Due to pandemic situation, students are expected to develop their responsibility to their own learning. To shape this attitude, Self-directed learning method is one of methods used by teachers. This study is aimed to investigate the implementation of self-directed learning method in reading class and explore a teacher’ perception about self-directed learning implementation to promote learners’ autonomy. This study utilizes classroom action research. A collaborative teacher and researchers prepared teaching scenarios and reading comprehension test as the instrument used in this study. Forty students of a vocational school in Samarinda that were selected based on purposive sampling, participated in this study. The data obtained in this study are from reading comprehension test and transcription of interview. The teaching activities were conducted asynchronously. The collaborative teacher utilized Whatsapp Group and Google Classroom. Before having self-directed learning implementation, the students were given pre test of reading comprehension. And after six meeting, the students completed post test of reading comprehension. In analyzing the data, the researchers used t-test. The findings indicated that self-directed learning method affect students’ reading comprehension. It is showed that students’ mean score in pre test is 63, whereas the mean score in post test is 73. From t-test computation, it shows that t-value is higher than the critical value (3,051 > 1, 686).  Related to the self-directed learning implementation, the teacher perceived positively with some concerns, that is time allotment, clarity of task instruction, and technology competence.

Keywords: Self-directed learning, reading comprehension, online learning, asynchronous platform