FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTONOMY FOR BEGINNER ENGLISH LEARNERS

This research sought to understand the development of autonomy in beginners of the English language learning and aimed at identifying factors that encourage or discourage the development of autonomous learning. Methods included a survey to find out if and how they learn the language autonomously. A case study was carried out in English classes at the language courses at the Universidade Federal do Pará. Results showed that students have the habit of studying the language outside the classroom, they know their potentials and limitations and have motivational factors that lead them to the language study. However, the time they dedicate to study and practice is minimal and they also assign the teacher many responsibilities related to the learning process. When they practice, they tend to focus on the skills they already are good at. Even though they have the notion of autonomy in learning, in general, students are not autonomous.