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)
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- 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}}, }