encouraging efl learners to practice autonomous learning via promoting reflective journal writing

This paper presents a number of findings from a broad research project whichmeant to promote learner autonomy amongst iranian efl students throughstrategy-based teaching, i.e. an intervention program. it reports especially onhow reflective journal writing, as part of the intervention program, helpedstudents expand the capability to direct their personal learning. in addition, thepaper explains some challenges to use reflective writing to develop learnerautonomy in an efl class. 32 upper-intermediate efl learners were involved inthe project–selected from one intact efl classroom. data of the study wereobtained from two types of sources: subjects’ learning journals and groupinterviews. writing journals was aimed at promoting reflective thinking toimprove autonomous learning. learners organized their writings in two parts: 1.learning objectives and the tasks/ strategies necessary to reach them; 2. areflection on what they did on the first stage to plan remedial strategies to makeup for lacks/ failures. furthermore, there were five groups of an-hour interviews(about 6 learners in each group) to scrutinize the effect of reflective journalwriting on their directing efl learning autonomously. findings suggest thatreflective learning journals, guided by teachers as supervisors, may be apowerful device to assist efl learners to expand a sort of metacognitiveconsciousness about their learning system and the capacity to manage theirlearning experiences autonomously. at the end, the paper elaborates on how toincorporate reflective journal writing into everyday teaching/learning practice toencourage autonomous efl learning.