The Qualitative Science of Vygotskian Sociocultural Psychology and L2 Development

doi:10.1017/9781108333603.004

3 - The Qualitative Science of Vygotskian Sociocultural Psychology and L2 Development

from Part I - Theories

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 June 2019

Rémi A. van Compernolle

Edited by

John W. Schwieter and

Alessandro Benati

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John W. Schwieter: Affiliation:
Wilfrid Laurier University
Alessandro Benati: Affiliation:
American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

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Summary

Since the early papers of Frawley and Lantolf (1985; Lantolf & Frawley, 1984), Vygotskian psychology, often referred to as sociocultural theory (SCT), has gained prominence as one of several “mainstream” (Swain & Deters, 2007) or “alternative” (Atkinson, 2011) second language acquisition (SLA) theories. A central concern of the general theory is how sign systems (e.g., language, literacy, numeracy) are internalized to reorganize basic, or biologically endowed, psychological functions into higher, or culturally mediated, ones, which give rise to consciousness. In particular, Vygotsky (1986) focused on the role of language in constituting higher mental functions: language does not simply facilitate cognition, but it is part and parcel of it. In this way, Vygotsky’s semiotic analysis of consciousness and word meaning connects him not only to Marxian dialectical materialism, but also to the German psycholinguistic tradition inspired by such scholars as Hegel and Herder, as Leitch (2011) has pointed out: “Human consciousness is formed through linguistic interactions, and the language which constitutes consciousness is therefore always part of it, unable to be separated” (p. 306).

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Handbook of Language Learning , pp. 62 - 83

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108333603.004 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2019

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