Related Papers
TESOL Journal
Equal educational opportunity for English learners: ESL teachers’ conceptualizations on the importance of academic language
2018 •
Glenda Harrell
British Journal of Educational Technology
Vygotsky's educational theory in cultural context
2004 •
christian Heath
Teacher education for cultural diversity
2011 •
ken zeichner
Early Education & Development
INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL ISSUE: Vygotskian Perspectives in Early Childhood Education: Translating Ideas into Classroom Practice
2003 •
Adam Winsler
Harvard Educational Review
The Relative Equitability of High-Stakes Testing versus Teacher-Assigned Grades: An Analysis of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS)
2001 •
jimmy kim
Which is more equitable, teacher-assigned grades or high-stakes tests? Nationwide, there is a growing trend toward the adoption of standardized tests as a means to determine promotion and graduation. "High-stakes testing" raises several concerns regarding the equity of such policies. In this article, the authors examine the question of whether high-stakes tests will mitigate or exacerbate inequities between racial and ethnic minority students and White students, and between female and male students. Specifically, by comparing student results on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) with teacher-assigned grades, the authors analyze the relative equitability of the two measures across three subject areas — math, English, and science. The authors demonstrate that the effects of high-stakes testing programs on outcomes, such as retention and graduation, are different from the results of using grades alone, and that some groups of students who are already far...
Advances in Language and Literary Studies Sociocultural Theory and its Role in the Development of Language Pedagogy
Abdul Hameed Panhwar
This paper reviews the literature on Vygotskian theory of Socio-cultural learning and constructivist approach to teaching and learning and attempts to relate the socio-cultural theory to constructivism. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the ways socio-cultural theory helps to develop language pedagogies. Critical analysis of the literature on the socio-cultural theory suggests that the theory has potential for forming new context-oriented language teaching-learning pedagogies which can help teachers in maximising the effectiveness of their teaching and their student's learning. The review further suggests that the language pedagogies and activities developed from the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky may not only improve students' language skills, but it also has potential to develop students' cognition. Since theory promotes more and more communication of students with each other through scaffolding, that is, the Zone of Proximal development (ZPD) in Vygotsky's language. Thus, the theory directly points towards the promotion of student-centred learning by establishing learner autonomy.
The Electronic Journal of Science Education
Mediating Meaning in the Social World of the Science Classroom
2015 •
Susan Britsch
This article examines science teaching and learning by drawing on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning and development as well as a social semiotic perspective. This includes in semiosis the science equipment, science phenomena, teacher and student actions, talk and writing that are involved in science teaching and learning. In much the same way a Vygotskian perspective views science phenomena and equipment as technical tools that mediate both teacher and student meaning making, as do the symbolic products created by the teacher and the students. We suggest an inclusive view in which all are seen as active mediators in science teaching and learning
ELOPE: English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries
Debate in EFL Classroom
Mirjana Želježič
Relying primarily on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and The National EFL Syllabus, this paper focuses on the highest ranking goals within formal foreign language (L2) education: the development of communicative competence (which the communicative paradigm regards as the most important goal of contemporary language teaching), and of critical thinking (CT) ability, which is widely recognised as the main general education goal. It also points to some of the discrepancies generated by tensions between the fact that language is a social and cultural phenomenon that exists and evolves only through interaction with others, and individual-student-centred pedagogical practices of teaching (and assessment) – which jeopardise the validity of these practices. Next, it links the official educational goals to the cultivation of oral interaction (rather than oral production) in argumentative discursive practices in general and in structured debate formats in partic...
Journal of Language Teaching and Research
Operationalising the Concept of Mediation in L2 Teacher Education
Ghasemali Azadi
This study aims to operationlise the mediation concept on L2 teacher education. Sixty-two EFL teachers at Isfahan high schools were selected, a 30-item questionnaire was employed, and T-test and one-way ANOVA were used. The findings revealed mediation roles of the teacher educators were instructional while integrative and participative roles were not attended. Teacher educators presented knowledge, skills, and experiences in the forms of lectures and seminars with little attention to workshops and panel discussions. BA holders showed positive perception towards mediation role of teacher educators while MA holders did not. The least experienced L2 teachers indicated the most positive attitude towards the mediation role of the teacher educators while the most experienced L2 teachers showed the least positive attitude. The findings presented L2 teachers a deep insight of the mediation concept, teacher educators a better picture of possible flaws of their role, and policy makers to amen...
Yuri Lapshin
