Revisiting College TOEIC Course through Self-Directed Language Learning (SDLL)

This study is aimed at implementing the concept of Self-Directed Learning (SDL) into a college TOEIC course, which expects to foster learner autonomy in language use. In the study, 45 college students participated in the Self-Directed Language Learning (SDLL)-based instruction for 15 weeks of the semester. After the semester, the statistical comparison between the pre- and post- Self-Directed Learning Readiness (SDLR) scale showed a significant increase to the average level from the below average level of readiness for SDLL. The study conducted analysis on the SDLL activities-a learning contract and reflection notes-which the participants were asked to write in and out of the classroom in order to keep their SDLL pace. In the notes, learners showed that SDLL notes assisted them in identifying the self-selected goal of instruction and enabled self-vocabulary learning and developed self-assessment competence. Accordingly, the study concludes that the SDLL-based TOEIC　course is effective in developing learner autonomy with the help of SDLL activities, such as the guided note-taking activities.