Questionnaires as a tool for teaching English language through learner-created knowledge

The method of learner-created knowledge--where students engage with others in order to connect what they know with new knowledge to construct new meaning--ties into a broader support for learner autonomy in English language teaching (ELT) and learning. In countries like Cameroon, the social power orientation is mirrored in classroom practices, and teacher-centered pedagogies are the norm from primary to tertiary education. Developing tools to foster knowledge creation by learners in ELT contexts like those of Africa is potentially transformational. Such tools counter Sonaiya's (2005) rejection of learner autonomy in African ELT by offering alternatives for learners to take control and participate more fully in their learning through creative classroom activities. In this article, the authors present classroom-generated questionnaires as one tool for incorporating learner-created knowledge in ELT classrooms. This article describes a four-step method to suit a range of learners that are readily transferable to ELT classrooms in Africa and beyond. The article demonstrates that learner-generated, -administered, and -analyzed questionnaires offer a viable approach for ELT practitioners to increase learner autonomy in low-resource contexts and achieve highly productive outcomes.