摘要
本文综述《中国应用语言学》2013 年特刊所探讨的主要理论构念,包括外语和二语教育的自主性(autonomy)、能动性(agency)与身份认同(identity)。我们首先深入探讨和比较自主性和能动性这两个相似概念的复杂意义。自主性的讨论从 Benson (2011) 对自主性的宽阔定义("capacity to take control of one’s own learning")展开,目的在于深入发掘 capacity和 control 各自多层面的涵义以及同时简要解释相关理论及教育实践问题如"可用特性"(affordances)和学习者过程规划(learner agendas)等。在深入审视能动性这一概念的基础上,我们提出自主性和能动性最好被视为相关而相异的两个概念,相异之处在于对教—学过程的有效控制程度。自主性和能动性两个密切相关的概念经过仔细梳理后,我们转向讨论另一个重要相关概念,即外语和二语教育的身份认同。文章最后探讨自主性、能动性和身份认同这些主要概念在语言教育中的相互关系。
This paper reviews key constructs explored in this special issue of Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, including autonomy, agency and identity in foreign/second language education. We first explore and compare, in relatively greater depth, the complex meanings of the two similar concepts of autonomy and agency. In discussing autonomy, we start with an analysis of the meaning of capacity and control in Benson＇s （2011） broad definition of autonomy as a capacity to take control of one＇s own learning, and briefly look at related issues of learner agendas and affordances. Based on a close scrutiny of the concept of agency, we propose that autonomy and agency are best treated as distinct concepts in terms of the degree of effective control over the learning-teaching process. Following a dose examination of the two similar concepts of autonomy and agency, we discuss the concept of identity and finally the interrelatedness among these major concepts of autonomy, agency, and identity in language education.
