2009/11/03 by Sarah Mercer, Stephen Ryan · 261 citations
Arts and Humanities · Psychology · #Computer science #Construct (python library) #Context (archaeology) #EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning #Epistemology #Exploratory research #Linguistic Education and Pedagogy #Mathematics education #Mindset #Natural (archaeology) #Pedagogy #Political science #Psychology #Relevance (law) #Second Language Learning and Teaching #Social science #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1093/elt/ccp083
published in ELT Journal 64(4), 436-444 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2009/11/03 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
This article explores the role of the psychological construct of ‘implicit theories’ or ‘mindsets’ in the context of foreign language learning. It considers psychology-based research of the construct in respect to the EFL context and reports on a small exploratory study using interviews carried out with tertiary-level learners in Austria and Japan. The authors wish to argue for the relevance and importance of the construct for ELT, explore some of the potential issues raised by the initial study, and consider some of the pedagogical implications arising from both the literature and the findings.