READINESS FOR LEARNER AUTONOMY AMONG PROSPECTIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN: LEVELS AND GENDER DIFFERENCES

Abstract

Learner autonomy is widely regarded as an important goal of language education, yet learners differ in their readiness to assume responsibility for planning, monitoring, and evaluating their learning. This quantitative study examined readiness for learner autonomy among 86 university students enrolled in English programmes and preparing for or considering English-related teaching careers in Punjab, Pakistan, and investigated whether readiness differed by gender. A 34-item questionnaire adapted from Swatevacharkul’s Learner Autonomy Readiness Instrument measured four domains: willingness to take responsibility, self-confidence to learn autonomously, motivation to learn English, and capacity to learn autonomously. The original data were analysed in SPSS 25, and the saved summary outputs were subsequently checked for arithmetic consistency. Overall readiness was high (M = 3.64, SD = 0.89). Motivation received the highest mean (M = 3.84), followed by capacity (M = 3.61) and willingness (M = 3.61), whereas self-confidence was moderate (M = 3.39). Female students obtained a slightly higher total score than male students, but the difference was not statistically significant, t(84) = -0.28, p = .78, 95% CI [-15.05, 11.29]. The effect size was negligible (Cohen’s d = -0.06), indicating that gender explained little practical variation in readiness. The findings suggest that learners are motivated and willing to assume responsibility but still require structured support to strengthen confidence in making independent learning decisions. Teacher education programmes should therefore move gradually from teacher direction toward guided autonomy, with explicit training in goal setting, strategy selection, resource use, and self-evaluation.