Theory Behind:

   SLA hypotheses and Social Constructivism

 

A Graphic Overview

 

 

 

What is meant by constructivism? 

The term refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves---each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning.

What is Social Constructivism?

Social constructivism emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what occurs in society and constructing knowledge based on this understanding.
Learning is an active process in which the learner uses sensory input and constructs meaning out of it. Active learner: Dewey's term
People learn to learn as they learn: learning consists both of constructing meaning and constructing systems of meaning.
The crucial action of constructing meaning is mental: it happens in the mind. Physical actions, hands-on experience may be necessary for learning, especially for children, but it is not sufficient; we need to provide activities which engage the mind as well as the hands. Dewey:Reflective action Vigotsky: Any function in the child's cultural development fiirst  appears on the social plane, and then on the psychological plane
Learning involves language: the language we use influences learning. Vigotsky: language and learning are  intertwined.
Learning is a social activity: our learning is intimately associated with our connection with other human beings.
Learning is contextual: we do not learn isolated facts and theories in some abstract ethereal land of the mind separate from the rest of our lives. Vygotsky emphasizes the importance of culture and social context in learning
One needs knowledge to learn:  it is not possible to assimilate new knowledge without having some structure developed from previous knowledge to build on.

Vygotsky points out that individuals are guided by their own mental processes  as they participate in social activities. However, these processes are influenced by social experiences. Social scaffolding in the Zone of Proximal Development
It takes time to learn: learning is not instantaneous. For significant learning we need to revisit ideas, ponder them try them out, play with them and use them.
Motivation is a key component in learning. Not only is it the case that motivation helps learning, it is essential for learning.  

                                                                                                                                                       

How does all this affect language learning and teaching using the Web as a medium?