Exploring English Majors’ Perceived Autonomy in English Language Learning: An Analysis of Demographic Differences

Background/purpose. Learner autonomy has been a burgeoning interest among language researchers and practitioners. Given extensive research into the construct, it remains necessary to explore it from a wider context. This study thus aims to investigate the perceptions of autonomy in English language learning among English-major students at a Vietnamese university, particularly focusing on how demographic factors and academic disciplines influence these perceptions.

Materials/methods. Drawing on a survey research design, the study quantitatively explored 334 students' perceptions about their autonomy in learning English through 40-item questionnaires and open-ended questions using Google Form.

Results. From both an overall questionnaire and cluster measurements, findings revealed that English majors positively perceive their autonomy in learning English at a high level. Their demographics of gender, age and academic years of study did not influence their perceived autonomy related to learning English. However, the students of English Teacher Education differed statistically from their counterparts in English Studies over two perceptions of autonomy: first, in their beliefs about their teacher's role, and second, freedom in learning between students from rural and urban areas. Besides, findings from the open-ended questions indicated four common strategies teachers deployed to promote their autonomy in learning English, comprising testing, homework and assignments, checking their participation in classroom activities, and group work.

Conclusion. English-major students had a high level of perceived autonomy in learning the English language, with notable differences based on majors and geographical location.

Keywords: Demographics and learner autonomy, English language learning, student perceptions

References

Alrabai, F. (2021). The influence of autonomy-supportive teaching on EFL students’ classroom autonomy: An experimental intervention. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 728657. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.728657

Aziz, I. N., Setyosari, P., Widiati, U., & Ulfa, S. (2024). Metacognitive Strategies to Improve Critical Thinking and Learner Autonomy in Writing Argumentative Texts in Islamic Boarding Schools. Al-Hayat: Journal of Islamic Education, 8(2), 788-803. https://doi.org/10.35723/ajie.v8i2.663

Basri, F. (2023). Factors influencing learner autonomy and autonomy support in a faculty of education. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(2), 270–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1798921

Benson, P (2001). Teaching and Researching Autonomy in Language Learning. Longman.

Benson, P. (2007). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 40(1), 21–40. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444806003958

Benson, P. (2011). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning (2nd ed.). Pearson Education.

Benson, P. (2013). Learner autonomy. TESOL Quarterly, 47(4), 839–843. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43267936

Benson, P., & Lamb, T. (2020). Autonomy in the age of multilingualism. In M. J. Raya & F. Vieira (Eds.), Autonomy in language education (pp. 74–88). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429261336-7

Benson, P., & Voller, P. (Eds.). (1997). Autonomy and independence in language learning. Longman.

Borg, S., & Alshumaimeri, Y. (2019). Language learner autonomy in a tertiary context: Teachers' beliefs and practices. Language Teaching Research, 23(1), 9–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168817725759

Breen, M. P., & Mann, S. J. (1997). Shooting arrows at the sun: Perspectives on a pedagogy for autonomy. In P. Benson & P. Voller (Eds.), Autonomy and independence in language learning (pp. 132–149). London: Longman.

Chong, S. W., & Reinders, H. (2022). Autonomy of English language learners: A scoping review of research and practice. Language Teaching Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688221075812

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Dam, L. (1995). Learner autonomy 3: From theory to classroom practice. Dublin: Authentik.

Dang, T. T., (2024). Cultural and situational constraints on undergraduate students’ performance of learner autonomy in EFL learning. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(6), 1791-1799. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1506.04.

Everhard, C., & Murphy, L. (Eds.). (2015). Assessment and autonomy in language learning. Springer.

Haque, M. M., Jaashan, H. M., & Hasan, M. Z. (2023). Revisiting Saudi EFL learners’ autonomy: A quantitative study. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 17(4), 845–858. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2023.2166512

Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy and foreign language learning. Pergamon Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2016.1201231

Jehanghir, M., Ishaq, K., & Akbar, R. A. (2024). Effect of learners' autonomy on academic motivation and university students' grit. Education and Information Technologies, 29(4), 4159–4196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11976-2

Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press

Lai, J. (2011). The challenge of assessing learner autonomy analytically. In C. J. Everhard & J. Mynard, with R. Smith (Eds.), Autonomy in language learning: Opening a can of worms (pp. 43–49). IATEFL.

Le, H. T. Q., & Nguyen, T. H. (2022). A study on non-English major students’ learner autonomy: Difficulties and solutions. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(3), 197–207. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.222313

Lee, J., & Lee, S. (2024). Perceptions of learner autonomy in English conversation classes among non-English majors in South Korea. Journal of The Korea English Education Society, 2024(08), 55-82.

Linh, T. T. T., & Loi, N. V. (2024). Cultural influences on learner autonomy from the perspectives of Vietnamese EFL learners. Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 28(2). https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28110a5

Little, D. (1991). Learner autonomy 1: Definitions, issues and problems. Authentik.

