The Relation between Sociocultural Theory and Teaching Methods

Up to now,it has been learned so many theories about second language acquisition (SLA),namely behaviorism theories,innatism theories,psychological theories,and interactionist theories.Among these theories the interactionist theories especially Vygotsky's sociocultural theory is most in line with the real teaching philosophy.

Review and Evaluation on the Sociocultural Theory and Bottleneck Hypothesis

Over the past three decades,a growing number of different theories in second language acquisition field have come out in an effort to provide explanations as to how language learning takes place,to figure out what variables are effective for second language acquisition as well as to offer guidance to mass second language learners and language teachers.Because behind every teaching approach exists certain kind of theory of language acquisition and good theory in turn can help students master language skills in an effective and efficient way.Each theory is considered to have contributed to the field by highlighting a specific aspect of the language acquisition process.Second language acquisition theories are intrinsically related with various disciplines such as applied linguistics,psychology,education,sociolinguistics,neurology,etc.Considering the impossibility to elaborate all second language theories,I will focus on sociocultural theory and bottleneck hypothesis in second language acquisition.There is an overview which follows the introduction to the Sociocultural Theory and Bottleneck Hypothesis and its contribution to second language acquisition respectively,and then I will evaluate them to see their contributions to the SLA disciplinary development.

Sociocultural Theory on Interaction between Teachers and Learners in a Second Language Classroom

This article offers an overview of theoretical ideas and recent empirical research by referring to the interactive communication between teachers and learners in a second language classroom.Both the interaction of teacher-centered classroom and learner-centered classroom are reviewed within the context of sociocultural theory.The paper attempts to indicate the better effect of language learning can be achieved by complementing one another in the classroom of teacher-centeredness and learner-centeredness.

Renal Replacement Therapy in a Caribbean Population: The Impact of Biological, Sociocultural and Demographic Factors

Background: The options for renal replacement therapy for end stage renal disease include haemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) and renal transplantation. In this study demographic, sociocultural and biological factors were assessed over a 1-year period for patients on renal replacement therapy. Methods: This cross-sectional study included all patients 18 years and older and on renal replacement therapy for at least 3 months in Trinidad and Tobago. Five hundred and thirty participants were recruited from our organ transplantation unit, all centres facilitating PD and a stratified random sample of all HD centres (100 T, 80 PD, 350 HD from October 2015 to October 2016. A questionnaire was administered and included demographics, knowledge and understanding and biological factors impacting on renal replacement therapy. Results: Thirty eight percent of all patients were between 56 to 65 years of age. The Indo Trinidadian population accounted for 51% of the subjects. 52.5% were male and 47.5% were female. From the data, 72% of patients were diabetic and/or hypertensive. In the transplant recipients, 39% were diabetic and/or hypertensive and 27% reported chronic glomerulonephritis as the aetiology of their kidney failure. The diagnosis of chronic kidney disease was made when patients were at end stage renal disease requiring intervention in 84.2% of persons. The employed population of patients constituted 65% of renal transplant recipients, 43.75% of peritoneal dialysis patients and 22.86% of haemodialysis patients. The patient’s physician had the greatest influence on renal replacement therapy choice (85.4% haemodialysis, 85% peritoneal dialysis, 71% transplant). Conclusions: In this cohort of 530 patients on renal replacement therapy, knowledge of therapy and physician’s influence were some of the factors that impacted on choice of therapy. Most patients were already de novo end stage renal disease when the diagnosis of kidney disease was made. Lifestyle diseases-type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension were the main causative diseases contributing to renal failure. This study which is the first in the Caribbean to evaluate biological, sociocultural and demographic factors in patients receiving renal replacement will better assist in prevention strategies and resource allocation.

Consumption of Bushmeat in Lubumbashi/DR Congo:Sociocultural Approaches

Bushmeat is frequently consumed in households in the city of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Several studies in Africa show that this food is regularly consumed by rural and urban populations.This consumption is motivated by several reasons.These have never been elucidated in the city of Lubumbashi.This study aims to highlight the sociocultural aspects that justify the consumption of bushmeat in order to consider its sustainability.A survey was conducted among 1,400 households in the municipalities of the city.A questionnaire helped collect the information that was presented as a percentage.This information shows that 86.6%of the population consume monthly(41.3%)of bushmeat.This consumption is based on taste(51.7%).On the other hand,religious beliefs(29.2%)prevent this consumption.The order of the artiodactylsis is the most affected(74.2%).The recognition of the species consumed comes from the information provided by the sellers(58.5%).Bushmeat comes from the district of Haut-Katanga(35.2%).It is sold in the main markets of the city of Lubumbashi(67.9%).Bush meat is becoming an exhaustible natural resource,mechanisms and alternatives will need to be put in place to enable the sustainable conservation of wild animal species.

Sociocultural Factors and Foreign Language Learning and Teaching

Issues caused by different social cultures A clulture has a close connection with a particular language and plays an improtant role in the learn-ing and teaching of it.As we know,every nation has its own culture and the cultures of nations of theworld,generally,are different from each other.Owing to the disparities in culture,to people whospeak different languages,a word or phrase used to express good intention may surprise or irritate peo-ple;a common sentence can sometimes amuse one person greatly and cause laughter,but‘strange e-nough’,it can be too,dull enough in the eyes of another person with different culture background.

