Research Into Autonomous After-class Reading In Grade Two Of High School

The recent two decades have witnessed a lot of research on the cultivation of learner autonomy in language learning from different perspectives. The concept of learner autonomy has been widely accepted in the field of language teaching and learning since 1980s. The basic idea of autonomy is with the major innovations in language teaching theory and methodology over the last 30 years. The shift from "teacher-centered" classroom teaching mode to "learner-centered" teaching mode calls for learners' responsibility for their own learning. The latest High School English curriculum requirements stresses that an important indicator of the successful reform of the teaching model is the development of individualized study methods and the autonomous learning ability on the part of students. The thesis aims at exploring the development of learner autonomy in middle school English reading in China.To make effective exploration, the researcher first reviews the definitions and theoretical bases of learner autonomy, then analyzes the necessity of developing learner autonomy in China. And the researcher investigated four cases to see what the autonomous learning process is like: for a whole semester, the participants are involved in carrying out a specific form of self-directed learning, which is designed to improve the participants' reading comprehension. The researcher investigated what the learners choose to learn and what objects they set for their own learning; what problems the learners encounter and how they cope with them; how self-directed learners help each other and that they gain from group study; and finally how learners evaluate their own learning.The data is collected from four channels: the field notes from interviews once a week, the participants' journals, the researcher's memos and the final reports of the participants. The data is analyzed based on the framework of the theory of autonomy and studies in the literature of autonomy.The findings include 1) the participants are willing to carry out their own language learning in terms that they can choose appropriate reading materials, choose the evaluation method and arrange the learning activities; 2) language learning projects can improve their reading ability and skills, and at the same time increase their sensitivity to language learning process; 3) Group learning has a positive effect on the participants' self-directed learning.The findings of the present study gave insights into an area of students' learning outside the classroom which teachers have little access. And it gave teachers ideas on how to promote effective out-of-class learning and on the strengths and preferences that the students already displayed. The difficulties students encountered in the study indicate that teachers play an important role in promoting learner autonomy. Teachers as facilitators and helpers can scaffold learners in strategy training in classroom teaching.