Acquiring one's own story to realize “autonomy” for language learners

Possibilities of language education practice based on narrative therapy

Abstract

This paper attempts to redefine the concept of “autonomy” that language education should strive to achieve for learners. Firstly, it points out the issues with how “autonomy” is treated in language education research, and then reflects on what learner “autonomy” entails, considering the evolution of the concept of human nature in the history of Western modern thought. The authors provide their perspective on how to perceive learner “autonomy” and redefine political “autonomy” from the standpoint of “respect for human rights.” The paper discusses the possibility of educational practices to achieve learner “autonomy” based on Narrative Therapy. Furthermore, drawing on examples from the author’s practical experiences involving personal narrative history on the necessity of Japanese language learning and interactive discussions, the paper aims to confirm the validity of this definition and indicate the direction that educational practices to achieve learner “autonomy” should take.