“Noticing hypothesis,”
Abstract
Since the 1990s, Schmidt's noticing hypothesis has been viewed as one of the most influential theoretical underpinnings in the SLA field for its contribution to the centralization of the roles of both attention and awareness (consciousness) in the L2 learning process. This entry provides a concise review of the major tenets of Schmidt's noticing hypothesis and, based on his hypothesis, the subsequent empirical findings on learners' cognitive processes involved during the early (intake) and later (knowledge) stages of the L2 learning process, as revealed by two online data‐elicitation procedures (think‐aloud protocols and eye‐trackers) employed to operationalize and measure the constructs of attention and awareness. Samples of psycholinguistics‐based classroom tasks and activities premised on the roles of attention, noticing, and depth of processing are provided, with pedagogical implications that warrant a renewed view of explicit learning, that is, learning with awareness, in the classroom setting.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Cites
The Role of Consciousness in Second Language Learning1
SCHMIDT, R. W. (1990) · Applied Linguistics · doi:10.1093/applin/11.2.129 · Cited by 4,910 · see citing works
The Psychology of the Language Learner Revisited
Dornyei, Z., & Ryan, S. (2015) · doi:10.4324/9781315779553 · Cited by 1,518 · see citing works
Schmidt, R. (2001) · Cognition and Second Language Instruction · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139524780.003 · Cited by 1,322 · see citing works
Awareness and Second Language Acquisition
Schmidt, R. (1992) · Annual Review of Applied Linguistics · doi:10.1017/s0267190500002476 · Cited by 825 · see citing works
Implicit and Explicit Learning of Languages
VanPatten, B., & Rothman, J. (2015) · Studies in bilingualism · doi:10.1075/sibil.48 · Cited by 609 · see citing works
Noticing in second language acquisition: a critical review
Truscott, J. (1998) · Second language Research · doi:10.1191/026765898674803209 · Cited by 331 · see citing works
Explicit Learning in the L2 Classroom
Leow, R. P. (2015) · doi:10.4324/9781315887074 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
Self-citationNoticing and Second Language Acquisition: Studies in Honor of Richard Schmidt.
Bergsleithner, J. M., Frota, S. N., & Yoshioka, J. (2013) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Computerized Task‐Based Exposure, Explicitness, Type of Feedback, and Spanish L2 Development
Rosa, E. M., & Leow, R. P. (2004) · Modern Language Journal · doi:10.1111/j.0026-7902.2004.00225.x · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Cerezo, L., Caras, A., & Leow, R. P. (2016) · Studies in Second Language Acquisition · doi:10.1017/s0272263116000139 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Research in Classroom Learning
Leow, R. P. 1. (2019) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315165080 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
A Psycholinguistic Approach to Technology and Language Learning
(2015) · De Gruyter eBooks · doi:10.1515/9781614513674 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Intentional and Incidental L2 Learning
Leow, R. P., & Zamora, C. C. (2017) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315676968-3 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Explicit learning and depth of processing in the instructed setting: Theory, research, and practice
Leow, R. P. (2018) · Studies in English Education · doi:10.22275/see.23.4.01 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Leow, R. P., Cerezo, L., Caras, A., & Cruz, G. (2019) · Language learning and language teaching · doi:10.1075/lllt.52.08leo · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Zhuang, J. (2019) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315165080-27 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Academic integrity in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) authoring apps
Yeo, M. A. (2023) · TESOL Journal · doi:10.1002/tesj.716 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Xodabande, I., Pourhassan, A., & Valızadeh, M. (2021) · Journal of Computers in Education · doi:10.1007/s40692-021-00197-6 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Xodabande, I., Atai, M. R., & Hashemi, M. R. (2024) · Journal of Computers in Education · doi:10.1007/s40692-024-00347-6 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Less-proficient EFL students' use of Grammarly in writing: Behavior, cognition, and affect
Anastasia, W., Murtisari, E. T., & Isharyanti, N. (2024) · The JALT CALL Journal · doi:10.29140/jaltcall.v20n1.1089 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
The role of linguistic structure in the perceptions of vernacular speech
Davydova, J., & Hazen, K. (2021) · English World-Wide A Journal of Varieties of English · doi:10.1075/eww.00073.dav · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Fostering autonomy in learners with special needs: a specialized e-learning course
Tóthová, L., & Sedláčková, J. (2021) · Language Learning in Higher Education · doi:10.1515/cercles-2021-2022 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Improving Young Learners’ L2 Writing Accuracy with Written Corrective Feedback: a Case Study
Cao, Z. (2021) · English Teaching & Learning · doi:10.1007/s42321-020-00071-1 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
On EFL Learners' Awareness of their Writing Abilities and Preferences
AlKadi, S. Z., & Madini, A. A. (2019) · International Journal of Education · doi:10.5296/ije.v11i2.14775 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Shabani, G., & Dogolsara, S. A. (2023) · Journal of Psycholinguistic Research · doi:10.1007/s10936-023-09972-1 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Humour Integrated Language Learning (HILL)
Heidari‐Shahreza, M. A. (2024) · European Journal of Humour Research · doi:10.7592/ejhr.2024.12.2.881 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Rizcallah, Y., & Parlak, Ö. (2025) · System · doi:10.1016/j.system.2025.103722 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Mu, Y., & Wasuntarasophit, S. (2025) · LEARN Journal : Language Education and Acquisition Research Network · doi:10.70730/sfkp2045 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Biliteracy in Bilingual Programs: Understanding how Children Read Dual‐Language Books
Domke, L. M. (2023) · The Reading Teacher · doi:10.1002/trtr.2271 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Akbulut, S., Şimşek, B., Direkci, B., Koparan, B., Gülmez, M., Şimşek, E. E., & Kayır, G. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1798613
“First and foremost, it is considered a fundamental condition for learning that the learner notices the new words present in the language input and directs their attention to these elements (Leow, 2019; Schmidt, 1990; Winke, 2013).”
Implicit agent se -constructions
Rodríguez-Castro, M., & Godev, C. B. (2024) · Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics · doi:10.1075/resla.22022.rod
Gentil, G., & Séror, J. (2025) · Alsic · doi:10.4000/14jwm
Reading as a Stimulus for Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition
Reynolds, B. L. (2025) · Springer texts in education · doi:10.1007/978-981-95-1592-9_1
- Authors
- Leow, R. P.
- Affiliations
- Georgetown University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Leow, Ronald P.
- ORCID
- Leow, Ronald P.
- Venue
- The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-12-29
- Pages
- 1-7
- OpenAlex
- W4235320016
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2019: 1
- Type
- reference entry
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Subtitles and Audiovisual Media
- Keywords
- noticing hypothesis, second language acquisition, attention, awareness, consciousness, explicit learning, levels of processing, think-aloud, eye tracking, cognitive processes in language learning, classroom activities
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review