Socio-constructivism and EFL Teaching/LearningJune 16th, 2014UNAM-Canadá

Douglas Fleming PhDAssociate Professor Faculty of EducationUniversity of Ottawa

Socio-constructivism is a sociological theory of knowledge that emphasizes the group construction of knowledge;

One learns in the context of a particular culture and a shared set of values and beliefs;

 This implies that knowledge is not fixed or permanent.

Constructivism has a long history in western philosophy:◦Heraclitus (Everything flows and changes);◦Protagoras (Man is the measure of all things);

In recent years, these notions have even penetrated how we view the physical sciences: Thomas Kuhn (paradigms: major historical shifts in scientific thought);

Recently, socio-constructionism has influenced the social sciences chiefly through the work of the Russian psychologist, Lev Vygotsky.

Vygotsky was mainly concerned with the notion of development;

We all go through a series of developments in life in which the interconnections between concepts and phenomena become more and more readily apparent;

In other words: As we grow older we develop a greater appreciation for the complexity and interconnectivity of everything around us.

1. General Genetic Cultural Development:

“Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level” (Vygotsky, 1978, 57);

This is somewhat different from Piaget’s insights about child development because it places social and cultural influences before those that are individual.

2. The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD):

“Learning and development do not coincide… Instruction is only useful when it moves ahead of development. When it does, it impels or awakens a whole set of functions that are in a stage of maturation lying in the ZPD” (Yvgotsky, 1987, 212);

This is somewhat different from Krashen’s learning and acquisition hypothesis because it conceives of a (complex) connection between instruction and development and not a separation of the two.

3. Scientific and Everyday Concepts

“The development of the scientific concept… constitutes a unique form of systematic cooperation between the teacher and the student… it occurs through the teacher’s assistance and cooperation” (Vygotsky, 1987, 168);

This is somewhat different from Lave and Wegner’s notion of communities of practice because Yvgotsky conceives of a more cooperative than a power-laden process of mentoring.

Yvgotky’s insights have been updated in a critical direction by Kincheloe (2008), who argues that in the post-modern era, inequitable power relations have been strengthened by electronic modes of communication and control;

He further argues that understanding critical constructivism is key to becoming an educator committed to social justice.

Social constructivism is potentially liberating for oppressed groups because it rejects the notion that dominant “truths” are the same for all peoples and in all situations;

However, there are some criticisms:

◦Social constructivism reduces the concept of “truth” to relativist notions. This makes judgment impossible and opens up the possibility of self-refutation;

◦A further tension arises linguistically: do we determine language or does language determine us?

What socio-constructivist notions mean for English language teachers pedagogically:

linguistic knowledge is not fixed or permanent; linguistic knowledge should not been seen as a set of static

rules, but as a complex system of interconnected practices; instruction and learning are not linear, but cyclical;social and cultural content are key components in linguistic

development; language instruction content should be slightly ahead of a

learners current competency; learning is a form of systematic cooperation between the

teacher and the student;power relations influence language learning.

Thus, in one’s practice, one:

must conduct needs assessments and tailor-make instruction for particular groups of students;

cannot assume that learners have acquired specific linguistic skills from previous instruction;

cannot assume that linguistic learning conforms to an abstract “dictionary” or “grammar compendium” form of organization;

must add social and cultural content to linguistic content in one’s curricular processes;

must conduct classes in which group work is emphasized so that students can learn from one another;

must break with authoritarian grammar and teacher-centered instruction.

The First Step: Needs Assessment

it is impossible to teach students everything; thus, class time must treat prioritized content;

EFL teaching should develop both specific language skills and autonomous learning;

autonomous learning is linked to the priorities that the students see as urgent needs;

meaningful practice in the target language and the design of pedagogical tasks must therefore be based on a negotiation between program goals and the self-identified needs of the learners.

Nation and Macalister, 2010, p.3

Dubin and Olshtain, 1986

The Second Step: Planning Group Work

AdvantagesGenerates interactive language;Embraces affective climate;Promotes learner responsibility and autonomy;Gives opportunity for individualized instruction.

(Poor) Excuses for not doing group work Teacher no longer in control;Learners will use first language;Errors will be reinforced;Teachers can’t monitor all groups;Some learners prefer to work alone.

Tasks for the teacher: Select appropriate groups Pair or larger group; Mix and match students with different skill levels; Mix and match students in terms of other identity factors. Tasks for the teacher: Typical group tasks Games; Role-play and simulations; Drama; Projects; Interviews; Brainstorming; Information gap; Jigsaw (including strip stories); Problem-solving; Opinion exchange.

Tasks for the teacher: Executing Introduce technique;Justify use;Model;Give explicit instructions;Divide class AFTER giving instructions;Check for clarification;Set task in motion.

Tasks for the teacher: Monitor task

Tasks for the teacher: Debrief

group discussion questions:

How do/should you conduct needs assessments?What are the alternatives to organizing linguistic

content in terms of abstract “dictionary” or “grammar compendium” forms of organization?

How do/should you organize group work? How do/should you break down authoritarian

teacher-centered instruction?How do/should you add social and cultural content

to linguistic content in your curricular processes?How should socio-constructivist lesson planning

and curriculum development proceed in the Mexican EFL (as opposed to an ESL) context?