Consciousness in EFL Performances

In an attempt to identify highly probable causes of poor EFL performances, certain intriguing data of 11 common errors collected from 23 university students' listening and reading for correction of a short conversation of three people, with a questionnaire regarding their knowledge of the situational context, were analysed and interpreted within a theoretical framework of consciousness and the intonation unit (Chafe 1974, 1980, 1994), compatible with some important philosophical and psychological theories. The results: situational understanding does not always guarantee good EFL performances; the 11 errors were not attributable to hearing problems; consciousness appropriate for literacy and formal schooling appeared to be the major cause, which was inappropriate for a communicative use of English. Re-shaping of consciousness was suggested, with a warning against the ‘grammar consciousness raising’ approach.