Promoting learners’ autonomy in TOEIC-oriented learning

Abstract

Learner autonomy is emphasized as a critical component of student success. Due to the lack of TOEIC face-to-face lessons, especially during the outbreak of COVID-19, students were supposed to study autonomously. This survey research aims to explore students’ preferences and strategies used autonomously in TOEIC-oriented learning. A 60-item questionnaire adapted from Hsu's (2005) was delivered to 100 non-English major sophomores at a nationally sponsored university in the Northern region of Vietnam. The findings indicate students’ roles as critical agents for self-directed education in TOEIC-oriented learning. Furthermore, metacognitive strategies were highlighted in the students’ knowledge of self and learning process, learning context, and language awareness during autonomous learning. The research additionally proposed several recommendations to foster learner autonomy in TOEIC learning.