Writing Resources
Beliefs are the most important components in every discipline which deals with human behavior and learning Fishbein Ajzen 1975 Ajzen 1988 In one sense beliefs or personal myths about learning do not differ from the majority of myths about the human race nor do they differ from those of the majority of psychologists and educators Bruner Piaget Rogers Socrates and Kelly belived myths about learning and the controversy about the relative advantages of their myths has hidden the more interesting congruence which each learner constructs a viable myth of their own Harri Augstein 1985 In the classroom context beliefs attitudes and metacognitive knowledge that learners bring with them to the learning situation have been recognized as a significant contributory factor in the learning process and ultimate success Breen 2001 For example second or foreign language students may hold strong beliefs about the nature of the language under study its difficulty the process of its acquisition the success of certain learning strategies the advent of aptitude their own expectations about achievement and teaching methodologies Identification of these beliefs and reflection on their potential impact on language learning and teaching in general as well as in more specific areas such as the learners expectations and strategies used can inform future syllabus design and teacher practice in the course Pedagogy has the capacity to provide the opportunities and conditions within which these learner contributions are found to have a positive effect upon learning and may be more fully engaged Breen 2001 Arnold 1999
