Thai Distance English Learners and Learner Autonomy

The study reported here represents an attempt to explore learner autonomy in a distance education setting in Thailand. Autonomy is a key element in learning a language at a distance and is reflected in the number and quality of learning strategies students employ. Data for this study were collected using a questionnaire sent to students country-wide, ThinkAloud protocols and interviews. Using a number of criteria which emerged from the study, students were grouped into two kinds of language learner: self sufficient language learners, who were able to follow the course but displayed a limited degree of learner autonomy, and dynamic distance language learners, who were more proactive in their approach to learning. The outcomes from this study were used to draw conclusions about recommendations for future distance language course development and to develop theoretical work by the author relating to autonomous learning of languages at a distance