An Investigation of EFL Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Learner Autonomy

This paper aimed to explore in an elaborative way what "learner autonomy" means to 77 (40 males, 37 females) EFL teachers at AljoufUniversity in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of the study is to reveal different perceptions of learner autonomy taken from the classroom experiences of the teachers. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Quantitative data of the study were analysed by calculating descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means and standard deviations. Qualitative data of the study were categorized in terms of research questions and used for answering the questions in collaboration with the quantitative data in the discussion of the results. The findings revealed that EFL teachers were mostly positive about learner autonomy and aware of its importance for language learning. In relation to their teaching, though, the teachers were much less positive about the extent to which autonomy can be productively promoted with their students. They provide opportunities for learners to develop autonomy both inside and outside the classroom; however, most students lack the capacity and desire to take advantage of these opportunities. It is hoped that these findings partly contribute to the literature regarding the promotion of learner autonomy in EFL contexts.