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Socio-Cultural Views and Second Language Acquisition

Brown, H. D., (2014). Principles of language learning and teaching (6th Ed). New York: Pearson.

In his book, Brown (2014) explores the concept of socio-cultural viewpoints and interaction in second language acquisition. Brown posits that native and more proficient speakers modify their input when interacting with second language learners in various ways to ensure successful interaction. Brown identifies some of these methods include slowing down speech for deliberate speaking, providing comprehension checks, paraphrasing sentences to make them more straightforward, and requesting clarification from second language learners. While Brown, through the provided methods, identifies interaction and input as the two major players in the second language acquisition process, he fails to recognize the learners’ social and cultural background on the selected input modification methods. While paraphrasing methods can simplify language, thus minimizing errors during interaction with second language learners, socio-cultural backgrounds could present a contrasting view of paraphrasing, thus resulting in a counterproductive experience. Therefore, socio-cultural viewpoints and approaches must be considered with language modification to ensure successful interaction with second language learners.

Eun, B., & Lim, H. S. (2009). A socio-cultural view of language learning: The importance of meaning-based instruction. TESL Canada Journal, 12-26.

In the article, Eun and Lim (2009) explore the socio-cultural theory of Vygotsky and its implication on meaning-based interaction. When examining the concept of mediation, which is key to Vygotsky’s approach, the authors ascertain that teachers should reflect on the potential differences in their students’ respective cultural backgrounds and their schools. They posit that teachers’ respect for students’ cultural experiences has, in some instances, proven to lead to optimal learning situations. Eun and Lim’s ideas are a suitable approach to treating errors during second language acquisition in that it employs an all-inclusive method. The mediation procedure thus provides a uniform platform for all learners, utterly devoid of unintentional errors arising from the social or cultural background. The teacher, in this case, acts as a director of an existing social environment rather than a creator of a new environment. Moreover, the authors’ views regarding the importance of considering socio-cultural factors in the second language acquisition process are underpinned by the fact that allowing students to freely embrace their social or cultural backgrounds gives them the enthusiasm and confidence to engage in learning the new language actively. Therefore, concerning the treatment of errors in the classroom, socio-cultural views are vital in realizing a successful and meaning-based instruction.

El-Haj, T. R. A. (2009). Becoming citizens in an era of globalization and transnational migration: Reimagining citizenship as critical practice. Theory into Practice, 48(4), 274-282.

El-Haj (2009) in his article examines how Arab American teenagers’ perspectives and experiences may help educators understand what it means to teach young people to be active participants in social, civic, and political spheres within and beyond nation-state boundaries. El-Haj believes that we should stop thinking about citizenship exclusively regarding national identifications and instead view it as a collection of critical practices that equip young people with the tools necessary to effect social change within and outside nation-state boundaries. El-Haj’s view of getting away from nation-based citizenship and embracing globalization calls for the importance of embracing various social and cultural backgrounds for young people to fit in this global community. Even though the author extensively explores the social considerations towards adopting policies that cut across boundaries, he fails to comprehensively link it up with the second language acquisition process since respect to social practices of the various communities can only be realized through first understanding their language. Even though he talks about reimagining citizenship education in schools to focus on cultivating active citizenship practice, he fails to explore the relationship language has with this acquisition. El-Haj’s article thus places more focus on the social consideration of global citizenship while exploring less the impact that second language acquisition has on these social factors.

Leung, C. (2005). Convivial communication: Recontextualizing communicative competence. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15(2), 119-144.

In his article, Leung (2005) delves into the concept of communicative competence in the context of second and foreign language education. Leung characterizes the four domains of knowledge that comprise communicative competence as grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, and strategic competence, drawing on the theoretical writings of Canale and Swain. Leung defines sociolinguistic competence as the degree to which utterances are produced and understood effectively in a variety of sociolinguistic contexts, based on contextual elements such as the participants’ status, the interaction’s purpose, and the interaction’s norms or conventions. Leung’s ideas on the sociolinguistic concept compliment the essentiality of connecting language acquisition to social factors to realize a seamless and communication competence. The emergence of regional-based English variants, which has been key to the spread of English as a second language, can only be successful by recognizing the given people’s social and cultural practices to which the new language is being taught. This approach is preferable to autonomously pushing the language onto them in complete regard to their existing social and cultural practices. Leung’s ideas thus comprehensively recognize the importance of socio-cultural factors in second language acquisition. His concepts fully acknowledge that language learning requires intentional and active language use that enables the learner to make sense of the target language.

References

Brown, H. D. (2014). Principles of language learning and teaching (6th Ed). New York: Pearson.

El-Haj, T. R. A. (2009). Becoming citizens in an era of globalization and transnational migration: Reimagining citizenship as critical practice. Theory into Practice, 48(4), 274-282.

Eun, B., & Lim, H. S. (2009). A socio-cultural view of language learning: The importance of meaning-based instruction. TESL Canada Journal, 12-26.

Leung, C. (2005). Convivial communication: Recontextualizing communicative competence. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15(2), 119-144.

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StudyKraken. (2023, March 29). Socio-Cultural Views and Second Language Acquisition. Retrieved from https://studykraken.com/socio-cultural-views-and-second-language-acquisition/

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StudyKraken. "Socio-Cultural Views and Second Language Acquisition." March 29, 2023. https://studykraken.com/socio-cultural-views-and-second-language-acquisition/.

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StudyKraken. 2023. "Socio-Cultural Views and Second Language Acquisition." March 29, 2023. https://studykraken.com/socio-cultural-views-and-second-language-acquisition/.

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StudyKraken. (2023) 'Socio-Cultural Views and Second Language Acquisition'. 29 March.

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