Teacher's new role in language learning and in promoting learner autonomy

This article is about autonomy in language learning and the basic components which define the role of a teacher and the role of a learner in the process. A teacher's role is very important in helping students develop autonomy in learning, besides other crucial functions, such as management and instruction. Learner autonomy in the last few decades has been considered as one of the ultimate goals in education in general and in particular in language learning. An autonomous learner can be considered that student who has developed some learning strategies and is able to control their way of learning. In the case of learning a language, the students need to know how to learn in the classroom and out of it in order to understand what strategies are more functional for them. Having a repertoire of learning styles and strategies can help students become better and more creative and autonomous learners. The process of becoming an autonomous learner is a dynamic one and leads the learner into the acquisition of numerous styles and strategies. The main goal of strategies and instruction is to make the students more aware of the effectiveness of their learning, and also to help students consciously control how they learn so that they can be efficient, motivated, and independent language learners. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.