'This is an essential collection for anybody interested in learner autonomy. Drawing on perspectives from different cultural and professional contexts, it offers a fresh view of issues in autonomy. One of its particular strengths lies the way in which it brings together accounts offering direct engagement with personal experience, capturing a sense of the excitement and discovery inherent in this, and more conceptual papers that challenge common assumptions or invite readers to explore and reflect on their institutional contexts more carefully. It makes for an entertaining and informative mix of papers which is rewarding both practically and intellectually.' Dr Keith Richards, Director, Language Studies Unit, Aston University

Description What does 'autonomy' mean within language learning? Should it be enhanced within national, institutional or small group culture and, if so, how can that be done? A variety of new theoretical perspectives are here firmly anchored in research data from projects worldwide. By foregrounding cultural issues and thus explicitly addressing the concerns of many educators on the appropriateness and feasibility of developing learner autonomy in practice, this book fills a gap in the literature and offers practical benefits to language teachers.

Contents Preface Introduction: Culture and Learner Autonomy; D.Palfreyman PART I: AUTONOMOUS LEARNERS Becoming Autonomous in an Asian Context; P.Benson, A.Chik & H.Lim Changes in Chinese students' Strategy Use After Arrival in the UK: X.Gao Learner Autonomy as Agency in Sociocultural Settings; K.Toohey & B.Norton PART II: THEORETICAL PERSEPCTIVES Toward a More Systematic Model of L2 Learner Autonomy; R.Oxford Self-access as Access to 'Self'; P.Riley Social Autonomy; A.Holliday PART III: PRACTICAL INTERVENTIONS Pedagogy for Autonomy as (Becoming-) Appropriate Methodology; R.C.Smith Autonomy in a Resource-poor Setting; E.A.G.Fonseka Neither Here Nor There?; K.Schwienhorst PART IV: INSTITUTIONS AND TEACHERS The Representation of Learner Autonomy in Organizational Culture; D.Palfreyman Learning Cultures and Counselling; M.de la A.Clemente Addressing Constraints on Autonomy in School Contexts; F.Vieira Asserting Our Culture; N.Aoki with Y.Hamakawa Postscript: Implications for Language Education; R.C.Smith References Index