Co-constructed EFL learning on different proficiency levels : Independence and scaffolding

Sammanfattning: The main aim of this research was to delve into the minds of English as a foreign language students and try to find the right amount of guidelines provided by the teacher and materials while using constructivism represented by communicative approach and Dogme methodologies. As these classes were individual, the teacher’s role was to adjust the amount of constructivism and independence according to the student’s preference, which was expressed during interviews in which they reflected on their learning journey. The study also examined if and how the students’ initial level and previous learning experience influenced their willingness and ability to take charge of their learning and direct it based on their needs, moving away from prepared curriculum in form of a textbook or as decided by the teacher.   The findings showed virtually no difference between students on different levels of proficiency and all students were able to deal with a high level of constructivism and effectively direct their learning. Their learning curve showed a notable improvement especially at the beginning; all of this while achieving their goals and especially feeling more confident about their abilities. Another conclusion is that their preference was towards spoken practice of new language in a personalized context of relevant topics, giving them the opportunity to build fluency, practice previous topics and learn new vocabulary at the same time.