An Update on Transformational Learning

In my experience teaching at ALCC, I have encountered many students who have had a profound sense of change that ties into the principle of transformational learning. In talking with students and their motivations for learning English, some have been very clearly influenced by external motivations, such as job placement, the TOEFL exam and a desire to help their children with school studies. Other students have experienced a kind of shift in perception and personal views. This kind of shift can be described as a “disorienting dilemma.” The idea is that some kind of event, or series of events trigger a change in how one normally views certain precepts. This transformational learning process doesn’t happen all at once; it takes time and can occur over a period of many years. One of my students, Amandeep, describes how his perception of learning English changed from being purely functional (related to his workplace environment) to having broader views on learning English as a way to understand the culture and “broaden his horizons.” He saw the importance of learning English, of learning any language in particular as a way to connect people and create communities. For Amandeep, learning English is part of a broader tapestry that is ongoing and not necessarily fixed on one point.