Does an autonomising scheme contribute to changing university students’ representations of language learning?

Abstract Since 2018, a language-learning scheme has been specifically designed for first-year students at the University of Lorraine. Its intended objective is to make them aware of the many possibilities, strategies and methodologies to learn languages, other than simply attending classes. Developing learner autonomy and inciting the students to use all the affordances offered to them at our university (e.g.: self-access centres, digital platform) is indeed one of the main aims encouraged by the language centre. In order to study the outcomes and efficiency of such a scheme, we sought to examine the representations (or beliefs as defined by Bidari 2021). These students had regarding language learning when they enter university, and compare them with those after completing the scheme. To reach this objective, the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire before and after the course. The paper first describes the language scheme, which involves a combination of class sessions and self-directed activities, and focuses on the questionnaire to explain its theoretical rationale. The next step of the article is dedicated to the analysis of the obtained data. The results show that, although some of the students already had a ‘positive’ representation of the way they could learn a language, the scheme helped those, whose belief was different, to modify it. Their answers also seem to show some engagement in autonomisation activities. The results are discussed in terms of their pedagogical implications for Language Centres in Higher Education.