Sociocultural and Sociocognitive Perspectives on Grammar Learning and Teaching in Second Language Acquisition

Grammar has been arguably regarded as the essential part of language,and it underlies diverse language uses includinglistening,speaking,reading,and writing.Whereas language teaching and learning has long been centered on the delivery of gram-mar rules,grammar has been proposed to be of social significance based on sociocognitive and sociocultural perspectives whichanalyse second language acquisition from social dimensions.Grammar has been put forward to be a social tool to mediate learners’psychological and social activities,and it also functions as a social accomplishment,a mediation and an adaptive tool.This paperconcludes with grammar teaching pedagogies combined with social approaches while encourage students’learning in their zone ofproximal development,and it is suggested to scaffold learners to internalize grammatical structures and to mediate communicativeactivities using this particular tool.

The Sociocultural Conditions of American Slang Origination

American slang is a non-written language innovation and the crystal of history and culture. Slang is an objective existence which is often used by many people, and has become an integral component of the language and an important communication tool. This paper elaborates the sociocultural conditions of American slang origination.

Localized Representation of Formative Assessment in China:A Regional Study from a Sociocultural Perspective

Formative assessment originated and developed in a Western context.With its function of learning improvement being evidenced in research,formative assessment has been adopted in assessment initiatives in multiple contexts including that of China.Research,however,reveals that formative assessment as implemented in Chinese contexts is by no means equivalent to what is understood and implemented in the West;rather,in many cases,it is decontextualised and recontextualised,or culturally appropriated.This paper presents findings of a study which examined the culturally appropriated representation of formative assessment within eight universities in a mid-western province of China.Senior administrators in each university were interviewed face-to-face and individually to fulfill three purposes:(1)To clarify understandings of formative assessment in the area of college English education;(2)To explore the existing gap between formative assessment principles and their representation in College English Curriculum Requirements(CECR),and the gap between formative assessment initiatives at the national level and local contexts;and(3)To distill implications for policy-borrowing and effective implementation in the Chinese context.

On dogs, people, and a rabies epidemic: results from a sociocultural study in Bali, Indonesia

Background:Previously free of rabies,Bali experienced an outbreak in 2008,which has since caused a large number of human fatalities.In response,both mass dog culling and vaccination have been implemented.In order to assess potential community-driven interventions for optimizing rabies control,we conducted a study exploring the relationship between dogs,rabies,and the Balinese community.The objectives of this study were to:i)understand the human-dog relationship in Bali;ii)explore local knowledge,attitudes,and practices(KAPs)relating to rabies;and iii)assess potential community-driven activities to optimize rabies control and surveillance.Methods:Conducted between February and June 2011,the study combined a questionnaire(n=300;CI=95%;error margin=5%)and focus group discussions(FGDs)in 10 villages in the Denpasar,Gianyar,and Karangasem regencies.The questionnaire included a Likert scale to assess community knowledge and attitudes.For the knowledge assessment,three points were given for a correct answer,while wrong answers and uncertain answers were given zero points.For the attitudes assessment,three points were given for a positive answer,two points for a neutral answer,and one point for a negative answer.Respondent knowledge was categorized as good(score>40),fair(score 20–40),or poor(score<20),based on a maximum total score 60.Respondent attitudes were categorized as positive(score>26),neutral(score 13–26),or negative(score<13),based on a maximum total score of 39.Mixed-gender FGDs in each sub-village(banjar)were conducted,each involving 7–15 participants to complement the questionnaire results.On a follow-up research trip in mid-2013,the data analysis was triangulated and validated using semi-structured interviews.Questionnaire data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS 17.0,while qualitative data from interviews and FGDs were analyzed manually according to accepted methods of coding and memo writing.The chi-square test was then used to analyze the statistical relationships between knowledge and attitudes of the respondents.Results:Out of the total 300 respondents,most were predominantly male(82%),Hindu(99%),married(96%),older than 30 years of age(92%),and owned dogs(72%6).Dog ownership was motivated by culture,personal taste,and function,with dogs was being used as guards(85%)and companion animals(27%),and was sometimes related to religious or traditional obligations(2%).Relating to their culture and local beliefs,and eventually becoming their way of life,79%of respondents kept free-roaming dogs.with the rabies outbreak in Bali and Westerm breeds becoming more popular,more responsible dog ownership(leashing,confining,regular feeding)became more acceptable and changed community perceptions on keeping dogs,even though the sustainability of this practice cannot be gauged.In addition,the economic situation posed major problems in rural areas.The level of community knowledge about rabies and its associated control programs were generally fair and community attitudes were positive.However,community KAPs still need to be improved.A total of 74%respondents reported to have vaccinated their dogs in 2011,but only few were found to report rabid animals to livestock officers(12%)and a significant number believed that washing a bite wound was not important(62%).Moreover,free-roaming dog practices and discarding of unwanted female puppies still continue and possibly create difficulties for rabies elimination as these practices potentially increase the stray dog population.We identified three major sociocultural aspects with potential for community-driven interventions to optimize current rabies elimination efforts:integrating local notions of ahimsa(non-violence)into education campaigns,engaging communities through the local banjar sociopolitical system,and working with traditional legal structures to increase local compliance with rabies control.Conclusion:The human-dog relationship in Bali is multifaceted.Due to the uniqueness of the culture and the local beliefs,and encouraged by a socioeconomic aspect,a number of local practices were found to be constituting risk factors for continued rabies spread.Community knowledge and attitudes,which can consequently result in behavioral changes,needs to be improved across different genders,ages educational backgrounds,and roles in the commurnity,regardless of the individual village's experiences with rabies.Furthermore,community-driven activities based on sociocultural conditioning and community capacity at the banjar and village levels,such as public awareness activities,vaccination,dog registration,dog population management,and rapid response to dog bites,were identified as being able to complement the rabies control program in Bali.The program also needs recognition or acknowledgement from governments,especially local govemment as well as regular mentoring to improve and sustain community participation.

