The emancipation of the langugae learner

• Authors: Diane Larsen-Freeman
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The general trend in language education over the years has been to ascribe to language learners increasing power and responsibility for their own learning. While this is commendable, the autonomy of learners is still constrained by views of language that see learners as being mere “hosts” of another’s language. Such views restrict learners to roles as language learners who make errors not language users who innovate. This article argues for a more enlightened view of language and of learners, one inspired by a complexity theory perspective. It also proposes that such a perspective is respectful of learner agency.

Keywords

EN

human agency; complexity theory; learner autonomy; error/innovations

• Publisher: Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu
• Journal: Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 297-309

Dates

cover

2012-10

Contributors

author

Diane Larsen-Freeman

• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor USA

Identifiers

ISSN

2083-5205

DOI

10.14746/ssllt.2012.2.3.2