DEVELOPING LEARNER AUTONOMY AND LEARNING STRATEGIES IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT PRIMARY SCHOOL

The aim of developing learner autonomy is to equip learners with knowledge, skills and strategies thanks to which they will be able to think independently, solve problems, take responsibility for their own learning and function effectively in the society in the future by adjusting themselves to changes which take place in the dynamically developing world. The development of learner autonomy is a long process which should be initiated at primary school. The process of learning how to learn involves different activities which aim at the development of metacognitive awareness and learning strategies. Metacognitive awareness, i.e. the awareness of the learning process and oneself as the learner, has a positive influence on learning results. In teaching young learners, metacognitive awareness is said to consist of language awareness, social awareness, cognitive awareness and cultural awareness. Both research and classroom practice indicate that even young learners possess some metacognitive knowledge which can be further developed. The aim of the present paper is to discuss the role of autonomy in the child's general development and in learning foreign languages. Hence, the paper first presents the main theories of the child's cognitive, emotional and social development in relation to this notion and then concepts, like metacognitive awareness, learning strategies with techniques for their development and the model of learning how to learn a foreign language at primary school.