Abstract

AGUIRRE MORALES, Jahir  and  RAMOS HOLGUIN, Bertha. Guidance in Reading Strategies: A First Step Towards Autonomous Learning in a Semi-Distance Education Program . profile [online]. 2009, n.11, pp.41-56. ISSN 1657-0790.

This article aims at sharing the results of a research project focused on guiding students in the use of different reading strategies: reading non- text information, skimming and scanning, using contextual reference, predicting, and using true/false cognates as a first step towards autonomous learning. The project was conducted at a Colombian university with two groups of business administration students who belonged to a semi-distance education program. Informal talks with students, questionnaires, interviews and a teacher's diary were used to collect the information in this action research study. Findings revealed that by knowing several reading strategies the students could reflect upon their learning; meta-cognition processes were enhanced and confidence for students to work by themselves was built up.

Keywords : Autonomous learning; distance education programs; reading strategies.