HOW TO CREATE SEMI-INDEPENDENT EFL LEARNERS THROUGH LANGUAGE ADVISING

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to foster Turkish high-school EFL learners’ autonomous learning skills through group language advising sessions. These sessions which were held by sharing one class time to advising purported to increase learners’ control over their own learning with the implementation of advising strategies and practices based on the conceptual framework of Kato and Mynard (2015). The study was conducted within two different classrooms in two different high-schools by two teacher-advisers who were certified as student coaches. 64 learners aged 14 and 15 studying as nineth graders were involved in this study. 39 of them were females and 25 were males. Data collection period was consisted of six weeks in the fall semester of 2019-2020 academic year. The methodology was the incorporation of quantitative and qualitative data collection processes as mixed method study in a case-study design. Autonomous Habits and Attitudes Towards Group Language Advising and Peer Advising Questionnaire (AHAAQ) developed by the researcher following the pilot study was utilized as pre and post-test to see if there is a statistically significant change in learners’ autonomous learning activities, attitudes towards autonomy and peer advising practices. The results were analyzed statistically with ANOVA and paired sample t-test using SPSS. In addition, open-ended questionnaires sent after each session for six weeks in online format and audio-recordings of each session were used to gain insight as to the extent of this change in learners’ autonomy, correlation between peer advising and learner autonomy and the attitudes towards group language advising sessions with their reasons. These instruments as well as semi-structured interviews with both teacher-advisers and 12 non-autonomous learners were also used to triangulate the data collected from questionnaire or interchangeably. The data obtained from these instruments and transcribed in Microsoft Excel were analyzed through thematic analysis. During the analysis, Candy’s (1991) 13 autonomous learner characteristics and Kato and Mynard’s (2015) segment of learner autonomy and reflection were made use of in addition to emerging themes gained from the study for the other parts. The findings of the study revealed a positive correlation between group language advising sessions held and learners’ autonomous activities, attitudes towards learner autonomy and peer advising practices in a statistically significant degree. Furthermore, qualitative findings disclosed that most of the learners (S=41) enhanced in terms of autonomous learner characteristics, the highest three of which were motivation, awareness and being skilled at learning in contrast to being creative and flexible as the least. It was also discovered that learners conveyed more positive attitudes towards group language advising sessions, the most emergent reasons of which were peer interaction, their efficiency and teacher-advisers. It was additionally found out that peer advising enabled them to increase their knowledge about more techniques and methods by listening to peers’ suggestions and experiences and xvii collaborating or interacting with others. All in all, these group language advising sessions were highlighted to be efficient in helping learners to become more aware, effective, motivated and autonomous language learners in a collaborative way having some concerns, as well. The study was also concluded with some tips and further recommendations to hold more useful group language advising sessions.