Abstract

This paper overviews the research into L2 learners' beliefs through sketching some conceptualizations of beliefs from the psychological and educational literature as they appear in SLL/FLL (Second Language Learning/Foreign Language Learning) belief research. What beliefs are, how they are formed, and how they impact on language learning are reviewed by referring to different theoretical conceptualizations and SLL/FLL research done in this area. The final part of this paper proposes a categorization which views L2 learners' beliefs as a process of progression and concludes by suggesting new directions (some questions to consider) for future research.

Key words: L2 learners, beliefs, social/cultural representations, metacognitive knowledge, self-efficacy, control-beliefs, attributions, learner conceptions.