Özet:

There are a number of qualitative studies which have emphasized the importance of developing learner autonomy in the Turkish foreign-language learning context but Turkish EFL learners’ experiences have not been synthesized to gain an overall picture of what aspects have been studied to date. This study therefore synthesizes twelve qualitative research findings dealing with the topic of learner autonomy in foreign-language learning settings in Turkey and in so doing identifies research gaps in the literature and makes suggestions for further research. A search using keywords was undertaken through the following databases and academic search engines: ERIC, Taylor & Francis, DergiPark, Google Scholar and SCOPUS. Twelve full-text, qualitative studies published in peer-reviewed journals since 2009 were identified and included. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to analyse and synthesize the findings. Three inductive themes were developed: (1) characteristics of autonomous learners, (2) ways to encourage learner autonomy and (3) challenges of developing learner autonomy. The findings indicate a scarcity of qualitative research on autonomous language learning through the experiences of late-career teachers. The findings of this meta-synthesis might also help to understand the mindset of language teachers in Turkey towards empowering students.

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