Autonomy in Language Learning

This volume contains a collection of articles which were originally published between 2006 and 2010 in the IATEFL Learner Autonomy SIG’s newsletter Independence. All of the articles were written in connection with a project which likened exploring the multifaceted concept of learner autonomy to opening a metaphorical “can of worms”. Ten “worms” were released into the academic community, resulting in a series of short articles. The following areas are explored in this collection: Assessment, Classroom research, Counselling / advising, Culture, Learner training, Motivation, Self-access, Teacher autonomy, Teacher education, and Technology. 50 authors contributed to the book and the result is a highly original and, at times, humorous take on aspects of learner autonomy. Despite the light-hearted approach, the contributions are grounded in research and practice and come from a range of countries and contexts, making this an essential resource for anyone interested in the field of language learner autonomy.



The book was originally published as an ebook in 2011 by IATEFL. It has now been republished as an ebook and paperback book in the Autonomous Language Learning Series series.

Themes and contributing authors

• Introduction by Carol J Everhard


• Assessment. Chapters by Hanne Thomson, Sanja Wagner, Viljo Kohonen, and Gina Oxbrow


• Classroom Research. Chapters by Lienhard Legenhausen, Klaus Schwienhorst, Naoko Aoki, Dieter Wolff, and Jose Lai


• Counselling / Advising. Chapters by Marina Mozzon McPherson, Sarah Toogood, Sara Cotterall, E. Desiree Castillo Zaragoza, Mia Victori, and Sally Logan and Moira Hobbs


• Culture. Chapters by Adrian Holliday, Bojana Petri, B. Kumaravadivelu, and David Palfreyman


• Learner Training. Chapters by Barbara Sinclair, Gail Ellis, and Leni Dam


• Motivation. Chapters by Ema Ushioda, Terry Lamb, Martin Lamb, Tim Murphey, and David McLoughlin


• Self-Access. Chapters by Richard Pemberton, Lucy Cooker, Humberto Cervera Rosado, Alex Ding, Anna Gorevanova and Jamilya Gulyamova, and Bruce Morrison


• Teacher Autonomy. Chapters by Flávia Vieira, Isabel Barbosa, Manuel Jiménez Raya, and Leslie Bobb Wolff


• Teacher Education. Chapters by Leni Dam, June Miliander, José Luís Vera Batista, Anja Burkert, and Frank Lacey


• Technology. Chapters by Vance Stevens, Dafne Gonzalez and Rubena St. Louis, and Deborah Healey


• Conclusions by Jo Mynard