Marina Paula Carreira Rolim

I teach freshman composition classes.

I have worked as a tutor and as an ESL instructor at Southeast Missouri State University's Intensive English Program.

In order to have ELLs take responsibility for their own learning, it is important that they develop skills to work their studies strategically. The less they rely on the instructor as the content provider, the more they become active learners and have a higher sense of self-regulation and confidence in the learning process. The teacher then provides the learners metacognitive tools to foster their creative power of learning outside the classroom. This paper investigates using metacognitive strategies as a means to develop learner autonomy. As a result of this discussion, a new teacherstudent relationship is proposed that encourages learners to reflect, think critically, and act upon their realities. In this new paradigm, teachers take the role of a language advisor and real educator providing students strategies that contribute to life-long abilities.