Theme: learner-centred approaches to teaching and learner autonomy contents: introduction

Autonomy and Consciousness

Intrinsically related to the previous discussion about the role of metacognition is the debate about the role of consciousness in language learning. It is also related to learner autonomy, as autonomous learning requires metacognitive awareness and awareness is a form of consciousness. Schmidt (1995) identifies four different types of consciousness:

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  consciousness as intention: is learning on purpose, intentional versus incidental
  
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  consciousness as attention: noticing and focusing
  
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  consciousness as awareness: having knowledge of learning
  
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  consciousness as control : automatised performance of tasks
  

Van Lier (1996) gives a useful analogy to clarify the differences between these different types of consciousness; the unconscious person is in a coma, the unaware goes through life in a daze, and the inattentive person will sooner or later get run over by a car. Schmidt (1995) suggests that people may not be aware of learning, but do need to notice things in order to learn them. He summarises:
Attention is required for all learning...I have also argued that detection (in the information processing sense), subjective awareness at the level of noticing, and learning all coincide. Learning at the higher level of understanding also seems crucial in most cases, and where generalisation without awareness does seem to take place this is accomplished through simple associative learning applied to a rich memory base, rather than the unconscious induction of abstract rules. (p.45)
He concludes by giving learners advice on how to learn, telling them to pay attention to input, to compare between native speakers’ language and their own and build hypotheses on this. He finishes by saying that “nothing comes for free”, which is what is relevant to our discussion of learner autonomy. Research on the “good language learner” has found that learners who are more active participants in the learning process generally outperform those who are less active. Research on strategy use has found that better learners use more strategies and that they use them in a more flexible way. Linking this to the study of consciousness in learning, it seems that a deliberate or at least an attentive conscious effort has to be made for learners to learn the most. This is probably also where motivation plays a role. Motivation makes us more active, makes us want things and do our best to achieve them. Paying attention, comparing, building hypotheses, are all characteristics of the autonomous language learner. The more autonomous the language learners are, the more consciously involved in the learning process they generally become.