thoughts to add

Hi All, some f'back on the posts...in Alex's link 'Theoretical Practical Issues in the Promotion of Collaborative Learner Auton.' it seems that intersubjective collaborative autonomy may be the key. In that, especially in language learning, promoting learner autonomy is dependent on the network of support/teachers/instit.s which encourage learners to start to initiate methods of control.
Like Sarah, I'd also like to develop more effective autonomy in the classroom. At the moment, I'm teaching General English Language Focus to lower-level students who are not, at present, ready for EAP, as in the ex. expressed in Sarah's post, I'm finding it difficult to negotiate ways to encourage Ss to start to take a more autonomous approach. This includes the basics like the fact that they just don't seem to want to invest in a Learner's Dictionary, for example, despite having expressed the value of this to them many times. I'm teaching at sentence level at the moment and after doing thiss for 2 terms now, promoting autonomy with these Ss seems rather out of reach. A lot of them are on scholarships and also have many external commitments/issues which take up their time and result in them 'not having time' to partake in the necessary amount of self-study. I also feel they have certain expectations of what a good teacher is and that I do not necessarily conform to that. Regarding terminology, I'm open to suggestions! I'm not sure it matters what I'm labelled as, and as Klaus said this varies from institution to insti. Personally I've never been comfortable with the label of 'teacher!' In previous teaching at more advanced levels, which I am naturally more inclined towards, I've tried various strategies to promote independence which have often been quite successful. Perhaps we can share more practical evidence of this?
However, I feel quite restrained at the moment, as my Ss respond best to a very Teacher - fronted role, you have to push them to engage in dialogue and each Ss tries to get your attention for as long as they can, as if they only see value in speaking to the teacher and not to each other. They sort of latch on and don't let go! Options also do not go down well. Any way in previous EAP classes at other institu.s Ss used course books inc. Stella Cottrell's Study Skills handbook and various commercially-sound, if not pedagogically weak, in my opinion, due to their bias towards teaching skills and neglecting language. I also think we need to teach Ss experientially, in that, to a certain extent, we can teach study skills explicitly, without the need to have Ss ticking endless boxes to describe their learning styles and expectations of HE in a UK context.
The notion of autonomy being a western concept is also a biggy here eh. Do Ss just conform to this and do what's expected of them for the time they are here, to get the paper etc. I'd like to think not, it'd be nice to think we were doing something which might have lasting value. Sometimes I think the focus on assessment, which is obviously imperative in EAP, might lead to a sense of Ss just having to 'get through it' so they can get the paper and get a better job etc.
The issue of gender and autonomy (and CALL) is also interesting, as is the issue of whther autonomy is developed through CALL - or whether a Ss needs to be autonomous to engage in the first place. In the literature, Ss seem to be largely gender-neutral, which is obv. not the case. As women may tend to define themselves through their 'relationships' to others and men, due to their 'separateness,' does this mean men are more capable of autonomy? Just not with pot washing eh!! Well, I'm going to be rather autonomous now and nip out for a coffee... ;)