A Framework for Freedom: Learner Autonomy in Foreign Language Teacher Education

Can learner autonomy as a pedagogical approach improve the quality of foreign language learning? How can this approach be constructed so that it empowers foreign language learners to increase their learning independence and create the conditions for continuing progress? This book seeks to contribute to a longstanding and yet ongoing debate around questions such as these. It has been written by teacher trainers from several different European countries for foreign language teacher trainers and for teachers in training. The authors are committed to building a theoretical framework for the development of learner autonomy as well as working out its practical implications for foreign language teaching. The first three chapters of the book aim to help trainers and teachers understand the theory which is relevant to learner autonomy and the principles which support it. The last three chapters present practical ways of fostering learner autonomy in order to facilitate intercultural competence as well as develop listening, reading, speaking and writing skills in a foreign language.

The Editors: Kees van Esch is Associate Professor in Spanish and Applied Linguistics and a teacher trainer at ILS, the graduate school of education of Nijmegen University (The Netherlands). He obtained his doctorate from this university in 1987. The areas of interest in his research are applied linguistics and the didactics of foreign languages in general and of Spanish in particular. He has also published several course books of Spanish.
Oliver St. John is an Englishman now working in Sweden where he is responsible for teacher education within the department of modern languages at the University of Gävle. He is currently doing an M.A. in language pedagogy in Uppsala University and is also involved in writing language skills development teaching materials for secondary school pupils.