THE ROLE OF A LEARNER-CENTRED APPROACH IN LANGUAGE TEACHING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNER AUTONOMY: A MODEL COURSE DESIGN

Abstract: This paper aims at assessing the role of a "Learner-centred " approach in language teaching on the development of learner autonomy. It is argued in this paper that a foreign language course designed with a learner-centred focus not only helps learners increase their competence in the use of the language but also allows them to develop some strategies on "learning how to learn". This, in effect, promotes the development of learner autonomy and encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning and to become independent learners, the two important requirements of university education. This is illustrated through the design of a model course, namely English-2, offered to freshman year students at Doğuş University. This course takes students through the stages of conducting academic research and presenting the findings of their research in the form of a written project which appropriately fulfills academic standards. The design of the course requires much of the work to be done outside class and by the learners themselves. Hence, this paper develops the idea that students who take this course increase their confidence in working on their own as well as learning to take the responsibility for their own learning, which are the two major demands of academic study in university education