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Merits and demerits of language teaching approaches
Strengths and limitations of sociocultural theory
Vygotsky language development theory
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Interationists on the other hand believe that learning takes place when students interact with each other and the teacher. The founder of the theory, Long (1983, 1996) believed that acquisition of vocabulary takes place when meanings are “negotiated”. This is considered when students start working with each other and start to go through cognitive process of checking what they have learned, the meaning of words and looking for clarification. Beginning
Another theory is Vygotsky’s (1978) theory. In his theory which is called the sociocultural theory, it is believed that language learning is a social activity and is mediated by language. He believes that learning occurs when an expert of the language assists the learner by using language and
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Claim’s made for synchronous learning by researchers also say that "in the hands of professors who know what they are doing, online instruction is superior to face-to-face instruction" (Feenberg, 1999; Harasim, Hiltz, Teles, & Turoff, 1995). Beginning
Synchronous learning also claims that it can be more effective in terms of class time and time spent on tasks, and also helps in the student centeredness of classes and less of teacher centered classes, which gives more time for complex language (Chun, 1994; Kern, 1995). It has been supported that it helps for better empowerment, autonomy, equality, and enhances critical thinking skills (see Kroonenberg, 1994/1995; Warschauer, Turbee, & Roberts, 1996).Asynchronous learning also creates opportunities in second language learning (Cummins & Sayers, 1995). Beginning
As Abrams (2003) mentions asynchronous method gives more time to the students to think and answer than synchronous to answer. The synchronous mode limits the student in the way that one has to response immediately and cannot use other resources, whereas asynchronous mode gives one more time to think and plan his or her
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The roots of synchronous teaching can be date back to the use of closed circuit television in the campus university in decade of 1940. Video conferencing and interactive television which connected remote classrooms came into work in the 1980’s, which allowed students to ask their questions and have discussion’s (Bernard et al., 2004). “Synchronous communication and collaboration tools, such as synchronous text chat, audio-conferencing, video-conferencing, and white boards, are increasingly important components of online learning” (National Center for Accessible Media, 2005). The users of synchronous mode are not limited to individuals and can be multiply used, which have become common teaching applications, though they are considered optional course features (Burnett, 2003).
The efficiency of online learning versus face-to-face instruction is a growing controversial topic. In his article, “Can You Be Educated from a distance?”, James Barszcz weighs the benefits and disadvantages of online education. In his essay, he discusses the fundamentals and overall quality of distance education, as well as the rationale behind the growing trend. He argues that observation of teachers and social aspects of traditional learning are important for true education, rather than simply obtaining information. Barszcz uses thorough juxtaposition between distance and traditional classrooms unbiasedly so the differences between the two types of education are easily seen, while constant use of studies and surveys add justification to his argument.
Sociocultural theory was introduced by the psychologist Lev Vygotsky, a contemporary of Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner. Vygotsky believed that parents, caregivers and the culture at large were responsible for a child's cognitive development, especially in regards to the development of higher order functions. From this perspective, when children are participating in an activity with a peer, caregiver or parent, their actions are based upon the environment in which they learned to navigate social relationships. As children age, their personalities and capacities are further developed by their interactions in a particular society, determined by cultural and historical events. A sociocultural perspective would be utilized in a situation in which
Bandura’s social cognitive theory, relates to the way Student A acts. Bandura’s theory focuses on observational learning like imitating and modeling, which Student A does through out the days I have observed. When the teacher teaches her how to say a word, student A imitates the lip movement and sounds the teacher makes. “People acquire a wide range of behaviors, thought, and feelings through observing others’ behaviors and that these observations form an important part of children’s development” (Santrock, 2010, p. 31). As I observed Student A, I saw how she always focused on what the teacher was doing, she would do exactly what the teacher was doing, on my fourth observation, when they were doing math, student A was doing exactly
Lev Semenovich Vygotsky, a Constructive Learning theorist, was born and raised in a small Russian village called Orscha. He grew up in a well educated family, where his father was a banker. Throughout his early childhood, Vygotsky was tutored at home by a paid teacher. It wasn’t until he was a junior in high school when Vygotsky had his first experience with public schools. Vygotsky was always an exceptional student who enjoyed spending his free time writing. By the time Vygotsky turned 18, he wrote and published his first essay entitled “Hamlet”. Although he had a love for philosophy, history, and literature, in 1913 Vygotsky enrolled at the University of Moscow as a medical student. It didn’t take long for him to realize the medical field wasn’t his calling, so he transferred to the school of law. While attending law school, Vygotsky also enrolled in Shaniavsky University to pursue a degree in history and philosophy, which he remained so passionate about.
Lev Vygotsky(1896-1934) was a Russian psychologist who created the Social Development Theory/ Sociocultural Theory. Vygotsky believed that children's mental, language, and social development is supported and enhanced through social interaction. Vygotsky also believed that beginning at birth, children seek out adults for social interactions and that development occurs through these interactions. The belief that social development sets a precedent for development(appeals to the nurture side of development). The general idea from this theory is that being aware, consciousness, and cognition are the end results of socialization and social interaction. It stated that, "Sociocultural approaches to learning and development were first systematized and applied by Vygotsky and his collaborators in Russia in the 1920s and 1930s. They are based on the concept that human activities take in cultural contexts, are mediated by language and other symbol systems, and can be best understood when investigated in their historical development(John-Steiner & Mahn, 1996)." At the core of this theory, " Vygotsky focused on the way that a child co-constructs meaning through social interaction, and the role word meaning plays in the development of thinking(Mahn, 1999)."
