The document discusses sociocultural views of language and learning, including Vygotsky's work on the zone of proximal development and how cognitive development occurs through social interactions and mediation by more knowledgeable others. It also examines registers and the mode continuum in language, showing how context influences language features from informal spoken exchanges to more formal written texts.

1. NGUY N NG C HÂNỄ Ọ
TR NH TH LOANỊ Ị
A sociocultural view of
language and learning

2. Outline
- 2 approaches of learning
- sociocultural view of learning
-sociocultural view of language

3. 2 approaches to learning
Knowledge as commodity,
language as conduit
Knowledge as commodity,
language as conduit
Teaching as facilitationTeaching as facilitation

4. Sociocultural view of learning
(Vygotsky’s work)
• Developmental method
• Social origin
• Notion of mediation
• ZPD

5. Developmental method
4 different levels of human development
1)human species through evolution.
2)humans throughout history.
3)individual.
4)Competence at a single task

6. Social origin
• First on the social level, and later, on the
individual level; first between people
(interpsychology), and then inside the
child (intrapsychology).

7. Notion of mediation
• Cognitive development is not a direct
result of activity, but it is indirect; other
people must interact with the learner, use
mediatory tools to facilitate the learning
process, and then cognitive development
may occur

8. • The difference between what a child can do
independently and what the child needs help from a
more knowledgeable person to do is the zpd
Zone of
Proximal
Development
Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD).

9. Distance Between Actual and Potential Knowledge
potential
knowledge
potential
actual
knowledge actual
Two children with the same actual knowledge travel different
distances to their potential knowledge; therefore different ZPDs
ZPDZPD
ZPDZPD

10. Mike love of games.
Over the years, Mike has developed skills and knowledge that
enable him to play a variety of games.
For each game, he is able to successfully strategize and solve
problems independently.
This is an example of how ZPD can work in the life of a child

11. There is 1 game that Mike have never learned and he knows
his brother plays very well. He wants to know and don’t know
how to start. So, he finally asks his brother Ali for help. Ali
agrees, and begins working with Mike in learning the game of
Yu-Gi-Oh.
Mo’men is learning in the region Vygotsky would call ZPD.
This is an example of how ZPD can work in the life of a child

12. 1. Aspects of context of situation
(categories of register)
2. Metafunctions of language
3. Relationships betwen context and meanings
(categories of register and metafunctions)
4. The mode continuum
5. Types of exchanges

13. What is context of situation?
Halliday and Hassan:
“The environment in which meanings are being
exchanged”

14. Aspects of context of situation
• The field of the discourse
• The tenor of the discourse
• The mode of the discourse

15. Metafunctions of language
• Ideational
• Interpersonal
• Textual

16. Metafunctions of language
Context Type of
meaning
Semantic
pattern
(cohesion)
Grammatical
pattern
Field Ideational Lexical cohesion Transitivity
(case)
Tenor interpersonal speech function
exchange,
structure
Mood, modality,
vocation,
attitude
Mode textual Reference
(participant
tracking)
Theme,
information
structure,
nominalization

17. What is discourse?
• Discourse is made up of sentences, and
through linguistic analysis.
• Discourse is a human activity with language at
the center.
• Types of discourse are usually grouped into
genres: novels, histories, arguments…

18. The mode continuum
• Text 1:
T: what are you doing?
S1: we’re making two puppets sort of like Punch
and Judy… but nicer.
T: that’s good. And how are you making them?
S1: Well we’re using the wire and bending it like
this. We’ve already done one… and this is the
glue for the paper.
S2: It’s really messy and hard to get it right…
S1: Yeah but we got better at it…
S2: … and we got rid of lumps

19. Text 1
The context This is an oral exchange. The context is
shared, teacher and students are face to
face and have the puppets under
construction before them
The sentences Incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete
objects and people and sometimes to
things outside the text: “this”
The verb tense changes depending on
whether they are talking about something
that have already done or are in the
process of doing as they speak.
The words Everyday words and quite informal: messy,
hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got

20. Text 2: students recounting to other
students
• Juanita and I decided to make puppets that
look something like punch and Judy. But we
didn’t want them to fight as much… just be
nicer to each other. We used wire to make a
frame and then we covered it with mâché. to
make Punch’s big nose…

21. Text 2
The context This is an oral text, spoken by one person. The
context is here and now,
The
sentences
simple or compound sentences , sometimes
fragments rather than complete
sentences: But we didn’t want them to fight as
much...just be nicer.
Past tense of verbs.
The words The vocabulary used is more specific and
specialized in naming and describing: wire
frame, papier mâché.

22. Text3:a newsletter article on the puppet
making process
• Mr Davie’s class made puppets this term. All sorts
of puppets were made by the students. They
ranged from Punch and Judy to the puppets of Greece,
Indonesia and Mexico. A visiting puppeteer helped with
the project. The class had to plan, design,
construct and use the puppets in a performance...

23. The
context
This text is written; it begins with an
introduction because the context is not shared
The
sentences
Both simple and compound sentences are used.
Past tense and passive voice (puppets were
made) are used.
The event is recounted from a general
perspective rather than from 1 student and thus
assumes a more formal tone: Mr Davies class,
the students
The words Increasingly specialised, topic specificvocabulary
is used: puppeteer, construct, Greece, Indonesia,
Mexico, construct.
Nominalisation is used: performance

24. Text 4 – writing on the craft of
puppetry
• Puppetry is the theatrical craft of manipulated
objects. There are many different varieties of
puppets, and they are made of a wide range of
materials, depending on their form and
intended use. They can vary from very simple
hand puppets to elaborate marionettes
operated by several people. Puppets are found
in many cultures across the world and have a
variety of purpose. One of the attractions of
puppets is their ability to act as a mouthpiece
for marginalized groups...

25. The
context
The text is written. It begins with a definition
because the context is not shared.
The
sentences
simple, compound and complex sentences. The
text is written in the present tense, the
appropriate tense for a report. Passive voice is
used : are made, are found. The author is taking
on the role of the expert by using authoritative
modality: are, can vary
The words The vocabulary is increasingly specialised:
manipulated, varieties, marginalised. Noun
groups are expanded: the theatrical craft of
manipulated objects, many different varieties of
puppets, very simple hand puppets.
nominalisation: craft, use, attractions, form,
purpose,mouthpiece

26. Implications for the classroom
• When setting a writing task designed to give the
student opportunity to demonstrate their
learning and understanding we need to ask
ourselves:
1. What sort of a text am I expecting my students to
write?
2. What is the structure of the text I am expecting?
3. Which language features am I expecting students
to use?

27. These questions lead to other important
considerations:
1. Do the students know what I am expecting?
2. Do I assume they know what I am expecting
3. How can I use the register continuum to
highlight the most effective language choices
appropriate to the context?

28. Types of exchanges
What is being exchanged?
1.Goods and services:
2.Information: