Adults have previous learning experiences that they bring with them into the classroom and they may, if they are negative experiences, affect their attitude to learning now.
If, for example, they were not able to pass an English language exam in secondary school, they may bring the barrier “I’m not good at learning languages” or “English is just too difficult for me” into the classroom with them.
These psychological barriers will have a negative impact on learning.
However, so far as I can see, many adults are using the wrong way to learn new things which is basically grounded on their previous wrong perception in their formative age. These wrong perceptions are much more difficult to eradicate than a youngster so as hard to work on learning new tricks with more progress.
I don't disagree with Guyomar. I rather agree.
I moslty mean, I don't udnerstand how it works and post some related thoughts. As to the original post - at this level ("I'm not good at...") it is a fact I think. What is more interesting though, is whether it also affects the parts of brain that can't be 'controlled' directly, not jsut attitudes.
Guyomar I'm not sure it is 'affective filter' (I don't know the definition:)) but it is a barrier for sure.
I understand spoken English better when I haven't slept for 2 days and mostly can't think clearly. It is about my thought process and it is the border of 'brain' and 'psychology'. Yes, it is important to learn how this thing works.
But it is not just as simple as "I had bad grades and now I think that...". This can be the cause - but it is not about 'what I think, want and believe in. Of course I want to have lisening comrehension at my 'sleepless' level when I'm fully awake:)
There is also another thing that can't be traced to 'barriers' easily: I know sone scientists who have great ideas or can solve problems which they were unable to when in the 'border' state bettween sleep and 'still not fully asleep'. It happened to me too. Maybe it is about barriers, fo course, but maybe brain just functions differently then. You know, we don't see dreams when we are awake, we do have when we sleep and we don't think that it is a 'barrier'. Still our imagination is better when we are sleeping.
