Home > Public Lectures > Languaging, Agency and Collaboration in Second Language Learning

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Professor Merrill Swain
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
University of Toronto

Abstract

The term "languaging" emphasizes language as an action, not a thing. As a thing, language is static and linguists treat it as an object separate from human beings. As an action, language is an integral aspect of our thinking, meaning-making selves. Languaging is how we regulate our social, emotional and cognitive behaviour as well as that of others. Languaging is what it is that we do to transform our thoughts into a shareable resource, shareable with ourselves and others. Languaging, I will argue, is part of the second language learning process. Agency may facilitate or hinder the process of second language learning. Collaborative settings are places where agency and languaging are most visible; but they can also be observed in settings where individuals are alone. In this seminar, I will define what I mean by "languaging", and provide several illustrative examples of the interplay between languaging, agency and collaboration in second language learning.

About the Speaker

Professor Swain is internationally renowned for her research in Vygotskyan and sociocultural theories of second language learning. She will take this opportunity to describe some of her most recent work on languaging, agency and collaboration in second language education and will use concrete examples to illustrate how teachers can make use of the most updated findings from sociocultural research in second language classrooms.