Integrating Digital Tools to Promote Autonomous English Language Learning

Abstract

The integration of technology into education has transformed traditional models of language learning, with autonomy emerging as a core component in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pedagogy. Digital tools offer flexible, personalized, and feedback-rich environments that support learner independence. In non-native English classrooms, digital resources such as Learning Management Systems (LMS), mobile applications, and AI-powered tools have introduced new modalities of self-directed learning. However, the success of these technologies depends on learners' digital literacy, access to resources, and teacher guidance. While individual tools have been evaluated in isolated studies, there is limited synthesized research that evaluates their combined effect on promoting learner autonomy, especially in resource-limited contexts. This study aims to examine how digital platforms facilitate autonomous English language learning and identify both benefits and barriers to their effective use. The findings reveal that LMS platforms enhance goal-setting and time management; mobile apps improve daily engagement and vocabulary retention; and AI-based tools foster error correction and self-monitoring. However, digital inequality and insufficient teacher training remain critical obstacles. This research provides an integrative perspective on how multiple digital modalities jointly contribute to learner autonomy, with an emphasis on the practical challenges in under-resourced educational contexts. Educators must strategically select digital tools, provide digital literacy support, and ensure equitable access to maximize the pedagogical benefits of autonomous learning technologies in EFL instruction.