The dissertation is the first comprehensive research of autonomous second language learning development at higher educational institutions of Great Britain in the second half of XX – beginning of XXI century. Theoretical and methodological principles, socio-economic, socio-political prerequisites of development, major trends, and the dynamics of the concept of autonomous second language learning in the UK are well-founded. It was defined that the idea of the autonomy takes its origin from ancient philosophy, where autonomy was viewed through the prіsm of liberty and freedom of harmonious personality. Since the mid eighteenth century the idea of autonomy became among the top priorities of Western liberal thought. New socio-political and economic factors have emerged in Great Britain after World War II. In particular, the collapse of the British Empire, the mass migration of the British Commonwealth of Nation's citizens to the country, the shortage of skilled manpower, Higher Education reform, the revival movement of numerous ethnic, religious and linguistic organizations, a reaction against behaviorism, the development of adult education, the innovative educational technologies and technical training, increased demand for foreign languages learning, language software commercialization, rapid growth in the number of students. The periods of autonomous second languages learning evolution development in Great Britain are identified in the sequence and relationship of three stages: 1) Genesis of the concept ? prerequisites (the 1950s - 1960s); 2) The formation and development of the concept, its association with the individualization of education (the 1970s - 1980s); 3) Rapid development and attention to the concept under influence of innovative pedagogical technologies and interactive means of learning (the 1990s - the beginning of the twentieth century). It was found that among scientists there is no single, comprehensive understanding of the category "autonomy". But the main feature of this phenomenon is the freedom from external compulsion and ability to make decisions independently. Autonomous learning as the pedagogical category considered as the process when the student personally organizes, classifies, reflects, assesses own learning environment, with/without assistance (depending on the level of learner autonomy) teacher's directing or guidance. This learning is founded on the personal needs which are based on the student's knowledge, his/her professional, autonomous, linguistic shaped competence, ability to identify opportunities, objectives and personal learning goals, as well as to choose the appropriate curriculum, methods, learning strategies and styles, tools, techniques, ability to define deadlines and, in particular, to create and organize this learning process so that its prospective result could be acquired knowledge, experience and developed learner autonomy (its next level). It was defined that there are lots of terms that are often associated with the notions of autonomous learning/ learner autonomy. All these terms describe different degrees and methods of self-learning. Consequently, all of these phenomena are considered to be semantically close. The terms self-directed learning and self-education are the closest to the studied category. The task of a teacher in the system of autonomous learning is students’ level of learner autonomy developing to become active, responsible, competitively qualified specialist, to teach students to acquire their own most effective resources, to learn how to learn, to create a climate of cooperation, mutual respect, common help and support. Another task of a teacher is the development of learning strategies and styles for promoting the ability to plan, manage, evaluate, monitor autonomous learning and make the right decision. The ability to plan, to take responsibility and to reflect autonomous learning helps to train and update knowledge which is necessary for life. It was designed own model of autonomous second languages learning for the students of the first courses of higher educational establishments on the basis of autonomous learning models developed by scholars. Analysis of learner autonomy historical prerequisites, theory and practice allows to assert that the previous experience of the researching subject confirms the need to appeal to the development of theoretical and practical ways for introducing and implementing this concept to the national Ukrainian educational system. It is seen to be central to the achievement of the lifelong learning in order to meet the fast changing needs of the global world.
