For this classroom arrangement model, student desks and chairs are arrange to form a semi-circle/horseshoe shape. The teacher can position him/herself in front directly facing the learners or choose to sit among the learners. Depending on the availability of the technology and resources, the ideal positioning of the smart board, projector screen, and white board is in the front middle of the classroom. This arrangement best suit a small and medium sized class as it require a considerable space to accommodate this arrangement.
Compared to considering the whole class as one group in orderly-row
seating classroom arrangement, putting the learners in small groups stimulate
greater interaction, involvement and participation in language learning
activities. Harmer (2015) propose to include five
learners in an ideal small group because five is an odd number therefore
‘majority view can prevail’ during a learning activity. According to Carolyn and Carol (2013) having fewer than five learners has the potential to
diminish the diversity, variety, and interpersonal-interactions within the
group. Allowing more than eight learners in one group also has its drawbacks as
in such arrangement some learners contribution to the language activity may
decline (Harmer, 2015).
This model of arranging the classroom furniture to facilitate group work
has a strong theoretical background to constructivism. Commenting on the nature
of language learning, Illeris (2018) identifies two related processes. One is
the learners internal psychological process of acquiring knowledge and the
other process is the external interaction process between the learner and
his/her social, cultural environment.
These two processes are important for this discussion as group work in
language classrooms has a direct link to the process of learning through learner’s
interaction with their social cultural and physical environment. Jean Piaget
and Lev Vygotsky are two pioneering theorists who support the notion that
learning is a context bound interaction driven social activity as much as it is
a psychological experience.
Piaget and Group Work.
Piaget found that children are born
with a tendency to learn through interacting with their physical, cultural and
social environment (Jansen, 2011). Through the Theory of Cognitive Development, Piaget identifies
that development of knowledge in children as a process that occurs with
biological maturation and interaction with the environment. According to the
theory, children make a mental model of the world around them and experience
discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover from their
environment (Lightbown & Spada, 2013). Piaget name the bundles of knowledge
formed in learners mind through these experiences gathered from the environment
that help them to interpret and understand the world as Schemas (Jansen, 2011).
For an example, primary ESL learners
understanding of the difference between the words ‘bigger’ and ‘more’. A
primary year level learner at initial stages of language acquisition may
develop a metal note of the words ‘bigger’ and ‘more’ to have implications of a
substantial quantity. However, at this stage the learner may use ‘bigger’ and
‘more’ interchangeably in English sentences without identifying the correct
usage. When the learner interacts with the target language community, he/she
will encounter situations where the words ‘bigger’ and ‘large’ used to convey
two different meanings. This gives the learner the opportunity to modify what
he/she first understood as the meaning and usage behind the words ‘bigger’ and
‘more’. Piaget named this process of taking in new information in to the
already existing schemas as Assimilation.
Accommodation is the name given to altering existing schemas as a result of new information stemmed from experiences. To further explain, when an existing schema (bundle of knowledge) does not help the learner to develop new knowledge, to deal with a new experience, situation or an object the learner will change the understanding of his/her existing knowledge to accommodate a new meaning (Jansen, 2011). The next important stage is the Equilibrium. Equilibrium occurs when a child has the ability to work with most new information through assimilation (process of building upon existing bundles of knowledge). Disequilibrium occurs when the child comes across new challenge where his/her existing schemas does not fit with the new information coming in from the environment. This discomfort caused by disequilibrium drives the child seek new knowledge.
Accommodation is the name given to
altering existing schemas as a result of new information stemmed from
experiences. To further explain, when an existing schema (bundle of knowledge)
does not help the learner to develop new knowledge, to deal with a new experience,
situation or an object the learner will change the understanding of his/her
existing knowledge to accommodate a new meaning (Jansen, 2011). The next important stage is the Equilibrium. Equilibrium occurs
when a child has the ability to work with most new information through
assimilation (process of building upon existing bundles of knowledge).
Disequilibrium occurs when the child comes across new challenge where his/her
existing schemas does not fit with the new information coming in from the
environment. This discomfort caused by disequilibrium drives the child seek new
knowledge.
Primary English Language teachers
can use this theory to create micro socio-cultural language learning environments
to facilitate language learning opportunities for the primary ESL/ EFL/ EAL/D
learners. In the process of creating these micro socio-cultural environments to
replicate natural language acquisition, teachers can make use of the separate
group seating arrangement. As learners have more opportunities to talk and
interact with peers using the target language-English, it increases the
opportunity to encounter disequilibrium.
Vygotsky and Group Work.
Lev Vygotsky is in
the forefront of recognizing the important contributions that the society makes
for individual’s knowledge development. Through presenting sociocultural
theory, Vygotsky asserted that human learning is at large a social process as
much as it is psychological (Lantolf &
Poehner, 2008). In an elaborated form, the theory suggests
that the society, interactions between people including parents, teachers,
peers, caregivers and the culture that the child lives in makes an important
contribution to his or her cognitive development. The sociocultural theory does
not say that mere interactions develop higher order thinking, but is a more
complex mechanism.
Commenting on
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory, Lantolf and Poehner
(2008) state that individuals do not create a
direct relationships with the world around them but this relationship is mediated
by tools around them. ‘Vygostky
identified three kinds of mediators: material tools, psychological tools and
other human beings’(Guerrero
Nieto, 2007, p. 215). Material tools are the human inventions.
For an example, with regard to language learning, ancient civilizations used
sand tables to write letters, then paper was invented and today classrooms has
new technological tools such as laptops, computers and smart boards for
teaching and learning.
Psychological tools
are the tools employed by the human being in order to support their
psychological presses. For an example first human beings used objects such as
pebbles or picture drawn in caves to count and remember. Later on these tools
evolved in to symbolic items such as numbers and letters ultimately in to
languages, art and music (Guerrero
Nieto, 2007).
