Cambourne's Conditions of Learning:

A Model of Learning as it Applies to Literacy

Learners need to be immersed in text of Immersion

all kinds.
Engagement
Learners need to receive many
demonstrations of how texts are Demonstration
constructed and used.
Engagement occurs
Expectations of those to whom learners are when learners are
bonded are powerful coercers of learners' convinced that:
behaviors. "We achieve what we expect to 1. they are potential
achieve; we fail if we expect to fail; we are Expectations doers or performers
more likely to engage with demonstrations of these
of those whom we regard as significant and demonstrations;
who hold high expectations for us. 2. engaging with these
demonstrations will
Probability of further the purposes
engagement is increased of their lives;
if these conditions are 3. they can engage
also optimally present. and try to emulate
without fear of
Learners need to make their own decisions physical or
about when, how, and what "bits" to learn psychological hurt
in any learning task. Learners who lose the Responsibility if their attempts are
ability to make decisions are not fully correct.
disempowered.

Learners need time and opportunity to use,

employ, and practice their developing Employment
control in functional, realistic, and non-
artificial ways.

Learners must be free to approximate the

desired model - "mistakes" are essential for Approximations
learning to occur.
Helping learners to
make these decisions
Learners must receive feedback from
exchanges with more knowledgeable constitutes the artistic
others. Response must be relevant, Response dimensions of teaching.
appropriate, timely, readily available, and It is difficult for
non-threatening, with no strings attached. teachers who dislike
children.

From: Cambourne, Brian. (1995) "Toward An Educationally Relevant Theory Of Literacy Learning:
Twenty Years Of Inquiry". The Reading Teacher, Vol. 49, No. 3.