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Cited by 45EFL/ESL Teaching and LearningEducational and Psychological AssessmentsSecond Language Acquisition and Learning

Sociocultural theory and second language pedagogy

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van Compernolle, Rémi A, Williams, Lawrence·2013·Language Teaching Research
DOI 10.1177/1362168813482933
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Abstract

Vygotskian sociocultural theory of mind (SCT) has attracted the attention of second language (L2) researchers and educators since the publication of the papers of Frawley and Lantolf (Frawley & Lantolf, 1985; Lantolf & Frawley, 1984). Since that time, SCT-informed research has become an established part of the landscape of L2 acquisition (SLA), pedagogy, and assessment (Lantolf & Thorne, 2006), as evidenced by the growing number of journal articles and book chapters, dissertations, edited volumes, and books focused on SCT, as well as the presence of SCT in handbooks and other reference texts centered on theories of SLA (see Center for Language Acquisition, 2012). The majority of this research has, however, used SCT as a theoretical lens through which to interpret questions related to SLA rather than as a theoretical motivation for designing L2 pedagogies. In fact, as pointed out by Lantolf (2008), it was not until Negueruela’s (2003) doctoral research that Vygotsky’s proposals were systematically incorporated into a coherent L2 pedagogical program. Since then, a number of studies (including several doctoral theses) have been conducted to explore the impact of SCT-informed pedagogies on adult SLA (e.g. papers in Lantolf & Poehner, 2008). This research has included, centrally, work on dynamic assessment and concept-based instruction, but also perspectives on other forms of social, or human, mediation intentionally introduced into L2 educational contexts in order to promote development. The importance of pedagogical activity for SCT cannot be understated. Indeed, one has to acknowledge that Vygotsky did not conceive of pedagogies derived from his proposals to be mere applications of the theory; that is, the application of theoretically informed teaching ‘techniques’. Instead, pedagogical intervention was itself part and parcel of further developing the theory and of continuing to understand not only the nature of human cognition but, crucially, the processes by which the mind develops (e.g. Vygotsky, 1997). This is what Vygotsky referred to as ‘praxis’; the unification of theory and practical activity. As Lantolf and Poehner (2011) explain: 482933 LTR17310.1177/1362168813482933Language Teaching ResearchEditorial 2013

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  1. Negueruela, E. (2003). A sociocultural approach to teaching and researching second language: Systemic-theoretical instruction and second language development. Unpublished PhD thesis, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
  2. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in society: The development of higher mental processes . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  3. Vygotsky, L.S. (1997). Educational psychology . Boca Raton, FL: St. Lucie Press.

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Authors
van Compernolle, R. A., & Williams, L.
Affiliations
  • Carnegie Mellon University, USA
  • University of North Texas (US)
ORCID
Williams, Lawrence
Venue
Language Teaching Research
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2013-06-12
Volume
17
Issue
3
Pages
277-281
ISSN
  • 1362-1688 (ISSN-L)
  • 1477-0954
DOI
10.1177/1362168813482933
OpenAlex
W2128174045
Cited by
45
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
Language Teaching Research (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational and Psychological Assessments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
Keywords
sociocultural theory, second language teaching, dynamic assessment, concept-based instruction, human mediation, praxis, adult second language acquisition

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