Improving Homework Assignments to Enhance English Learners’ Autonomy

Improving Homework Assignments to Enhance English Learners’ Autonomy

  The purpose of this study is to draw English teachers’ attention to the development of learner autonomy through appropriate homework assignment. For that purpose three elementary school and three middle school English teachers were selected among the prize winners in the first national competition for excellence in English teaching and each teacher’s homework assignments for two class periods were analyzed for 1) types of homework, 2) relation to real-life experience, 3) freedom to choose the details, and 4) provision of the guidance. According to the result of the analysis, the homework assignments by both the elementary and the middle school English teachers lacked the quality necessary to develop learner autonomy. Based on the result, the study argues that in order to develop learner autonomy, English teachers should try to 1) reduce the practice type of homework, 2) relate homework to the students’ real-life experiences, 3) give students more freedom about the specifics of the homework, and 4) provide the necessary guidance for homework. Some examples of improved homework assignments are provided to help the teachers see what they need to do to enhance learner autonomy.