Promoting Learner Autonomy in Teaching English to Young Adolescents through Higher Order Thinking Skills: An Innovation to Create 4.0 Learning Trends

摘要

Currently, 4.0 learning trends have been issued among English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers through selecting innovative learning strategies to fulfil 21st century goals, preparing students to be creative, collaborative, critical, and communicative as demanded in industrial revolution. One of the innovations is HOTS-based learning to promote EFL learner autonomy. However, the goals seem not to be optimally achieved. This paper presents the research findings relating to the implementation of HOTS to promote EFL learner autonomy. A Classroom Action Research was employed with two instruments to collect the data: classroom observation and interview. One class of eight graders and one English teacher were involved as the participants. The results reveal that Higher Order Thinking-based learning may accommodate EFL students to promote their autonomy since they were exposed to analyse and evaluate some cases which require them to do actions as decision makers and problem solvers. By doing so, the students could get knowledge and experience on how to be autonomous learners as indicated in their independence to propose their critical ideas and arguments. It is elaborated from the interview that their autonomy offers them to be well-literate in all skills mentioned in 4.0 learning trends, so that they are ready to compete in industrial revolution.