International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature ISSN 2200-3592 (Print), ISSN 2200-3452 (Online) Vol. 4 No. 4; July 2015 Australian International Academic Centre, Australia Boosting Autonomous Foreign Language Learning: Scrutinizing the Role of Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Vocabulary Learning Strategies Mania Nosratinia Islamic Azad University at Central Tehran, Iran Alireza Zaker (Corresponding author) Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran E-mail: alirezazaker@gmail.com Received: 05-12- 2014 Accepted: 01-02- 2015 Advance Access Published: February 2015 Published: 01-07- 2015 doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.4n.4p.86 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.4n.4p.86 Abstract This study set out to investigate the association among English language learners' Autonomy (AU), Creativity (CR), Critical Thinking (CT), and Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS). The participants of this study were 202 randomly selected male and female undergraduate (English as a Foreign Language) EFL learners, between the ages of 19 and 26 (M age = 22 years). These participants filled out four questionnaires estimating their AU, CR, CT, and VLS. The characteristics of the collected data legitimated running Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. The results suggested that there is a significant and positive relationship between EFL learners' AU and CR, AU and CT, AU and VLS, CR and CT, CR and VLS, as well as their CT and VLS. Considering AU as the predicted variable for this study, it was confirmed that CT is the best predictor of AU. The article concludes with some pedagogical implications and some avenues for future research. Keywords: creativity, critical thinking, foreign language learning, learning autonomy, vocabulary learning strategies 1. Introduction It is now a widely held belief that learners’ psychological, mental, and personal factors play a determining role in realizing pedagogical objectives and achieving the best possible outcomes from the instructional practice (Lightbown & Spada, 2013; Nosratinia, Saveiy, & Zaker, 2014; Nosratinia & Zaker, 2014). These internal factors, according to Ryan and Deci (2000, 2002), can regulate learners’ motivation which would facilitate personal growth, social development, and psychological well-being. Among these internal factors and psychological needs, Autonomy (AU) is one of the highly influential factors (Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, & Ryan, 1991). It has been argued that AU would make learners feel more competent, feel more related to others, attempt to grow, and be more centered and focused (O' Donnell, Reeve, & Smith, 2012). AU is known to be the psychological need to experience authority in the initiation and regulation of one's behavior (Deci & Ryan, 1985). In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, student-centered methodology and AU are currently given a primary focus (Akbari, 2008; Bell, 2003; Benson, 2003). Put another way, EFL learners are now given a meaningful role in pedagogic decision making by being treated as active and autonomous players (Kumaravadivelu, 2008, 2012). Based on this premise, language learners are given the main focus in the process of designing curricula (Nation & Macalister, 2010) and both theorizer and practitioners (the controversial categorization rejected by today’s pedagogical concerns) are acknowledging the fundamental role of learner AU in achieving Second Language (L2) proficiency (Bell, 2003; Benson, 2003; O' Donnell et al., 2012). AU has been generally defined as the freedom and authority to manage one's own activities which also calls for the right to make decisions (Scharle & Szabo, 2000). An autonomous individual, according to Paul and Elder (2008), is not reliant upon others for the direction and control of their thinking. They further add that AU is the self-authorship on one's beliefs, values, and ways of thinking. Chang (2007) argues that the basis of AU among learners is that they accept responsibility for their learning and mastering L2 proficiency. More specifically, Little (1995) argued that promoting AU in educational contexts necessitates learning how to learn. There seems to be many reasons for valuing and promoting AU among EFL learners. For instance, Nation and Macalister (2010) argue that a major reason for promoting learner AU is that EFL learners may not have a permanent access to teachers for correction, guidance, and instruction. As a result, AU would proffer learners the ability to know "how to learn a language and how to monitor and be aware of their learning, so that they can become effective and independent language learners" (p. 38). Moreover, there seems to be an intimate relationship between AU and learning effectively. Put another way, the development of AU implies better language learning (Benson, 2001). Flourishing Creativity & Literacy