For my response to this article, I want to focus on what the article itself focuses on. What is learner autonomy? As identified by the article, there are seven elements of learner autonomy. These learners have insights into their personal learning style preferences. They are actively engaged in the learning process. They are willing to take risks with the target language. These learners are proficient at making educated guesses and working with them in a proactive manner. They notice grammatical patterns and emphasize appropriate preciseness. These learners both "attack" the target language in parts, and with this target language are outgoing in its use.
The most important element to learner autonomy and language learning proficiency is being willing to take risks with the target language. My close friend is in the process of studying Bangla, the language spoken predominantly by the Shaikh people in Bangladesh and in West Bengal, India. During the past two summers he has studied the language in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. He proactively took charge of the learning process, challenging himself with his language partner and purposefully putting himself into positions in which he was forced to use the language with native speakers. When learning directional vocabulary, he would get on rickshaws and tell the rickshaw driver, "Left!", "Right!", putting himself in a position in which if he messed up his words he would have been hopelessly lost.
Now, my friend is fluent. Instead of riding rickshaws he jokes with the drivers and tells them to let him drive. He gives entire speeches on complicated issues in his target language, Bangla. By taking risks in his target language, my friend is now better equipped to meet his goal, to become a doctor in Bangladesh.
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