Elf Learners’ and Teachers’ Perception and Their Roles in Implementing Autonomous Learning, and Challenges They Face: Grade 10 Students of Serbo and Dibu Bijit High Schools in Focus

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to explore grade 10 EFL learners’ and teachers’ perception and their roles in implementing autonomous learning, and challenges of Serbo and Dibu Bijit high schools in Jimma zone. The study was a descriptive survey design involving a mixed research approaches (quantitative and qualitative research methods). The participants of this study were 276 (146 Male and 130 Female) students of grade 10 that were selected through a systematic random sampling technique, and also 10 EFL teachers purposively selected from the two Secondary Schools. To collect data,37 close ended questionnaire items and 7 interview items were used from primary sources, students and EFL teachers. A semi-structured interview was also employed to gather information from the EFL teachers. The quantitative data were analyzed by using simple statistical tools such as frequency and percentages, while the qualitative data was analysed qualitatively by narration and by comparing and contrasting with the findings of the quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed that the extent to which EFL students and teachers, at the sampled schools, implemented autonomous learning was below the minimum standard. It could also be inferred from this result that many EFL students at the schools under the study were more teacher-centred as they were much dependent on their teachers during the learning process, resulting in a lack of ability to learn autonomously. This was also true of the EFL teachers at the schools who were still pursuing the teacher-centred approach. Therefore, it is advisable for the EFL teachers to create a positive relationship with their students in order to create a student-centred class with an autonomous environment. The EFL teachers’ effort should start with changing the attitudes of their learners’ towards the study of English as a subject.