Burapha University International Conference, BUU-2014

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Praxial Language Development: Improving Language Instruction Using Dialogical Intersubjectivity
Charlton Bruton

Last modified: 2014-06-06

Abstract


With the formation of ASEAN rapidly approaching, and its adoption of English as its lingua franca, ASEAN member states have become increasingly dependent on Educational institutions to improve their English language development. This has become problematic for countries like Thailand who have yet to develop a local English diglossia, and are even more dependent on English language classroom instruction. The following research views SLA from a socio-cultural perspective (Vygotsky, 1978), intended to improve language development within a Thai International college by using a Dialogical approach to research. In this setting, students are fully immersed in English through content driven language learning. By using a socio-cultural perspective, a Dialogical approach to teaching, and classroom instruction using Freire’s problem-posing to engage the participants. Data was collected pragmatically, using exploratory practice to analyze and gather classroom data through interviews, observations and classroom activities (Allwright, 2005). Data was dynamically assessed (Vygotsky, 1978) with a reflective/mindful intent, and empathy on improving the relationships between the interrelated parts specifically the participants and their intersubjectivity, (Freire, 1970, Habermas, 1984). The researcher identifies this form of Second language development and teaching as Praxial, with a paradigmatic shift from the early cognitive studies based on Chomsky's competence/performance split, to include the usage-based language theory, (Tomasello, 2003). Results of the study indicated that students, regardless of individual traits, initially patterned their behavior on group dynamics with the foreign teacher as outsider. After a concentrated effort to break through the barriers, classroom intersubjectivity improved along with language development as authoritative roles in the classroom blurred.

 


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