Learner Autonomy in Second Language Pedagogy and Research: Challenges and Issues

This selection of papers was edited by Klaus Schwienhorst and is the result of a two-day conference by the IATEFL Learner autonomy SIG on “Learner autonomy in second language pedagogy and research - challenges and issues” which was held at the Fachsprachenzentrum, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany, from 27-28 September 2013. It was one in a series of local conferences that the LASIG had begun a few years ago, with great success. The four plenary talks at the conference were delivered by four well-known international academics: David Little, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Leni Dam, LASIG coordinator, Denmark; Lienhard Legenhausen, University of Münster, Germany; and Elisabet Arnó Macià, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Escola Politècnica Superior d'Enginyeria de Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG), Spain. In addition, there were over 20 papers and workshops presented at the conference. This volume is the 7th publication in the “Autonomy in Language Learning” series published by the IATEFL Learner autonomy Special Interest Group. We open this selection with written versions of the three plenaries, followed by Everhard’s conceptual look at the various definitions of learner autonomy. We then look at challenges and obstacles of implementing learner autonomy when dealing with learners (Beseghi & Berotolotti; Born-Lechleitner; Denekamp) before turning to those challenges and obstacles we encounter in teacher education and teacher practice (Fernandes & Vieira; Gabel & Schmidt; Gallo; Manzano Vázquez).