Little, D. (2022). Language learner autonomy: Rethinking language teaching. Language Teaching, 55(1), 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444820000488

Little, D., Dam, L., & Legenhausen, L. (2017). Language learner autonomy: Theory, practice and research. Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783098606

Littlewood, W. (1999). Defining and developing autonomy in East Asian contexts. Applied Linguistics, 20(1), 71–94. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/20.1.71

Lu, J., & Liu, Y. (2016). Learner autonomy as an element in Chinese education reform: A case of the English language subject. English Language Teaching, 9(3), 33–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n3p33

Melvina, M., Lengkanawati, N. S., Wirza, Y., & Natsir, M. H. D. (2023). The Indonesian EFL Learners’ Motivation and Autonomy. In 3rd International Conference on Education and Technology (ICETECH 2022) (pp. 237-248). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-056-5_26

Modrek, A. S., Hass, R., Kwako, A., & Sandoval, W. A. (2021). Do adolescents want more autonomy? Testing gender differences in autonomy across STEM. Journal of Adolescence, 92, 237–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.09.003

Murray, G. (2020). Learner autonomy and Holec’s model: A complexity perspective. In M. J. Raya & F. Vieira (Eds). Autonomy in language education: Theory, research and practice (pp. 89-102). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429261336-8

Mynard, J. (2006). Measuring learner autonomy: Can it be done? Independence, Newsletter of the IATEFL Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group, 37, 3–6.

Nasri, N., Vahid Dastjerdy, H., Eslami Rasekh, A., & Amirian, Z. (2017). Iranian EFL teachers’ practices and learner autonomy: Do gender, educational degree, and experience matter? Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 11(2), 146–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2015.1078337

Nguyen, S.V., & Habók, A. (2021). Designing and validating the learner autonomy perception questionnaire. Heliyon, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06580

Nguyen, T. A., Nguyen, T. H., Le, T. T., Phuong, Y. H., Huynh, T. T. A., & Pham, T. T. (2024). Vietnamese EFL students’ perceptions of learner autonomy factors: An analysis of gender, major, and tenure differences. Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science-Social Sciences, 14(4), 19-31. https://10.46223/HCMCOUJS.soci.en.14.4.2804.2024

Nguyen, T. S., & Nguyen, T. D. T. (2022). Readiness for autonomous learning of freshmen in a bachelor of English language programme. Journal of Science and Technology-IUH, 60(06). https://doi.org/10.46242/jstiuh.v60i06.4619

Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What every teacher should know. Heinle & Heinle.

Phan, T. T. H., Nguyen, D. T. T., Ly, T. T. T., Duong, T. D. P., & Mai, T.V. (2024). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions and practices of learner autonomy: A case study in Vietnam. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(2), 421-435. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.2.20

Rajib, M. K. H., & Jahan, R. (2024). Exploring embedded contextual factors and their contribution to facilitating autonomous learning. EIKI Journal of Effective Teaching Methods, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.59652/jetm.v2i2.200

Ryan, T. P. (2013). Sample size determination and power. John Wiley & Sons.

Sinclair, B. (2000). Learner autonomy: The next phase. In B. Sinclair, I. McGrath, & T. Lamb (Eds.), Learner autonomy, teacher autonomy: Future directions, 4–14.

Smith, R. (2003). Pedagogy for autonomy as (becoming-) appropriate methodology. In D. Palfreyman & R. C. Smith (Eds.), Learner autonomy across cultures: Language education perspectives,129–146. Palgrave Macmillan.

Teng, M. F. (2024). Metacognitive awareness and EFL learners' perceptions and experiences in utilising ChatGPT for writing feedback. European Journal of Education, e12811. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12811

Teng, M. F., & Mizumoto, A. (2024). Validation of metacognitive knowledge in vocabulary learning and its predictive effects on incidental vocabulary learning from reading. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 0. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0294

Trinh, Q. L. (2005). Stimulating learner autonomy in English language education: A curriculum innovation study in a Vietnamese context (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Amsterdam: Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Tran, T. N. H. (2019). English language learner autonomy in the Vietnamese higher education context: Enabling factors and barriers arising from assessment practice (Doctoral dissertation, University of Adelaide).

Tuan, D. M. (2021). Learner autonomy in English language learning: Vietnamese EFL students’ perceptions and practices. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 11(2), 307-317. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v11i2.29605

Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson.

Vieira, F. (2017). Task‐based instruction for autonomy: Connections with contexts of practice, conceptions of teaching, and professional development strategies. TESOL quarterly, 51(3), 693-715. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.384

Wongyimyong, P., & Soontornwipast, K. (2024). Investigating autonomous English language learning of Thai students. rEFLections, 31(2), 407–432. https://doi.org/10.61508/refl.v31i2.273762

Yen, P. H., Nhung, N. T. N., & Le, T. T. (2024). Impact of time in college on learner autonomy: A comparative study on English-major students with different academic years. International Journal of Instruction, 17(1), 461-478. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2024.17124a

Zenouzagh, Z. M., Admiraal, W., & Saab, N. (2023). Learner autonomy, learner engagement, and learner satisfaction in text-based and multimodal computer-mediated writing environments. Education and Information Technologies, 28(11), 14283–14323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11615-w

Announcement

EDUPIJ Citation Metrics

EDUPIJ News!

► Educational Process International Journal has changed to publish in article number order instead of in page range order beginning with Volume 14 (2025).