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4. Кацнельсон С. Д. Содержание слова, значение и обозначение/Под общ. Ред. В. М. Жирмунского. — М.: Едиториал УРСС, 2011. - 112 с.
5. Пауль, Герман. Принципы истории языка/Под общ. Ред. - М.: Издательство иностранной литературы, 1960. - 112 с.
6. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. 5-th ed. Printed in Italy, 2009.
Yusupova Ziynatjon Djumanazarovna, A Teacher of English, Department of English language and literature.
Eshchanova Kholida, Teacher of Khorezm Regional Retraining of pedagogies Institute
Eshchanova Mavjuda, student of the English language and literature department
Rakhimova Guzal Yuldashovna, Department of English language and literature E-mail: [email protected]
Pedagogical knowledge and the usage of technology in creating Learner autonomy
Abstract: This article is discussed about the ways of creating learner autonomy with the help of pedagogical knowledge and technology. Pedagogical content knowledge is a unique domain of knowledge possessed by teachers. It can be seen as a teacher’s internalized procedural knowledge of how particular topics, problems and issues can be organized, adapted and presented to learners with diverse interests and capabilities.
Keywords: pedagogical knowledge, technology, learner autonomy, metacognitive.
One of the most important challenges facing foreign language teachers is that of making students self sufficient, autonomous learners who can manage their own learning and survive outside the sheltered environment of the classroom. Student perception of needs, knowledge of individual learning styles, ability to set goals, monitor the learning process, and carry out self-evaluation are all needed for independent learning. Pedagogical content knowledge is here sub-divided into three: subject matter knowledge, knowledge of general pedagogy, and knowledge of learners in specific learning contexts. Pedagogical content knowledge is a unique domain of knowledge possessed by teachers. It can be seen as a teacher’s internalized procedural knowledge of how particular topics, problems and issues can be organized, adapted and presented to learners with diverse interests and capabilities. Pre-service teachers need to be acquainted with this domain. They also need opportunities and tools to reflect on their
prior beliefs and support in their metacognitive processes of self understanding.
Subject matter knowledge. This concept is here widened to comprise the metacognitive awareness of task oriented skills, teaching methodologies, subject knowledge and its adaptation to learning purposes. This is because the statements usually combine subject matter knowledge with how to teach it. The concept of metacognition is here used in terms of the student teacher’s ability to plan, structure and organize learning experiences to pupils in the classroom.
Knowledge of general pedagogy. An important area that the student teachers are usually worried about seems to be classroom management and teaching strategies in general. Motivating pupils is seen as an essential skill in teaching, alongside good class control especially in unpredictable situations. On the other hand, the higher vocational student teachers reflected mainly on different teaching methods and
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Pedagogical knowledge and the usage of technology in creating Learner autonomy
learning how to use them"To sum up, one of the factors of a good lesson is how well the teacher can react to unforeseen changes and change her teaching and plans”
Knowledge of learners and specific learning contexts. This area of knowledge includes knowledge of learning environments, learners with different abilities and interests, varying communities and cultures. Understanding the learners, as well as any aspects help the teacher to know and to empathize with pupils, are also included in this category.
Knowledge of educational purposes and values. Besides reflecting on their self-image and beliefs, as well as on methodology and pedagogy, the preservice teachers strive to clarify and define educational purpose and values and try to explain their teaching philosophies. Teaching is not about tricks. It is meaningful action with a purpose. It promotes cognitive, social and emotional learning within the framework of commonly accepted values.
Knowledge of curricular goals, materials, programmes and evaluation. Curricular knowledge includes a grasp of the goals, materials, programmes and their evaluation. It is important to make preservice teachers aware of choices and alternatives. This awareness is clearly visible in the reflection statements.
The usage of any kind of technology can deliver the pedagogical support that students need. We can discuss autonomy, student empowerment, and the use of learning styles and strategies in language learning and will show how these can be implemented through a classroom methodology which makes use of tools available through the WWW.
From own experience we can tell that making students to learn something is useless, we should choose an activity according to their interests. For example, some students like to speak in front of the camera; others prefer to work with the computer and camera. All of them can work in team and prepare a program about a given topic. While doing it they have to look through the new vocabulary and write their own speech.
There is a need to make students aware of the hidden potential within each and to find ways in which this can be exploited. When students become more involved in their own learning, taking an ac-
tive part in making decisions, they might feel a sense of ownership and commitment to the process, and learning might be more meaningful, resulting in better classroom performance.
Different factors influence learners and the way they learn. Added to this is the move toward learner-centered rather than teacher-centered classrooms, giving students the opportunity to become active participants in the learning process, making decisions with regard to the learning objectives and materials to be used, and helping decide the evaluation process, thus moving toward becoming independent and autonomous learners.
But what does this “autonomy” and “independence” implies and how can it be achieved? Holec defined autonomy as "... the ability to take charge of one’s learning.” while Little sees it as the learner’s psychological relation to the content and process of learning, his or her capacity for critical reflection, detachment, decision making, and independent action. Breen & Mann add that autonomous learners must want to learn and develop a metacognitive capacity that allows them to handle change, negotiate with others, and make strategic use of the learning environment. This entails assessing wants, needs, and interests and choosing the best way to obtain these.
This can best be attained in an environment in which teachers help students to discover and use effective learning strategies. However, this about-face in paradigm, from teacher-dependent to teacher-independent is sometimes difficult for students who have been immersed in an educational system which has been predominately controlled by the teacher, who must now give up control and help these students become independent, self sufficient, individuals. Autonomous learning, however, does not mean that the teacher’s input and support is not needed. On the contrary, the teacher’s role may change, becoming more of a facilitator than an expert, or “holder” of knowledge who transfers information to students, and it is precisely through classroom interaction that teachers can help them become conscious of and learn to make use of, this independence. Dam speaks of autonomy in terms of creating an atmosphere conducive to learning within the confines of the educational system where learners are given the
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possibility to be consciously involved in their own learning. Nunan notions achieving “degrees of autonomy” which range from making students aware of the learning goals and materials, to making links between the content of classroom learning and the outside world.
Autonomous learners can be characterized as:
• willing and have the capacity to control or supervise learning
• knowing their own learning style and strategies
• motivated to learn
• good guessers
• choosing materials, methods and tasks
• exercising choice and purpose in organizing and carrying out the chosen task
• selecting the criteria for evaluation
• taking an active approach to the task
• paying attention to both form and content
• willing to take risks.
Making students aware of these strategies, as well as incorporating their use in activities done throughout the term, is perhaps the first step toward learner autonomy. This might be achieved through learner training or learner development, where students learn about the factors which affect their learning, discover the strategies needed to become more effective learners, and in so doing take more responsibility for this process. However, knowing about strategies is not enough, for students should know when, why, and how these should be used in order to select the most appropriate according to their individual needs.
References:
1. Breen M. P., & Mann S. J. Shooting arrows at the sun: perspectives on pedagogy. 1997.
2. Dam L. Learner Autonomy in practice: An experiment in learning and teaching. 1990.
3. Holec H. Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon. 1981.
4. Little D. Learner Autonomy 1: Definitions, Issues and Problems. Dublin: Authentic. 1991.
5. Nunan D. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle. 1999.
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