Toward a unified theory of language development: The transdisciplinary nexus of cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on social activity
(2019) In Modern Language Journal 103(Supplement 2019). p.136-144- Abstract
- As applied linguistics becomes increasingly diverse in the topics, methods, and theories within its scope, the field has more potential than ever to reach a truly holistic and integrated understanding of language development and meaning-making across the lifespan. Perhaps the greatest challenge to attaining this goal is the building of knowledge in parallel across respective areas of specialization without a mechanism for connecting the parts to form a whole. As individual scholars, we have deep insight into the components on which we focus. As a field, our grasp of how the components form a system is only beginning to emerge. Building upon work by the Douglas Fir Group, which proposes a transdisciplinary approach to thinking about the... (More)
- As applied linguistics becomes increasingly diverse in the topics, methods, and theories within its scope, the field has more potential than ever to reach a truly holistic and integrated understanding of language development and meaning-making across the lifespan. Perhaps the greatest challenge to attaining this goal is the building of knowledge in parallel across respective areas of specialization without a mechanism for connecting the parts to form a whole. As individual scholars, we have deep insight into the components on which we focus. As a field, our grasp of how the components form a system is only beginning to emerge. Building upon work by the Douglas Fir Group, which proposes a transdisciplinary approach to thinking about the multidimensional nature of language development, I put forward nexus analysis as a useful mechanism to explain connections among components of the system. Nexus analysis, originally developed by Ron Scollon and Suzie Wong Scollon, is a conceptual orientation that is specifically designed to identify and map connections. I present the core elements of nexus analysis, rendering them in broad strokes, with a focus on how they might serve generally as a way to conceptualize the processes through different dimensions of language teaching and learning integrate. I posit ways in which nexus analysis, with its emphasis on social action and the factors that mediate it, can facilitate links across cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on language development. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/e8895e8c-a897-473b-8152-8ca3cb1a16fc
- author
- Hult, Francis LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2019
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- complexity, cognitive development, language acquisition, research design, second language learning theories, learning environment, social factors
- in
- Modern Language Journal
- volume
- 103
- issue
- Supplement 2019
- pages
- 136 - 144
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- ISSN
- 0026-7902
- DOI
- 10.1111/modl.12527
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e8895e8c-a897-473b-8152-8ca3cb1a16fc
- date added to LUP
- 2019-01-31 04:18:41
- date last changed
- 2021-07-30 04:08:25
@article{e8895e8c-a897-473b-8152-8ca3cb1a16fc,
abstract = {{As applied linguistics becomes increasingly diverse in the topics, methods, and theories within its scope, the field has more potential than ever to reach a truly holistic and integrated understanding of language development and meaning-making across the lifespan. Perhaps the greatest challenge to attaining this goal is the building of knowledge in parallel across respective areas of specialization without a mechanism for connecting the parts to form a whole. As individual scholars, we have deep insight into the components on which we focus. As a field, our grasp of how the components form a system is only beginning to emerge. Building upon work by the Douglas Fir Group, which proposes a transdisciplinary approach to thinking about the multidimensional nature of language development, I put forward nexus analysis as a useful mechanism to explain connections among components of the system. Nexus analysis, originally developed by Ron Scollon and Suzie Wong Scollon, is a conceptual orientation that is specifically designed to identify and map connections. I present the core elements of nexus analysis, rendering them in broad strokes, with a focus on how they might serve generally as a way to conceptualize the processes through different dimensions of language teaching and learning integrate. I posit ways in which nexus analysis, with its emphasis on social action and the factors that mediate it, can facilitate links across cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on language development.}},
author = {{Hult, Francis}},
issn = {{0026-7902}},
keywords = {{complexity; cognitive development; language acquisition; research design; second language learning theories; learning environment; social factors}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{Supplement 2019}},
pages = {{136--144}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Modern Language Journal}},
title = {{Toward a unified theory of language development: The transdisciplinary nexus of cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on social activity}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/modl.12527}},
doi = {{10.1111/modl.12527}},
volume = {{103}},
year = {{2019}},
}