Browsing by Author "Almufayrij, Hala Fahad Mohaammad"

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Learner Autonomy: An Exploration of Saudi EFL Secondary School Teachers' Attitudes and Practices
(University of Leicester, 2024-01-18) Almufayrij, Hala Fahad Mohaammad; Ashkham, Jim
The objective of this research is to examine the current perceptions on learner autonomy (LA) among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Saudi Arabia. It focuses on teachers’ practices to promote their students’ autonomy. The main obstacles encountered in the facilitation of autonomy are highlighted. A questionnaire was administered to 101 EFL female teachers in secondary grades of public schools in Saudi Arabia for this quantitative study. In order to achieve reasonable results, the use of both descriptive statistics and content analysis was employed throughout the data analysis phase. The research findings revealed an overwhelming positive belief among EFL teachers about the significance of LA and its positive impacts on students' language learning. The teachers mainly linked LA with concepts of self-instruction and control. The results of the descriptive analysis revealed that teachers use several strategies both inside and outside the confines of the classroom to foster students' autonomy and independent learning. Teachers often adopt the roles of facilitators and resources in cultivating students' self-directed learning. The most noteworthy finding relates to the prevailing conviction held by teachers about the significant influence of motivation on LA. The findings of the content analysis indicate that teachers tend to prioritise outside classroom practices to a greater extent than those inside the classroom. They explained these efforts to promote LA in instructing EFL students. The study also highlights several significant obstacles to promoting autonomy among Saudi EFL learners. Data collected has shown a statistically significant negative impact of an elaborate prescribed curriculum that leads to a lack of time to foster LA. Moreover, other obstacles include learners’ factors (such as low proficiency in English and lack of motivation), and teachers' misunderstanding of the concept of LA.
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