Maintaining Control: Autonomy and Language Learning

8. The use of logbooks — a tool for developing learner autonomy

The use of logbooks — a tool for developing learner autonomy 125 Introduction Even though it is nearly 30 years since the first steps were taken towards developing learner autonomy in the EFL classroom in Denmark (see Dam & Gabrielsen 1988), it is my experience that very few teachers have actually taken up the principles of autonomous language teaching and learning in their classes. It is still surprisingly difficult to get teachers to change from a traditional — usually entirely teacher-directed and teacher-fronted — approach to one which develops learner autonomy, where learners are given specific opportunities to get actively involved in their own learning.1 If a change of teacher role actually does take place, then it seems to be a problem for the teachers to continue the process towards learner autonomy. After a period of time, many teachers return to their usual and well-known teaching approach (cf. Taylor 1990; Eriksson 1993; Miliander 2008). Thus, the questions that we were asking over a decade ago, at the 1994 ‘Autonomy in Language Learning’ conference in Hong Kong, are obviously still relevant and of interest today: • Why have more teachers not taken up the principles of autonomous language teaching and learning in their classes? • How do we as teacher trainers support change towards learner autonomy in the EFL classroom? • How do we get teachers started? • How do we get them to continue? 8 The use of logbooks — a tool for developing learner autonomy Leni Dam 126 Leni Dam However, a possible solution to at least the last two questions might have been found. It looks as if the introduction and use of learners’ and teachers’ logbooks in the teaching/learning environment has provided both teacher trainers and teachers with a useful tool, partly for getting started, partly — and more importantly — for continuing with the development of learner autonomy.2 This chapter, which is based on experiences with my own classes over the years as well as with teachers in language teacher training workshops, deals with the use of logbooks in the EFL classroom aimed at developing learner autonomy.3 I will describe how school teachers wanting to develop learner autonomy in their classes can be introduced to the use of logbooks; and I will give examples of the actual use of logbooks in an autonomous classroom, showing how learners become actively engaged in their own learning through using logbooks in a way that supports individuality and encourages autonomous language learning.4 Finally, in my conclusion, I will reflect on future aspects in connection with the use of logbooks in our work towards promoting and encouraging learner autonomy in language learning classrooms. The use of logbooks will be discussed against the background of my previous attempts to get teachers to implement learner autonomy in the EFL classroom. In order to do so, I will describe a small survey I carried out in 1993. Autonomy implemented ‘Autonomy implemented’ was the title of a paper I read at the AILA conference in Amsterdam in 1993 in which the survey was presented (Dam 1993). Data were collected during the years 1986–93 from 300 teachers from Denmark, Sweden and Spain who had attended workshops during that period. The aim of the workshops was, as stated above, to get teachers to start developing learner autonomy in their classes. The structure of the workshops was basically the same as is described in Breen et al. (1989: 125–33). They would begin with a session — lasting from one to three days — involving theoretical input, together with participants’ engagement in activities of relevance to the autonomous language-learning classroom.5 This first session would end up with participants planning steps to be taken in their own classrooms. The plans would act as a kind of contract with myself and The use of logbooks — a tool for developing learner autonomy 127 the other course participants and would include details about the following items: • What am I going to change or develop or try out in my classroom? • Why am I going to do so? • How am I going to do it? • Problems or successes foreseen? After a period of about two months in which the plans were tried out in their classrooms, the teachers would meet again, partly to share experiences and partly to plan new steps to be taken towards promoting learner autonomy. In most cases, a new session of sharing experiences and planning ahead would again take...