Week 7

❝Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can; there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.❞

 ‒Sarah Caldwell

To begin with, I started my new week from reading different material about learner autonomy, that is freedom from external control or influence, independence according to New Oxford American Dictionary. 

It's a mistake of almost every teacher to take a total control over the students, it is like "Autonomy was shopped to us. We looked at the price and thought it was absurdly high" Larry Ellison.

I understand how difficult it can be to devolve the reins of government to our students. One might ask the question, "What is the role of the teacher then?". Having found the answer to this question in David Little article" I was not satisfied. Then it came to my mind, that there is a good example from my life experience: when I started cooking with my mother, she was very nervous, she corrected me at every turn and  as a result I became diffident about my cooking skills. Once I became independent (I became a student and had to leave my parents), I started cooking myself without mother's assistance, and my friends paid me enormous compliments. Of course, it's very important that there is somebody, who guides you, sets you on the right track if something goes wrong, but I prefer to phone and ask for advise or just search Internet. It is as Dimitrios Thanasoulas said "learner autonomy does not mean that the teacher becomes redundant, abdicating his/her control over what is transpiring in the language learning process". 

Now, I am thinking about my students how not to turn them into "containers", or just to 'wean [students]--away from teacher dependence'by Dimitrios Thanasoulas, and how not to be too careful myself.

There are some things that I learnt this week and would love to integrate into my classes to increase autonomy:

1) I have set acquainted with Padlet - a wonderful tool for different assignments. I have left two posts on the board about autonomy and using mobiles in the classroom. What I like about the first it's the extensive range of exercises for developing speaking, listening, reading and writing skills (http://reflectiveteachingreflectivelearning.com/learner-autonomy/).

We also discussed with teachers on how we might use Padlet Page with our students. It's a wonderful idea to know what people all over the world can do with Wallwisher.

2) The article of Galina Kavaliauskiene (http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Kavaliauskiene-Autonomy2.html) can be a good basis for working over tasks fostering learner autonomy. 

We have also tried to find the partner for peer-review of our first drafts. I have butterflies in my stomach, since I am not quite sure whether I will be able to logically include everything I've learnt for 7 weeks into my first plan. I will try to do my best. 

I also tried to create google webpage, similar to one we have https://sites.google.com/site/webskillsuo/, but I boggled my first attempt. Fortunately, I have enough time before the start of the semester, so, I will try and try until ti bring everything to perfection.

I have started my blog from Sarah Caldwell quote, as it is exactly about us, teachers, and what we are doing. It reveals the teachers lifestyle. 

I am eagerly waiting for the next week assignments, keeping in mind my first draft)))