以活动理论为指导的学术英语教师认知研究初探

A Study of EAP Teacher Cognition Based on Activity Theory

论文对近十年国内外关于学术英语教师认知的实证与理论研究进行了梳理,发现学术英语研究的薄弱点之一是对学术英语教师的研究,而其中学术英语教师认知研究尤弱。事实上,在这一方面,国内外基本处于同一起步阶段,这是一块亟待开垦的处女地。论文以活动理论衍生的活动系统研究范式进行了学术英语教师的认知研究,发现共同体的权力角色等要素深刻影响教师认知。活动系统解决了教师认知的实证研究中实践与语境二元对立这一难题,对指导具体语境中教师的活动和信念的实证研究有着较强的操作性,有助于研究者获得对学术英语教师认知的动态的理解。

This study has reviewed the literature of EAP teacher cognition and found that it is one of the least explored topics in EAP research.Empirical studies on EAP teacher cognition are not only scarce but largely bound to the UK context.Teacher cognition has long been found to be discursive,fussy,dynamic,and complex that needs to be studied in context to achieve insightful understandings.This article proposes an activity theory generated paradigm-activity system of EAP teaching-to guide research on EAP teacher belief.In an activity system,teachers are regarded as active agents engaged with change and problem-solving activities,and teacher cognition is regarded as a psychological tool in those dynamic,evolving teaching practices in specific contexts.Such a research paradigm hence could enable the integration of both emic and etic perspectives to achieve a truly contextualized understanding of cognition in practice.