An Investigation into Learner Autonomy in the Department of English at the University of Sulaimani

The aim of this study is to investigate the beliefs and practices of the instructors and the students regarding learner autonomy in the Department of English at the University of Sulaimani (UoS) in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). For this purpose, the instructors’ and students’ beliefs as well as their practices of learner autonomy in general, and specifically in the Department of English at the UoS were identified. This case study follows a descriptive approach, and it is a mixed-method study in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected through student and instructor questionnaires and instructor interviews. The participants of the study are 150 undergraduate students and 18 instructors in the Department of English at the Uos in KRG. The findings of the study show that both groups of participants have positive perceptions about learner autonomy. Also, they both recommend the involvement of students in decisions about their learning, and they think that generally students have the necessary abilities to develop learner autonomy and become autonomous learners. Yet, they state that involving students in all the decisions regarding their learning such as the place and time of the lesson, the materials used, the pace of the class, the objectives of a course, and the teaching methods used in the Department of English is not very feasible. In addition, both the instructors and the students think that the students in the Department of English specifically do not have the necessary abilities to develop learner autonomy. Moreover, the majority of the instructors state that they always attempt to promote learner autonomy in their classes. They point out different ways of doing so such as encouraging their students to depend on themselves, giving them tasks to be done either in pairs, group or individually, involving their students in classroom discussions, and giving them opportunities to present seminars. To conclude, the results of this study show that learner autonomy is not promoted much in the Department of English at the University of Sulaimani, as both the instructors and the students think that it is not completely feasible (i.e. realistically achievable) in the Department at the moment, although both the instructors and students claim to be ready for it (i.e they have the desire for it) and they express positive ideas about it. Finally, the results of the study have some pedagogical implications for fostering learner autonomy in the Department of English at the University of Sulaimani, and some recommendations for future studies. Keywords: Learner Autonomy, Autonomous Learners, Students’ Beliefs, Teachers’ Beliefs, Desirability, Feasibility.