As a learner of English as a foreign language, I can surely mention that I started to learn English due to my intrinsic motivation. Because I was highly motivated and willing to learn English, I knew that I had to seek for secondary sources of knowledge rather than the classroom practices and classes. Therefore, I sought for learning opportunities in songs, literature in general, videos and conversation with other colleagues. This way, I improved my productive skills when communicating in this language.

Hi! Interesting question. For me personally, I think that the structure of knowledge within a discipline or subject is important. Some subjects have more of a linear or hierarchical structure, where you more or less have to learn things in a special order, like very much of math as just one example. If you miss something on the way, it can be very hard to proceed. Other subjects have more of a core-and-spoke structure - learning can begin wherever in a subject field and the core of the subject can be approached from different directions, or is even permitted to appear different depending on perspective. I like personally the second kind of subjects best - like languages(?j and society-kind of But math, logic and simlar have another level of theoretical beauty...

Dear Om

"Experience of learning a subject ? -- You ask

I think of myself as an intrinsically-motivated individual, and always prone to learn new things. When I learn something new, I feel good and happy. When I start learning a new issue, I like to raise, say, irritating questions, that is, questions whose answer that leads us to advance knowledge and get a better knowledge of the unknown. I follow, say, this way of thinking while doing empirical research.

Besr regards,

Orlando

Well, as anyone I can come up with plenty of paradigms

Learning English grammar (tenses, prepositions, conditional sentences) with a teacher who emphasized in examples from everyday life, even song lyrics

Learning Mathematics (algebra, geometry) with a teacher who knew how to link this with everyday examples.

Learning science with a teacher who had 'invented' his own expressions to explain things, thanks to his unique sense of humour!

Learning history with a teacher how had a talent in acting and knew how to perform every unit as if it was a play.....

I guess it has to do with the teachers devotion to what he and she teaches and personal skills as well!

Hi!

Knowledgeable, creative and entertaining teachers are of course invaluable, but it is in the end of the day the individual learner who must have the right motivations, suitable learning conditions and enough personal energy and grit. Otherwise is good teaching wasted, although the lesson was enjoyable. Knowledge is not anything that streams between people in a physical room. Nobody would openly argue for that, but we sometimes seems to reason like that (Face-to-face situations as gold standard for learning as example).

I argue that some that we knew as good teachers were mostly good entertainers within the subject - the work and struggle to learn still remained, although somewhat scaffolded by teachers and peers (here I became suddenly Vygotskyan, I see).