SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY AND THE PEDAGOGICAL IMPERATIVE IN L2 ED IBD

Sinopse

Explicating clearly and concisely the full implication of a praxis-oriented language pedagogy, this book argues for an approach to language teaching grounded in a significant scientific theory of human learning-a stance that rejects the consumer approach to theory and the dichotomy between theory and practice that dominates SLA and language teaching. This approach is based on VygotskyâÇÖs sociocultural theory, according to which the two activities are inherently connected so that each is necessarily rooted in the other, practice is the research laboratory where the theory is tested. From the perspective of language education, this is what is meant by the âÇÖpedagogical imperative.âÇÖá Sociocultural Theory and the Pedagogical Imperative in L2 EducationâÇó Elaboratesá a new approach to dealing with the relationship between theory and practice-an approach grounded in praxis-the dialectical unity of theory and practiceâÇó Presents an analysis of empirical research illustrating praxis-based principles in real language classrooms âÇó Brings together cognitive linguistics and sociocultural theory âöÇ the former provides the theoretical knowledge of language required of praxis and the latter furnishes the theoretical principles of learning and development also called for in a praxis approachâÇó Offers recommendations for redesigning teacher education programs Its timely focus on the theory-practice gap in language education and its original approach to bridging it put this book at the cutting edge of thinking about Vygotskian sociocultural theory in applied linguistics and SLA.