Lev Semenovich Vygotsky is a sociocultural theorist that believed cognitive development occurs within ones environment and social interactions. People are a product of their environment and will likely retain information and acquire similar ideas to those that are around them. Vygotsky had multiple ideas supporting his theory, such as cultural tools, psychological tools, language, scaffolding, and the zone of proximal development.
Pearcy, Mark. “Student, Teacher, Professor: Three Perspectives on Online Education.” History Teacher 27.2 (2014): 169-185. Education Research Complete. Web. 2 April 2014.
Vygotsky believed that learning and cognitive development were significantly influenced by social interactions that occur with in a particular sociocultural environment. There are four major influences on cognitive development.
Social constructivism was developed by Vygotsky. His theory of learning highlights the role which social and cultural interactions play in the learning process. Vygotsky states that learning is co-constructed and that individuals learn from each other. He rejected the assumption made by Piaget that it was possible to separate learning from its social context. He believed that constructivists such as Piaget had overlooked the essentially social nature of language and consequently failed to understand that learning is a collaborative process.
The aim of this essay is to explore language acquisition and compare and contrast different theories of language acquisition and language development. Language in its most basic form is used to communicate our needs and wants. It encompasses a range of modes of delivery including signing, spoken and written words, posture, eye contact, facial expressions and gestures. So how do we learn ‘language’? Are we born with the skills for communication, or is it something that we have to learn or have taught to us? Four theories are looked at in this essay to determine how children acquire and then develop language. These theories include behaviourist, nativist, cognitivist and sociocultural. This essay will highlight some similarities and differences in each theory and what impact these have on a child’s acquisition and development of language. Lastly we will look at the implications of these theories when working with children. Can a classroom teacher deliver a quality literacy program based on just one of these theories or does it need to incorporate components of all four? Sims, (2012) pp. 21 states ‘’High-quality learning experiences in the early years of life enhance children’s cognitive and language skills’’. This places a great responsibility on educators and teachers alike to provide an environment which is rich in learning opportunities that will encourage both the acquisition and development of language.
For decades, foreign language teachers wandered in a scientific abyss. Until 1983, there had been little real research dealing with the ways in which someone acquires a second language. Teachers mostly used the audiolingual classroom model that had been in place for the past twenty years (or, even worse, the literally ancient grammatical translation model that had been used by civilizations millennia old). Clearly, language teaching methodology was in a poor situation. In 1983, however, Krashen published the results of an unprecedented body of research and paved the way for a revolution in our field. His five-point hypothesis focused on the difference between the acquisition of and the learning of a second language. Krashen has his detractors, of course, not the least of whom are American school districts, which have been reluctant to implement his teachings. Most experts agree, however, that his ideas are the most meritorious of the theories in circulation now, and schools that refuse to incorporate them are doing their students a disservice.
As the global communities migrate from their native home lands to new countries and regions, the need to learn a new language becomes an imminent requirement. Learning second language for an individual with not back ground to the language can be a serious proposition which can results in seriously straining the individual. This makes it very important to select a learning strategy very carefully to prevent complicating the learning process and also one which will help speed up the entire learning process (Bitchener 2007). With this in mind there are three main approaches linked to learning a 2nd language namely the behaviourist, Halliday’s and Chomsky’s approaches. Each of these adopts different learning theories but that all promote
People have a lot of options in educating themselves online in today’s time and technology. Online education has improved a lot in the past twenty years. Even though it has had its setbacks, it continues to show promising results. Online education has many benefits with little to no disadvantages. It provides flexibility in scheduling and offers various options in educational online programs. In the past decade, education has evolved into a more technological-driven world.
Furthermore, some may suggest that online learning is benefiting our students in society. There has been a breakthrough in time and geographical limitations of education via online courses (Ho, 2009). Online education is cost-effective, efficient, and easily accessible (Schmeeckle, 2003). Online classes are used for individual and independent learning in which the student can learn at their own pace (Gonzalez, 2009). Not only is online education beneficial for breaking down barriers, online education has the potential to help students learn material more efficiently. Students are more likely to seek help from their instructors when the material is taught online (Whipp & Lorentz, 2009). Computer use in statistical classes could help decrease math anxiety (Gundy, Morton, Liu, & Kline, 2006). In a study that measured online students’ ability to achieve the same efficiency of course material as face-to-face students, at least 98% of students reported that they had, so one may be lead to believe that online learning is just as efficient as face-to-face courses (Liebowitz, 2003). With all of the positive aspects of online education, one may wonder why there is any debate as to whether or not online education is beneficial for
Online learning, also known as distance learning or online learning, has become a new and successful means of receiving an education in a highly technologically enhanced environment (Regan, Evmenova, Baker, Jerome, Spencer, Lawson, & Werner, 2012). Kaymak and Horzum (2013) defined online learning as using Internet technology to gain knowledge and skills through the use of synchronous and asynchronous learning tools. Allen and Seaman (2013) stated that about 6.7 million students attending colleges and universities across the United States were successfully enrolled in at least one online course in 2011. There is an increased interest in online learning that continues to grow as a result of the amplified demands from the work place and the escalating availability of nontraditional educational options and providers (Allen & Seaman, 2008).