A Critical Examination of the Beliefs about Learning a Foreign Language at Primary School

". .those who notice most Ieam most, and it may be that those who notice most
are those who pay attention most as a general disposition or on a particular
occasion." (Schm dt, 1990:144)

Allwright & BaiIey (1991) refer to the attentive Ieamer as the 'receptive' learner
and state that:

". .even though Krashen has suggested (for example, 1982) that language
acquis tion which occurs outside Ofconscious awareness is more effective than
conscious learning...Newmark (1972) once argued that language teaching is
sibove all a matter of getting and keeping learner's attention...and Van Lier
suggested that the Iearnefs attention is the key component whidh converts
input into intake." (Allwright & Bailey, 1991:169)

Attention and concentration are especially important in noticing language at the
input stage when the learner makes first contact with new language material but
attention and concentration are also necessary at al other stages of the
learning process. Children must be abe to listen actively, to concentrate and
focus in order to benefit from input and they need to be attentive during tasks as
time spent on task is as crucial in foreign language teaming as in any other
learning.

Asher & Price (1967) and Asher (1969 suggested Ihat Oder learners were
much more able to pay attention over periods of time. Ashertested the physical
responses Olfchild and adult English-speaking learners of Russ an and found
that older learners were far Superiorthan younger ones:

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