Classroom discourse

as a re-mediating
resource for
foreign language
learning
By Adi Prastya
Moch. Guntur
 SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY
A person's way of thinking can be understood by
tracing the origin of his conscious actions from the
social interactions which are based on the history of
his life. According to Vygotsky the development of a
child's cognition can occur through collaboration
between members from one generation of family to
another.

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 THE CONCEPT OF SOCIO-CULTURAL
THEORY
3 important concepts in
sociogenesis theory of
cognitive development
Genetic law of
development

Zones of proximal
development

Mediation
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 ADVANTAGES
• Children have wide opportunities to develop their zones of proximal
development or their potential through learning and development;
• Children are given extensive opportunities to integrate the declarative
knowledge they have learned with procedural knowledge that can be done for
tasks or problem solving;
• The process of learning and learning is not transferal but is more of a
construct, namely the process of constructing new knowledge or meaning
together between all parties involved.

DISADVANTAGES
It is limited to visible behavior, less visible learning processes such as concept
formation, learning from various learning sources, problem solving and ability
to think are difficult to observe directly because it is examined by behavioral
theorists
 Language as a

“ Mediational Resource
According to Vygotsky, human development is mediated not only
by people but also by things which are culturally constructed and
historically rooted.
Children’s intellectual development takes place not only with the
support of more capable peers or adults through social
interaction, but also with the involvement of social and cultural
artifacts.

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Foreign
language as a
re-mediational The seminal work of Halliday on Nigel’s first language

resource development convincingly demonstrates how the

construal of reality is mediated by language.
In other words, a different world of sensation is
opened up by a foreign language and the learning of
a foreign language enables learners to experience
the world in a different way. As Garvie (1990, p. 116)
points out, children are still developing their
understanding of the world around them, both
physical and social, and a new language suggests a
new culture and a new view of life.
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 Classroom Discourse and
The Intersubjective Construal of Reality
Social Construction of Reality is defined as a social process
through actions and interactions where individuals or groups
of individuals create continuously a reality that is owned and
experienced together subjectively.

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 Foreign Language Classroom
Discourse as a re-Mediating Resource
Discourse constitutes the major form of activity in the
classroom and is the major mediational resource for
teaching and learning.
studies of classroom discourse have focused very
much on teachers’ language, such as the questions
asked and the feedback provided, the cognitive
demand made on students,
the language used by students in student-teacher
interaction or student-student interaction and the
cognitive processes reflected in the language used

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Classroom Discourse in a
Primary EFL Classroom
Abstract Discourse analysis is used to study the relationship of form andfunction in
verbal communication. Communication with different settings will create certain
features of communication. Discourse with a classroom setting can be analyzed
decriptively or critically.

Descriptive discourse analysis is focused on the language & conversation structure

between a teacher and the students in the classrooms, On the other side, critical
discourse analysis shows that a teacher has chances to dominate the attitude & the
thought of the students. Thus, a teacher should do the roles by manifesting the
power appropriately.
Thanks!
Any questions?

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Reference

[Studies in Second and Foreign Language Education] Wai Meng Chan - Media in Foreign
Language Teaching and Learning, Studies in Second and Foreign Language Education
[SSFLE] 5 (2011, de Gruyter Mouton) pdf book
https://www.academia.edu/12200550/TEORI_BELAJAR_SOSIO-KULTURAL
https://dkv.binus.ac.id/2015/05/18/teori-konstruksi-realitas-sosial/
https://www.academia.edu/34091482/MENGANALISIS_WACANA_DALAM_RUANG_KELAS

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