Classroom Research in Autonomous Language Learning Venice 2011Lienhard Legenhausen University of Münster

Overview 1.Why research in the autonomous classroom? 2.Aims and findings of the LAALE research project 2.1Looking at the quality of learning Vocabulary Grammar General proficiency 2.2 Comparison with other groups of learners 3.Action research -Teachers and learners as researchers

Why research in the autonomous classroom? Aims: Finding out more about the quality of learning in the autonomous classroom How does learning in the autonomous classroom compare to that in other contexts? Empirical evidence needed also as a reaction to sceptical voices: – Will it work in my context as well? – How can I be sure?

The LAALE Research Project (Language Acquisition in an Autonomous Learning Environment) Research questions: What accuracy levels do autonomous learners achieve? (cf. grammar) How do conversational interactions compare to those of "traditional" learners? Cf. Skehan and others: early reliance on meaning-focussed activities prevent learners from developing the relevant formal features

The Experimental Design a longitudinal study over 4 years 11-year-old Danish learners who started learning English in grade 5 mixed ability class first two years: three lessons per week (one double lesson and one 45-minute lesson) next two years: three lessons

Comparative Data (textbook-based traditional teaching) Data from German Grammar School classes (inter alia) – high ability students / ~ 35 % of a year Data from the same Danish comprehensive school

Danish Autonomous Class Danish Traditional Class German 'Gymna- sium' Class Spontaneous Recall Test / grade 5 / after 30 lessons

Present Perfect (peer-to-peer talks / grade 6 / after18 months ) TotalWell- Formed ff% Traditional Learners (German 'Gymnasium) 2300 Autonomous Learners %

Effects of teaching: present perfect forms Traditional learners: In 1 ½ hours of free conversational interactions: –no acceptable form could be observed –4 attempts in appropriate contexts –57 % deviant forms: Infinitive instead of Past Participle. Autonomous learners: Only advanced learners begin to use the Present Perfect. Learner K accounts for 25 % of well-formed occurrences. Conclusion: Premature teaching of structures might even have detrimental effects (Pienemann )

Past Tense Formation (Full Verbs) Correct Forms TotalsFrequenciesPercentages Traditional Class Regular Verbs % Autonomous Class Regular Verbs % Traditional Class Irregular Verbs % Autonomous Class Irregular Verbs % Traditional Class: German Gymnasium

The C-Test – a measure of linguistic proficiency What did we do wrong? We are a middle-aged couple with a teenage family. We ha___ always wor___ hard a___ our profes___ careers a___ our jo___, have alw___ paid o___ tax a___ tried t___ do t___ best f___ our chil___. …

C-Test Results nNo of lessons Score Danish trad Danish auto. 7* Danish auto Danish auto.8* German Gym. / Bilingual (CLIL) Danish auto. 7* and 8*: The same class a year later

Action Research – an alternative to large-scale projects LAALE: an example of a large-scale longitudinal study which is beyond the resources of individual persons Action Research: an approach which allows individual teachers to explore their own practice

Defining Features of Action Research teacher-initiated, i.e. typically carried out by the teacher practice-oriented: Identification of a problem in their own teaching context immediate results which lead to changes in the teaching practice => A natural extension of the teachers’ professional skills

The Affinities between Autonomous LanguageLearning & Action Research The objectives Action research : => the teacher's "emancipation and empowerment" K. Lewin (1945) Learner Autonomy : => the citizen's (the learners') emancipation and empowerment (cf. The Council of Europe) ALL: learners take charge of their own learning (Holec, Dam, Little etc.) AR: teachers take charge of their own professional development (Burns)

The affinities between ALL and AR The importance of 'old knowledge' ALL: The important point is to start out from what the learners already know (cf. Leni Dam's talk) AR does not presuppose extensive knowledge of the literature and the theories; … action researchers start out from the practical knowledge they have (cf. A. Burns 2010)

Starting your own action research: Delimiting your topic (i.e. the problem) Topics: Not: 'Make classroom more autonomous' But: 'Allow learners more choices ' Technique: Focussing circles (Edge 1992) Example: Raise awareness of formal aspects of the target language Cf. Workshop

awareness- raising Us linguistic awareness- raising Introduction of concordancers => Helpful? Focus on form in collaborative writing => Evidence? Indirect corrections => The problem of noticing? Guidance: Rules of thumb or accurate des- criptions => preferences?

Concluding Remarks Trust learners to be able to develop grammatical and communicative competencies by getting them involved in authentic communicative interactions. Action research and autonomous language learning are based on the same underlying principles: There is not only the need to get learners involved in their own learning, but also to get teachers more systematically involved in their own professional development through action research. (Cf. the aim of this conference)

Thank you for your attention !

References Burns, A. (1999). Collaborative Action Research for English Language Teachers. Cambridge: CUP. Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching. A Guide for Practitioners. New York: Routledge. Dam, L. (1995). Learner Autonomy 3. From Theory to Classroom Practice. Dublin: Authentic. Dam, L. / Legenhausen, L. (1996). „The acquisition of vocabulary in an autonomous language learning environment - the first months of beginning English.“ In: Pemberton, R. et al. (ed.). Taking Control - Autonomy in Language Learning. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, pp Edge, J. (1992). Cooperative Development. Harlow: Longman. Legenhausen. L. (1999). "Language acquisition without grammar instruction? - The evidence from an autonomous classroom." Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses (RCEI)

Legenhausen, L. (2001). "Discourse behaviour in an autonomous learning environment." AILA Review Legenhausen, L. (2003). "Second language acquisition in an autonomous learning environment." In: Little, D. / Ridley, J. / Ushioda, E. (eds.) Learner Autonomy in the Foreign Language Classroom – Teacher, Learner, Curriculum and Assessment. Dublin: Trinity College Dublin, pp Lewin, K. (1946). "Action research and minority problems." Journal of Social Issues Little, D. (1991). Learner Autonomy 1. Defintions, Issues and Problems. Dublin: Authentik. Skehan, P. (1998). A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning. Oxford: OUP.