Ho, Dang, & Nguyen, 2023

Learner autonomy has been consistently identified to foster independent learning over the last three decades, and its promoting practices have primarily been targeted by empirical investigations. However, only little attention has been paid to students’ perceptions and the specific social factors that can sustain the development of this capacity, particular in the case of young learners. To bridge this gap, the current study investigates if high school English foreign language (EFL) students’ perceptions of learner autonomy is mediated by their perceived parental supports. Employing a quantitative approach, this research distributed a Likert item questionnaire to 515 high school students who learn English as a foreign language to find out their perceptions of learner autonomy and its relation to the level of parental support that they perceive. The data analysis shows a positive correlation between the two. The more care that the students think they can receive from their parents, the greater appreciation of learner autonomy they express. This indicates the significant role of parents in fostering the development of learner autonomy and calls for further research on this complex relationship.