Abstract:
The concept of ‘independent learning’ is associated with, or part of a number of other educational
concepts and wider policy agenda of contemporary relevance such as ‘personalized learning’,
‘student-centered learning’ and ‘ownership’ of learning. It has been seen as one of the essential
elements of ‘personalized learning’ and as vital to the continuing development of a system of school
education that promotes high quality and lifelong learning and social equity and cohesion. The main
concern of this study was to identify the major challenges of implementing independent learning
among grades nine and ten students. To this end, two schools in Kersa Wereda were purposefully
selected to be the setting of the study; out of 376 students 328 students from Serbo and 48 students
from Bulbul high schools were taken as the participants of this study. Eight English teachers from
Serbo, two from Bulbul schools totally 10 English teachers who taught English in grades 9th and 10th
were the participants of the study. To collect the necessary data for the study, student questionnaire
was employed as the main data collecting tools. Besides, teacher's questionnaire, classroom
observations, and interview were employed as supporting instruments so as to triangulate the findings
of questionnaires of students. Then the collected data were analyzed using both quantitative and
qualitative methods of data analysis. The study found out that a teacher centered approach, lack of using
authentic materials, lack of learning goals, lack of confidence, high dependence on teachers, lack of
practice in self-assessment and peer assessment, lack of interest and lack of learning strategies were
identified as major challenges.
