Implied in any consideration of the role of styles and strategies in learning a second language are three linked concepts: autonomy, awareness, and action. These three “As” of learner development have taken on significance in recent years, especially with increasing pedagogical emphasis on learner-centered language teaching (Wenden,2002). A review of the history of language teaching will reveal some interesting “changing winds and shifting sands”. One way of looking at this history is to consider the extent to which methodological trends have emphasized the respective roles of the teacher and the learner. Until some of the “designer” methods appeared in the 1970s, most of language teaching methodology was teacher centered. Students entered a classroom, sat down dutifully in their desks, and waited for the teacher to tell them what to do. Those directives might have been to translate a passage, to memorize a rule, or to repeat a dialogue. Then, the profession seemed to discover the value of learner autonomy in the form of allowing learners to do things like initiate oral production, solve problems in small groups, practice language forms in pairs, and practice using the language outside of the classroom.

   The literature on the topic raises some caution flags, though. Schmenk (2005) appropriately described the nonuniversality of the concept of autonomy, and Pennycook (1994) warned us about the potential cultural imperialism involved in assuming every culture equally values and promotes autonomy, especially in educational institutions. For language teaching in sub-Saharan Africa, Sonaiya (2002, p. 106) questioned “the global validity of the so-called autonomous method of language learning ... which has obvious origins in European and North American traditions of individualism.” However, some recent studies are more encouraging, underscoring the need for teachers to be sensitive to the cultural background of students.

(HARMER, Jeremy. 1998. How to teach English. Adaptado)