Consciousness, Noticing, and Restructuring

Consciousness, Noticing, and Restructuring

1. Consciousness

   • The upper level of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconsious processes (Merriam Webster dictionary, 2021).
     • It relates to Explicit (analyzed) and implicit (intuitive) knowledge
     • Krashen's Monitor Theory
       • Learning is not the same as acquisition
         • Learning: conscious process. Acquisition: subconscious process.
         • There's no transfer from a system based on explicit knowledge to one where gramar knorlwdge is implicit.
     • Schmidt
       • The role of consciousness has been underestimated. Being aware of our knowledge is relevant.
   • Types
     • Awareness
       • When we know something is there
     • Intention
       • Focus on something in particular (v.g.-ed endings)
     • Knowledge
       • both explicit and implicit coexist.
         • Schmidt's research shows that there's a connection between noticing and production.
           • By analyzing Portuguese and his learning process, he states that noticed language has to be incorporated to the learner's hypothesis about structuring grammar.
             • if we receive input, we produce the equivalent output.

2. Salience

   • Ss can't be forced to notice structures they are not ready to add to their IL
     • Input Enhancement
       • T. draws ss attention to certain features for them to notice (v.g.- by using colors, highlighting). However, there's no guarantee of success.
         • But definitely, noticing some TL features can be triggered in order to activate ss' internal mechanisms for processing information.
       • Instruction can provide enhanced input.
         • ss may be aware of certain uses and structures when they hear them outside the classroom, making acquisition easier and meaningful.

3. Limited capacity processing

   • When ss are consciously paying attention to learning, their processing capacity is limited, since they are paying more attention to form than to meaning (Van Patten, 1990).
     • Higher-level students direct their attention to form in a better way than lower-level students.
       • Conscious attention to form in the input competes with conscious attention to meaning. Only when input is easily understood, learners can attend to form.

4. Noticing the gap

   • The syllabus may be unrealistic in terms of communicative purposes. However, it may serve for ss to be aware of grammar when they interact with TL outside the classroom (real contexts).
     • With that in mind, ss may be able to notice what the state of their IL is and how they can match it to the reality, guided by self-correction & input.
   • Conditions:
     • It should be meaningful for ss
     • It should be salient
     • It should be frequent
     • It should require attention to processing of form
     • It shouldn't require simultaneous attention to processing of meaning.
     • There should be enough time to notice the item.
   • There are tasks that teachers may assign for this purpose
     • Example: keeping a learning diary where ss analyze differences between L1 and TL, as well as short translation activities,
   • Reformulation and reconstruction activities can promote noticing.
     • Reformulation: ss receive certain kind of feedback , T reformulates ss written work in order to approimate it to the expected result.
     • Reconstruction: It refers to activities in which ss can listen and make notes in order to compare with the original text (for example).

5. Restructuring

   • AKA reorganization of IL including new knowledge to integrate into it.
     • It occurs because language is a complex hierarchical system whose components interact in non-linear ways. (Lightbown, 1985).
       • It can either increase errors in one area, increase accuracy in another, or simplify structures. It depends on ss interlanguage and learning processes.