Dialectical monism: culture restructures natural mind, and applied research is basic research¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Lantolf presents SCT as a dialectical, non-dualistic theory: humans begin with biologically evolved natural mentation, and culture, largely through language, does not create something new but "restructures what is there and through language, empowers individuals to control their own psyche". This dissolves dichotomies such as teacher-centered vs. learner-centered and implicit vs. explicit instruction, which become poles of a dialectic. It also grounds Vygotsky's claim that "applied research is basic research" and that practice is the supreme judge and truth criterion of theory.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Reading Vygotsky and Marx directly to grasp the dialectical methodology rather than relying on secondary interpretations

Constraints¶

• The theory concerns the human psyche and higher mental functions, not language socialization or sociolinguistics

Target Learners¶

• second language learners and children entering their communities through social mediation

Target Learning Objectives¶

• development of culturally mediated, higher forms of memory, perception, attention, emotion, and conceptual thought

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Vygotsky's genetic method: studying higher psychological functions across four time scales
• Zone of Proximal Development as learners' responsiveness to culturally appropriate mediation
• Vygotsky's sociocultural theory: development is historically situated, culturally determined, and proceeds through internalization of social interaction
• Sociocultural Theory
• Sociocultural Model of L2 writing

Examples¶

• Concept-Based Language Instruction with Gal'perin's verbalization phases
• Pursue SCT-L2 research on L2 as a psychological tool, the teaching-learning dialectic, Dynamic Assessment, and comparative theory work

Key Sources¶

• Karimi-Aghdam, S., & Lantolf, J. P. (2020). Dialectical Emergence of Language and Consciousness in Society: An Interview with Professor James P. Lantolf. The Journal of Applied Linguistics and Applied Literature: Dynamics and Advances, 8(2), 3-21. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED610078