Notes on Theorists

Jumping into this elective with no background in applied linguistics (and an outdated background in education) has been difficult in the sense that I don't know much about the key theorists. I'm using this space to jot down the names of various theorists we've covered in this class, the years they published said theories, and a bit about their theories and ideas.

Cameron (2001) – There may be a tendency to patronize young learners by only teaching them numbers and colors, but young learners are capable of following their genuine interests in a foreign language and this also helps them see the value in learning a FL. A holistic way to teach is through stories.

Prensky (2001) – using digital technology changes brain structure J
Carr (2011) – using digital technology changes brain structure L

Kress (2010) and Jewitt (2009) – 21st century literacy is multimodal and includes images, video, text, and sounds
Gee (2011) – disagrees and uses literacy to mean text-based only

Buckingham (2007) – digital literacy requires students to be able to create as well as consume digital media (Walker and White agree)

Pinter (2011) – the “critical period” of language acquisition is only true for pronunciation skills

Gee (2005) – “affinity spaces” physical or virtual places in which people develop relationships and discourse communities based on shared interests – social networking, for example (almost a community of practice, but not quite

Gee (2007) – benefits of video games for learning, reading and deciphering texts which might otherwise be above their reading level

Lightbrown and Spada (2006) – “natural language settings” aka immersion, focus is on communication rather than accuracy

Papert (1993) – using Mathland of Logo to learn math through communication

Bruner (1978) – “communicative ratchet” – the way parents scaffold language for infants

Lave and Wenger (1991) – “communities of practice”

Warschauer and Kern (2000) – Computer Assisted Language Learning developed in 3 phases, which aligned with dominant paradigms of language learning and technology: 1) structural, 2) communicative, 3) integrative

Bax (2003) – alternative model to Warschauer, has “approaches to CALL” rather than phases (less linear than Warschauer’s): 1) restricted CALL, 2) open CALL, 3) integrated CALL (will be achieved when the technology is fully normalized

Taylor (1980) – Computer can play the role of Tutor, Tutee, or Tool

Papert (1993) – learning experience is strongest when learners are involved in making – creating a product or teaching/explaining to others. He proposed Logo/Mathland to help kids learn math like a language.

Socio-Cultural Theories: Learning occurs more effectively when people are working together

Vygotsky (1978) – social-constructivism, learning is constructed first through social interaction and then on the individual plane. Learning takes place through the zone of proximal development (ZPD) – the gap between what a learner already knows and what a learner can achieve when working with a more able peer.

Krashen (1997) – “i + 1” Learners need to receive input at a slightly higher level than they can produce it

Bruner (1978) – “communicative ratchet” The way a parent rephrases the child’s words in a way that models more complex language (and thus supports child’s linguistic development)

Siemens (2005) – “connectivism” Learning occurs through engaging with a diversity of ideas and opinions, and that knowledge may come from digital sources



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