4. The goal is greater student autonomy
One of the eventual goals of all language teachers is to equip students with the competencies they need in order to communicate in real-life contexts outside the classroom, perhaps even with native speakers in immersive settings. Yet, aside from FSA, very few guided activities help transition students from the classroom to out-of-class contexts. For example, classroom teachers are usually careful to sequence and scaffold the learning to match students’ proficiency levels. However, outside the classroom, in naturalistic use, few native speakers are even aware of the complexity of their speech or the difficulties that learners face when trying to comprehend them. As a result, students need to learn strategies for communicating effectively outside the classroom as well as for addressing breakdowns in communication when they occur.
To better illustrate the differences between in-class and out-of-class use, we present this modified version of Benson’s (2011) four-dimensional framework. It shows how FSA and other naturalistic interactions can be used to transition students from guided to autonomous language use.
| Dimension | Traditional classroom learning | Teacher-facilitated interactions with HCSs | Independent, out-of-class learning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Within the classroom, within the school | Within and outside the classroom | Museums, cafés, events, virtual spaces, etc. |
| Formality | Formally linked to institutions, certifications, and qualifications | Linked to course objectives and supplementary learning | Based on personal interests, skills, and needs |
| Pedagogy | Instructed, with sequencing of material and scaffolding | Instructed and naturalistic | Self-instructed or naturalistic with a focus on communication and enjoyment |
| Locus of control | Ministry, college, program, teacher | Initiated by the teacher but directed by the student | Self-directed |
Source: Fischer et al. (2021)
This table shows that there is a clear gap between in-class language use (left-hand column) and out-of-class language use (right-hand column). More importantly, it shows how teachers can bridge the gap between classroom learning and autonomous learning (middle column), particularly with FSA.