This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnis... more This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnish second language (L2) classrooms. Although previous research on classroom interaction has highlighted the importance of scaffolding in language learning, much less is known about the importance of scaffolding for younger children's L2 learning. Utilising a sociocultural approach, this study aims to fill this gap. The data were collected from seven pre-primary/early primary L2 classrooms, with four teachers and 205 children through video recording (56 hours) and observational field notes. The interaction analysis focused on the communicative functions of teacher-child interaction, teacher and student initiations, and teachers' scaffolding children's participation during whole-class and small-group sessions. The results show how teacher-child interaction during small-group sessions supported the children’s active participation in L2 interaction and learning. The results also suggest how changing from teacher-centred modes of classroom interaction to child-centred and playful interaction is challenging and requires strong teacher professionalism.
Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 2023
This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnis... more This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnish second language (L2) classrooms. Although previous research on classroom interaction has highlighted the importance of scaffolding in language learning, much less is known about the importance of scaffolding for younger children's L2 learning. Utilising a sociocultural approach, this study aims to fill this gap. The data were collected from seven pre-primary/early primary L2 classrooms, with four teachers and 205 children through video recording (56 hours) and observational field notes. The interaction analysis focused on the communicative functions of teacher-child interaction, teacher and student initiations, and teachers' scaffolding children's participation during whole-class and small-group sessions. The results show how teacher-child interaction during small-group sessions supported the children’s active participation in L2 interaction and learning. The results also suggest how changing from teacher-centred modes of classroom interaction to child-centred and playful interaction is challenging and requires strong teacher professionalism.
This study investigates the nature of teacher interventions in peer interaction in early second l... more This study investigates the nature of teacher interventions in peer interaction in early second language (L2) education. In particular, it illuminates the intervention strategies teachers use and how these interventions enhance peer interaction in early L2 classrooms. Although previous research has illustrated the significance of teacher interventions for educationally productive classroom interaction, little is known about teacher interventions in peer interaction during the early years of L2 education. The data were collected from six pre-primary/early primary L2 classrooms, with three teachers and 125 children (aged 6-7) through video recording (55 hours) and observational field notes. The interaction analysis revealed five dominant intervention strategies the teachers used. Namely, (1) organizing, (2) giving corrective feedback, (3) scaffolding, (4) orchestrating and (5) motivating. The findings illustrate that it is challenging to foster peer interaction in early L2 education and hence it is important to support teachers in developing their pedagogical sensitivity and intervention skills.
, 85 pages This study was conducted in a private school and the researcher worked with the sixth ... more , 85 pages This study was conducted in a private school and the researcher worked with the sixth grade students. First of all, the researcher investigated the effect of traditional assessment tools, tests, on learner autonomy were investigated and she found out tests were not sufficient in improving students' becoming autonomous. Later, the researcher investigated the effect of the European Language Portfolio (ELP), which the Council of Europe put forward as an alternative language learning and assessment tool, on learner autonomy. During the study, constructivism was taken as theoretical framework and the ELP was used as the methodological framework of the study. According to the aim of the study, the program that the participants would cover during the study was firstly determined and the ELP was used in English and German lesson without disrupting the program. Throughout the study, the students' use of the ELP in the lessons, their attitudes towards the method, their participation to the lessons were observed and their portfolios were used as data collection tool. In addition, at the end of the study the researcher interviewed with the students so as to understand if there was any change in their becoming autonomous or not. According to the analysis of the data, it was found out that the ELP was effective in helping students to become autonomous.
Apples – Journal of Applied Language Studies, 2017
On looking back the history of second language learning (SLA), one can clearly see the shift begi... more On looking back the history of second language learning (SLA), one can clearly see the shift beginning from structural approaches to cognitive, naturalist, sociocultural, communicative approaches, then contextualized and much later ecological ones. Although each approach comes out by criticizing the previous one/ones in different fields, they are just like a complement of each other in terms of SLA. To illustrate, cognitivists criticizes structuralism in that structural linguists see the language as only a linear, systematic system in which teaching takes place in forming habits through pre-selected, pre-sequenced linguistic forms. What cognitive linguists believe that learning a language cannot be limited to what is taught as linguistic forms since learners can create infinite number of sentences using finite rules of grammar and they add there should be something which helps learners to use the second language (L2) cognitively. It is sure that language cannot be regarded without linguistic forms and may need explicit explanation with a continual and conscious attention until it becomes automatic as structural linguists have suggested. In addition, being able to understand mental procedure happening during language learning provides learners to become more aware of their own learning process and benefit from whenever it is needed as cognitivists have mentioned. Just like in this example, the new perspective meets the deficit of the previous one. By the time SLA reaches its postmodern era, each forthcoming app roach, technique, method, or procedure brings a new look to language itself, to language learning, and to second language learning via complementing a part which has not been considered before. In this case, it is certain that we can expect the newest appr oach is the most complex and the most inclusive of all. Despite the fact that postmodernism brings a broader viewpoint to SLA, there are some assumptions which are still fresh to debate. This paper aims to explain the significance of individual variability in L2 as a central construct and whether the experiences in physical and social world support language learning or not.
