Vygotsky
The constructivist approach to teaching is grounded in Vygotsky's theories of learning. He developed the idea that social interaction is fundamental to language learning. Children interact with people older and more knowledgeable than them in daily situations, and the children then desire to communicate effectively. As the social interactions occur again and again, the children's linguistic and communicative competences rise. The notion of "the more knowledgeable other" has direct implications for the classroom because we can incorporate a plethora of activities that engage students in dialouge-based social settings. Thinking about the individual students' Zone of Proximal Development in a social environment can also help establish a "reciprocal learning" environment, where the students and the teacher construct knowledge together (as opposed to the teacher "transferring" knowledge to the students). Vygotsky's theories are important for working with students learning English because sociocultural contexts influence learning, and our classroom is an ever-changing sociocultural hub of new experiences. The students share linguistic experiences daily, and purposefully designing tasks that match the students ZPD and their language proficiency is important. It gives their prior learning and L1 a validated place in the classroom. In particular, designing lessons/activities that give students opportunities to converse, while matching their L1 language to CALP or to abstract concepts needed for academic success, can be very powerful. Additional source: David L, "Social Development Theory (Vygotsky)," in Learning Theories, July 23, 2014, https://www.learning-theories.com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory.html Chompsky The broad approach to learning that Chompsky falls into is the nativist approach, which asserts all humans have a natural ability to gain knowledge and language. More specifically, all humans understand fundamental structures in languages, and our first language develops as we are exposed to more and more language patterns that we can match to that underlying structure. Chompsky's assertion that a Universal Language exists is being actively contested by scientists, linguists, and scholars today. These new findings suggest that multiple cognitive, biological, and social processes are involved in children's language development (see this article as a start! https://www.salon.com/2016/09/10/what-will-universal-grammar-evidence-rebuts-chomskys-theory-of-language-learning_partner/). Despite the current controversies present in the academic community, Chompsky's theories do have implications for working with English language learners. Using sentence structure and vocabulary frequently, and as a method for learning how to read and write different types of texts, is extremely helpful for ELLs who are focused on improving their CALP. Offering "key sentences" that can be used in argumentative, explanatory, procedural, and reflective writing can give students a framework in the L2 that they can match their L1 understanding to. It can help them internalize the L2 grammar more efficiently, as clear patters within the grammar can be drawn with repeated use. Lemetyinen, H. (2012). Language acquisition. SimplyPsychology. Retrieved fromwww.simplypsychology.org/language.html Skinner Behaviorists like Skinner argue that speech is shaped by adults responding to children's utterances with positive and negative reinforcement. The theory rests on the use of operant conditioning, in which positive and negative reinforcement are used to modify behaviour. Skinner's belief that language can be learned this way is almost directly at odds with Chomsky's belief that language learning is innate. Skinner's beliefs about the importance of positive reinforcement, in which a favorable result is given to the person or group after a desired behaviour is performed, has a number of implications for the classroom. While often associated with classroom management and student behavior, I think positive reinforcement is also valuable for encouraging ELL participation and productive L1 use. Responding positively to students' use of the L1 to understand course material, engage in discussion, or make cross-cultural connections may encourage their self-esteem and identity creation because these are being welcomed in the class. David L, "Classical and Operant Conditioning (Skinner)," in Learning Theories, June 19,2015, https://www.learning-theories.com/operant-conditioning-skinner.html. McLeod, S. A. (2015). Skinner - operant conditioning. Retrieved fromwww.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
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Ms. KompsonI am an enthusiastic and conscientious educator. I use my blog to connect my personal experiences and adventures to my pedagogy. Archives
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