How to best learn a language? How to exercise and practice one’s writing, reading, listening and speaking skills in the target language? There are many theories developed, but one of them; the sociocultural theory is interesting to me, as it can be related to digital collaborative writing tools, i.e. Wikispaces.
Could introducing tablets or wireless devices like the Kindle in schools enhance student collaboration and language learning?
The Sociocultural SLA theory basis some of its theories on Vygotsky’s theory of internalization, ZPD (zone of proximal development) and Jerome Bruner’s theories of instructional scaffolding. Questions like whether language learning develops internally or with assistance from others are at its core. Sociocultural theory bases itself on the dialogue.
(…) “collaborative dialogue” – dialogue in which speakers are engaged in problem solving and knowledge building.” Hence it is not the dialogue of the interaction hypothesis in which people exchange information, that is, communication, but an educational dialogue in which people create new knowledge, that is learning. Dialogue provides not so much negotiation for meaning, as assistance in internalization. (Cook:230)
“An educational dialogue” might be what takes place in a session where a tool like Wikispaces is being utilized, that is, under ideal circumstances. One needs motivated students who are willing to learn through supporting each other, and I am inclined to say that they have to in order to succeed. I have just started using Wikispaces as a collaborative writing tool after some successful attempts using Google Docs with the students. I am interested in what happens when students collaborate in this fashion, and how it might enhance “the educational dialogue” and “create new knowledge” in a collaborative way. I hope to find out.
Vivian Cook’s Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (Hodder Education, 2008) Online resource.
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
No Comments