This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnis... more This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnish second language (L2) classrooms. Although previous research on classroom interaction has highlighted the importance of scaffolding in language learning, much less is known about the importance of scaffolding for younger children's L2 learning. Utilising a sociocultural approach, this study aims to fill this gap. The data were collected from seven pre-primary/early primary L2 classrooms, with four teachers and 205 children through video recording (56 hours) and observational field notes. The interaction analysis focused on the communicative functions of teacher-child interaction, teacher and student initiations, and teachers' scaffolding children's participation during whole-class and small-group sessions. The results show how teacher-child interaction during small-group sessions supported the children’s active participation in L2 interaction and learning. The results also suggest how changing from teacher-centred modes of classroom interaction to child-centred and playful interaction is challenging and requires strong teacher professionalism.
Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 2023
This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnis... more This study investigates the nature of teacher-child interaction and teacher scaffolding in Finnish second language (L2) classrooms. Although previous research on classroom interaction has highlighted the importance of scaffolding in language learning, much less is known about the importance of scaffolding for younger children's L2 learning. Utilising a sociocultural approach, this study aims to fill this gap. The data were collected from seven pre-primary/early primary L2 classrooms, with four teachers and 205 children through video recording (56 hours) and observational field notes. The interaction analysis focused on the communicative functions of teacher-child interaction, teacher and student initiations, and teachers' scaffolding children's participation during whole-class and small-group sessions. The results show how teacher-child interaction during small-group sessions supported the children’s active participation in L2 interaction and learning. The results also suggest how changing from teacher-centred modes of classroom interaction to child-centred and playful interaction is challenging and requires strong teacher professionalism.
This study investigates the nature of teacher interventions in peer interaction in early second l... more This study investigates the nature of teacher interventions in peer interaction in early second language (L2) education. In particular, it illuminates the intervention strategies teachers use and how these interventions enhance peer interaction in early L2 classrooms. Although previous research has illustrated the significance of teacher interventions for educationally productive classroom interaction, little is known about teacher interventions in peer interaction during the early years of L2 education. The data were collected from six pre-primary/early primary L2 classrooms, with three teachers and 125 children (aged 6-7) through video recording (55 hours) and observational field notes. The interaction analysis revealed five dominant intervention strategies the teachers used. Namely, (1) organizing, (2) giving corrective feedback, (3) scaffolding, (4) orchestrating and (5) motivating. The findings illustrate that it is challenging to foster peer interaction in early L2 education and hence it is important to support teachers in developing their pedagogical sensitivity and intervention skills.
, 85 pages This study was conducted in a private school and the researcher worked with the sixth ... more , 85 pages This study was conducted in a private school and the researcher worked with the sixth grade students. First of all, the researcher investigated the effect of traditional assessment tools, tests, on learner autonomy were investigated and she found out tests were not sufficient in improving students' becoming autonomous. Later, the researcher investigated the effect of the European Language Portfolio (ELP), which the Council of Europe put forward as an alternative language learning and assessment tool, on learner autonomy. During the study, constructivism was taken as theoretical framework and the ELP was used as the methodological framework of the study. According to the aim of the study, the program that the participants would cover during the study was firstly determined and the ELP was used in English and German lesson without disrupting the program. Throughout the study, the students' use of the ELP in the lessons, their attitudes towards the method, their participation to the lessons were observed and their portfolios were used as data collection tool. In addition, at the end of the study the researcher interviewed with the students so as to understand if there was any change in their becoming autonomous or not. According to the analysis of the data, it was found out that the ELP was effective in helping students to become autonomous.
Apples – Journal of Applied Language Studies, 2017
On looking back the history of second language learning (SLA), one can clearly see the shift begi... more On looking back the history of second language learning (SLA), one can clearly see the shift beginning from structural approaches to cognitive, naturalist, sociocultural, communicative approaches, then contextualized and much later ecological ones. Although each approach comes out by criticizing the previous one/ones in different fields, they are just like a complement of each other in terms of SLA. To illustrate, cognitivists criticizes structuralism in that structural linguists see the language as only a linear, systematic system in which teaching takes place in forming habits through pre-selected, pre-sequenced linguistic forms. What cognitive linguists believe that learning a language cannot be limited to what is taught as linguistic forms since learners can create infinite number of sentences using finite rules of grammar and they add there should be something which helps learners to use the second language (L2) cognitively. It is sure that language cannot be regarded without linguistic forms and may need explicit explanation with a continual and conscious attention until it becomes automatic as structural linguists have suggested. In addition, being able to understand mental procedure happening during language learning provides learners to become more aware of their own learning process and benefit from whenever it is needed as cognitivists have mentioned. Just like in this example, the new perspective meets the deficit of the previous one. By the time SLA reaches its postmodern era, each forthcoming app roach, technique, method, or procedure brings a new look to language itself, to language learning, and to second language learning via complementing a part which has not been considered before. In this case, it is certain that we can expect the newest appr oach is the most complex and the most inclusive of all. Despite the fact that postmodernism brings a broader viewpoint to SLA, there are some assumptions which are still fresh to debate. This paper aims to explain the significance of individual variability in L2 as a central construct and whether the experiences in physical and social world support language learning or not.
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