ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the rich nature of autonomy in this context, situating the experience of instrumental teachers as freelance workers and examines understandings in this working model. Examination of specific aspects of the field of instrumental teaching, including understandings about the nature and aims of activity and the extent to which practice is determined by external influences, reveal a context in which autonomy is a central feature. The field of instrumental teaching and learning corresponds to Bourdieu’s theory of fields as autonomous worlds where individuals strive to improve their status through the acquisition of capital. Autonomy is central to the working patterns and career decisions of instrumental teachers working as freelance individuals in this context. The ability to acquire teaching based on existing practical skills alone and to determine all aspects of the teaching arrangement from logistical considerations to curriculum highlights the autonomous nature of practice in this field.
