Heutagogy in English Language Teaching and Learning: Empowering Autonomous, Motivated, and Critical Learners

Abstract

With the current fast digital transformation and the changing expectations of the learners, the traditional teacher-centered approaches to teaching and learning English language should be re-evaluated critically. The self-determined learning approach, heutagogy, provides a considerable pedagogical change due to its focus on the agency of learners, autonomy, motivation, and critical reflectivity. In the context of English language education, it offers a purposeful platform of empowering learners in ownership of their learning processes, setting personal objectives, making informed decisions and being active participants in knowledge building. This practice is more applicable when it comes to building higher-order thinking, self-regulation, adaptability, and lifelong learning skills, which are critical in today educational settings. Heutagogical principles can turn English language classrooms into active learning environments where individuals can engage in meaningful and personalized learning by adopting learner-centered activities, reflective practices, collaborative inquiry, and technology-mediated activities. Heutagogy in the teaching and learning of English language does not only increase linguistic competence but also enables learners to be autonomous, motivated and critical constructors of their learning process.