Mediation is also done through another individual as
well. For an example, this ‘another’ can be teachers or the peers in a language
classroom. Based on this background Vygotsky developed the concept of Zone of
Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the difference between what the learners is
the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she
can do with help (Lantolf &
Poehner, 2008). In simpler terms it describes the distance/gap
between what a child can do alone and what he/she can do with help of others.
Zone of Proximal Development.
Piaget found that children are born
with a tendency to learn through interacting with their physical, cultural and
social environment (Jansen, 2011). Through the Theory of Cognitive Development, Piaget identifies
that development of knowledge in children as a process that occurs with
biological maturation and interaction with the environment. According to the
theory, children make a mental model of the world around them and experience
discrepancies between what they already know and what they discover from their
environment (Lightbown & Spada, 2013). Piaget name the bundles of knowledge
formed in learners mind through these experiences gathered from the environment
that help them to interpret and understand the world as Schemas (Jansen, 2011).
For an example, primary ESL learners
understanding of the difference between the words ‘bigger’ and ‘more’. A
primary year level learner at initial stages of language acquisition may
develop a metal note of the words ‘bigger’ and ‘more’ to have implications of a
substantial quantity. However, at this stage the learner may use ‘bigger’ and
‘more’ interchangeably in English sentences without identifying the correct
usage. When the learner interacts with the target language community, he/she
will encounter situations where the words ‘bigger’ and ‘large’ used to convey
two different meanings. This gives the learner the opportunity to modify what
he/she first understood as the meaning and usage behind the words ‘bigger’ and
‘more’. Piaget named this process of taking in new information in to the
already existing schemas as Assimilation.
Accommodation is the name given to altering existing schemas as a result of new information stemmed from experiences. To further explain, when an existing schema (bundle of knowledge) does not help the learner to develop new knowledge, to deal with a new experience, situation or an object the learner will change the understanding of his/her existing knowledge to accommodate a new meaning (Jansen, 2011). The next important stage is the Equilibrium. Equilibrium occurs when a child has the ability to work with most new information through assimilation (process of building upon existing bundles of knowledge). Disequilibrium occurs when the child comes across new challenge where his/her existing schemas does not fit with the new information coming in from the environment. This discomfort caused by disequilibrium drives the child seek new knowledge.
Accommodation is the name given to
altering existing schemas as a result of new information stemmed from
experiences. To further explain, when an existing schema (bundle of knowledge)
does not help the learner to develop new knowledge, to deal with a new experience,
situation or an object the learner will change the understanding of his/her
existing knowledge to accommodate a new meaning (Jansen, 2011). The next important stage is the Equilibrium. Equilibrium occurs
when a child has the ability to work with most new information through
assimilation (process of building upon existing bundles of knowledge).
Disequilibrium occurs when the child comes across new challenge where his/her
existing schemas does not fit with the new information coming in from the
environment. This discomfort caused by disequilibrium drives the child seek new
knowledge.
Primary English Language teachers
can use this theory to create micro socio-cultural language learning environments
to facilitate language learning opportunities for the primary ESL/ EFL/ EAL/D
learners. In the process of creating these micro socio-cultural environments to
replicate natural language acquisition, teachers can make use of the separate
group seating arrangement. As learners have more opportunities to talk and
interact with peers using the target language-English, it increases the
opportunity to encounter disequilibrium.
Vygotsky and Group Work.
Lev Vygotsky is in
the forefront of recognizing the important contributions that the society makes
for individual’s knowledge development. Through presenting sociocultural
theory, Vygotsky asserted that human learning is at large a social process as
much as it is psychological (Lantolf &
Poehner, 2008). In an elaborated form, the theory suggests
that the society, interactions between people including parents, teachers,
peers, caregivers and the culture that the child lives in makes an important
contribution to his or her cognitive development. The sociocultural theory does
not say that mere interactions develop higher order thinking, but is a more
complex mechanism.
Commenting on
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural theory, Lantolf and Poehner
(2008) state that individuals do not create a
direct relationships with the world around them but this relationship is mediated
by tools around them. ‘Vygostky
identified three kinds of mediators: material tools, psychological tools and
other human beings’(Guerrero
Nieto, 2007, p. 215). Material tools are the human inventions.
For an example, with regard to language learning, ancient civilizations used
sand tables to write letters, then paper was invented and today classrooms has
new technological tools such as laptops, computers and smart boards for
teaching and learning.
Psychological tools
are the tools employed by the human being in order to support their
psychological presses. For an example first human beings used objects such as
pebbles or picture drawn in caves to count and remember. Later on these tools
evolved in to symbolic items such as numbers and letters ultimately in to
languages, art and music (Guerrero
Nieto, 2007).
Mediation is also done through another individual as
well. For an example, this ‘another’ can be teachers or the peers in a language
classroom. Based on this background Vygotsky developed the concept of Zone of
Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the difference between what the learners is
the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she
can do with help (Lantolf &
Poehner, 2008). In simpler terms it describes the distance/gap
between what a child can do alone and what he/she can do with help of others.
Zone of Proximal Development.
Zone of Proximal Development.
References.
Carolyn, M. E., & Carol, S. W. (2013). Handbook of Classroom Management: Research, Practice, and Contemporary Issues: Taylor and Francis.
Harmer, J. (2015). The Practice of English Language Teaching (Vol. 18). Harlow: Harlow: P.Ed Australia.
Illeris, K. (2018). Contemporary theories of learning : learning theorists ... in their own words (Second edition. ed.). London, [England]
New York, New York: Routledge.Jansen, J. (2011). Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory. In (pp. 1104-1106).
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