The thesis focuses on language advising as a tool for
supporting learner autonomy in English language learning. In
current research, learner autonomy is viewed as a complex and
dynamic system of skills, competences and predispositions,
influenced by a range of factors, and thus changing across time
and context. The aim of this thesis is to describe how language
advising functions in a specific course and to observe, in
individual participants, the various forms of support for
learner autonomy that participation in advising sessions
provides. Language advising, as a pedagogical tool, is based on
acknowledging individual learner needs and should enable
learners to take control of their own learning accordingly.

Another goal of the research was to identify critical issues in
the advising process with selected learners, thereby furthering
understanding of the relationship between learner autonomy and
language advising. The investigation provides findings on the
course and impact of advising sessions conducted in the target
language. Through a combined analysis of advising session
recordings and secondary data on the learning process within
the course, the research uncovered the complex dynamics between
observed components of learner autonomy and learner
participation in language advising.

The research employed qualitative methods and resulted in
creating a multi-case study. The analytical part drew on
findings from previous studies. The work of Ciekanski, Benson,
Mynard, Tassinari, Borges, and others informed the analysis of
recordings, data coding, and sequence interpretation. The
qualitative focus was motivated by the need to gain a detailed
insight into how advising works for individual learners—insight
that deepens and better explains existing findings based on
standard course evaluation questionnaires and surveys of
advising benefits.

Three key findings emerge from the cross-case analysis. The
first concerns support for learner autonomy: advising in the
course offers individualized support, and each case focuses on
different core aspects of learner autonomy. The dynamics of the
sessions and their relationship to self-directed learning also
differ. Advising sessions influence learners' self-directed
learning in various ways; some impacts are nonlinear, complex,
and not directly perceived by the learners.

The second finding explains how advising strategies function:
these are selected reactively, based on the individual needs of
students and the specific situation. The level of directiveness
varies, and the strategies evolve and complement one another
over the course of advising. The same strategy may also lead to
different outcomes depending on other factors influencing the
advising system at that moment.

The third finding concerns problematic moments within advising
sessions: the dynamics of the advising process may be disrupted
by several factors. It is the advisor’s task to notice these in
time, choose appropriate interventions, and enable learners to
participate effectively in reflective dialogue. The outcomes of
the research include recommendations for further study and
advising practice, a concrete practical outcome is a set of
training materials for the development of advising skills.