Required
texts:
- Lantolf,
J. P., & Thorne, S. L. (2006). Sociocultural theory and the
sociogenesis of second language development. New York: Oxford
University Press.
- Articles
and other readings: We will utilize both traditional reading packet (to
be available at the UPS Store, (237-2552), located in the Hamilton
Shopping Center off South Atherton (5 or 6 blocks south of campus), and
readings that are available on the web (linked directly off the on-line
syllabus).
- Digital
articles (linked from online course syllabus)
In
addition to the above texts, we will draw occasional readings from a
bibliography on SCT and L2 learning to address emergent and/or
particular participant interests.
Description: This seminar
examines the application of Vygotskian and post-Vygotskian
"sociocultural theory" (also called cultural psychology and
cultural-historical activity theory) to the study of
second and foreign language (L2) learning and teaching, with relevant
extensions to more general developmental dynamics and processes. We
will focus particularly on current
research and
theorizing that builds upon, contributes to, and/or is commensurable
with cultural-historical approaches to human development. Topics to be
covered include the
following:
- history
and intellectual lineage of cultural psychology/SCT
- mediation
- higher
and lower order mental functions
- the
genetic method
- internalization
and appropriation
- the
zone of proximal development
- inner
and private speech (including gesture)
- collaborative
learning and scaffolding
- the
role of artifacts and social relationships in development
- differences
between cultural-historical
activity theory and Vygotskian "sociocultural theory"
- interface
between sociocultural research and language pedagogy
- language
testing from a sociocultural perspective
- self-regulation
in a first and other languages
- cognition
in a first and other languages
- identity
in a first and other languages
- the
relationship of SCT to other theories of cognition and
SLA
Additionally,
we will periodically discuss research in cognitive
linguistics, conceptual metaphor theory, cognitive neuroscience, and
other disciplines.
Requirements:
- Completion
of all assigned readings and active participation in seminar discussions
- Critical
reading notes/discussion ideas to be kept on a "team" blog (10 entries
minimum)
- Following
the introductory discussions, you will be required to prepare
presentations or questions based on a set of readings on a given topic.
Keeping with the spirit of sociocultural theory, these are to be done
in a collaborative format working in groups of two or three.
Written Work:
- Short
papers (2 pages) on key concepts in the theory (TBA, pending ongoing
formative assessment in class)
- You
are required to submit a seminar paper in two stages. The first
installment is an outline of your topic in prose, questions you are
asking, and a listing of the resources you have compiled for your
project – Due date is Tuesday, November 10th, 2009. The final project,
a
term paper or alternative product (consult me about possibilities), is
to be submitted no later than Tuesday, December 8th, 2009.
Paper
topics might include:
- a
pedagogical proposal, module/lesson plans, or implemented intervention
- a
theoretical inquiry
- the
theoretical framework or literature review for a masters or PhD thesis
- a
literature review of some aspect of SCT and SLA, literacy, and/or
learning and development more generally
- a
research study that utilizes sociocultural theory in some way, either
for the development of an intervention or as a research framework to
analyze data
Papers
may be done individually or collaboratively. Topics are open but the
professor will offer several suggestions that may be of interest. You
should feel free to discuss your interests with me at any time. If you
haven’t completed the on-line quiz required by the Penn State Office of
Research Control (ORC), please do so as soon as possible. This will be
necessary if you plan to undertake any empirical research involving
human participants. You will also need to submit for approval of the
ORC a plan for your study, including consent forms to be signed by the
participants. In all cases, the papers will be assessed according to
criteria that are normally used by refereed journals.
APLNG
584: Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning Coures Links
Syllabus
| Theory Links | SCT L2 Bibliography
| Course
Blogs| Blog help (how to
logon and post)
Comments or
Questions? Contact Steve Thorne |
The Pennsylvania State University