fostering of autonomy in the classroom is not dependent on one single role the teacher has to play. It involved all the roles the teacher plays which centred on establishing a conducive learning environment that catered for the social aspect between the teacher and the learners, as well as classroom practices which must be done so that autonomy is fostered The study established on the third research objective that learners were able to exercise their autonomy through collaboration with peers, providing feedback to peers, inquiry on presented topics and engaging in individual work. All these activities the learners were able to do was as a result of them reacting to the given activities by the teacher during the learning process. On the fourth research question, the study showed that factors that affected learner autonomy were ascribed to the school, teacher, learners and the parents. Lastly, the fifth research question revealed that using of appropriate teaching strategies, providing teaching and learning resources to promote independent learning, encour aging and motivating learners to speak English Language and building and restocking the library with appropriate books and materials were practices or measures that could be used to promote learner autonomy in the learning of English Language. Therefore, the study recommended that teachers of English Language in secondary schools need to be oriented on the concept of learner autonomy and their role in ensuring that it is promoted in the classroom. Teachers need orientation through their heads of department on strategies they can use in order to promote autonomous learning. Furthermore, Heads of Departments should be conducting constant CPD meetings for practicing teachers so that they are made aware of their expectations when it comes to the interpretation of the Senior Secondary School English Syllabus and well as strategies that they can use to promote autonomous learning as well as creating literacy clinics to help enhance English Language proficiency among learners. Key Words: Learner autonomy, English Language, rural classrooms | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/9334 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | The University of Zambia | |
| dc.title | An analysis of learner autonomy in selected secondary school english language classrooms in a rural district of Mwense. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |