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Speaking to many minds: on the relevance of different types of language information for the L2 learner

1991; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 7; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/026765839100700204

2451-8719

Michael Sharwood Smith,

Multilingual Education and Policy

This paper re-analyses the notion of consciousness raising in language learning. The process by which language input becomes salient to the learner is termed 'input enhancement'. This process can come about as a result of deliberate manipulation, or it can be the natural outcome of some internal learning strategy. It can vary quantitatively and qualitatively, not necessarily involv ing conscious analysis of rules. Externally induced salience may not neces sarily be registered by the learner and even when it is registered, it may not affect the learning mechanisms per se. Certain inferences are made about the interpretation of learner performance and ways of measuring it.