Research on College Studentst'Autonomous EFL Learning Affer Course Exemption

By analyzing the English learning logs of 12 students in a provincial university in south-west China after they had been exempted from taking college English courses,this study investigated college students’autonomous EFL(English as a foreign language)learning after course exemption,including the use of mediational means in EFL learning,EFL learning hours,and other factors affecting EFL learning,in the hope of giving new perspectives on college ELF curriculum design,teaching,and education management.

On Socio-cultural Theory in Language Teaching

Being a prominent theory in the field of language teaching,sociocultural theory(SCT)has become widely applied since it gradually formed during the past century.An overall review and analysis of this theory may offer different angle for educators to teach languages well in modern times.This paper tries to provide an overview of the development and the main framework with some critical analysis of this theory.

Investigating “The Third Place” Identity among Chinese Language Students in Newcastle University

The paper investigated"The Third Place"within Chinese language students' community in the university of Newcastle(Uo N). Through the investigation, critical analysis has been given by comparing the behaviour and performance of two types of Chinese students within the community. Moreover, critical questions have arisen: Is the teacher in the language room really the best catalyst to create"The Third Place"? How should Chinese students make use of wider context to contest their native culture? The paper further described a sociocultural framework which indicates"The Third Place"should not be an isolated knowledge to be learn, but happens through constant information exchange with the outside world and socialising. Critical applications have also been given to guide how to make"The Third Place"occur within Chinese language community smoothly.

A Study of Peer Interactions in Language Classroom

Peer interaction offers multiple benefits to learners and holds great implications for language learning. Peer interaction creates a communication- friendly environment where novice foreign language learners feel more comfortable to use the target language, reinforcing what they have learned and pushing them to rack their brains and reach beyond the zone of proximal development for more. Recently, an increasing number of second language learning studies has begun to investigate peer-peer interaction, focusing more on the social nature of learning. These studies draw upon the framework of Sociocultural Theory, which regards cognition and knowledge as constructed through social interaction.

Infertility in China: Culture, society and a need for fertility counselling

With a high rate of infertility, it is important to understand the context of fertility and family planning in China, to inform the necessity of supportive care. A literature review was undertaken to explore the societal constructs informing perspectives of childbearing, family planning and infertility, alongside Chinese considerations of fertility treatments, including assisted reproductive technologies and fertility counselling. In China, childbearing attitudes and behaviours are shaped by tensions between traditional cultural values of the filial piety originating from Confucianism, the history of strict family planning policy, the recent termination of one-child policy and the socioeconomic circumstance. For infertile Chinese individuals, the inability to meet these childbearing expectations gives rise to significant pressure and consequent psychological distress, particularly depressive symptoms. Demographic factors such as gender, education, income and geographical location have been found to influence prevalence and degree of depression in infertile Chinese men and women. These difficulties are compounded by barriers of cultural acceptance, legislative restrictions and availability of resources for alternative options such as adoption and surrogacy. It is important that these fertility sociocultural factors are taken into consideration when assisting Chinese patients to access and utilise fertility treatment services.

翻译中社会文化差异刍议

本文从社会文化背景的角度阐述了翻译中存在的社会文化差异以及它的制约性和可译性,并提供了适量的说明例句。

Bridging the Gap between Western and Chinese Evidence in the International Education Market

Using a sample of 1674 international students in China, the present study explores sociocultural adaptation and its determinants. The results indicate that sociocultural adaptation among international students＂ in China is largely shaped by the nature of the interaction with host nationals. In particular, among international students, those who experienced higher levels of social interaction with host nationals and received more social support were better poised for sociocultural adaptation. Rather contrary to similar research in the Western context, the study finds that international students from East Asia actually experienced more sociocultural difficulties in China than their counterparts from Western countries. These findings suggest the possibility of China and other oriental countries with sound higher education systems playing more active roles in the global higher education market.

Reconstruction of the remembrance:Palace of Culture in Slantsy

Impressive public architecture has a power to influence and imbue a space with a legend and cultural and social values and accumulate collective memories.A Palace of Culture,or Dvorets Kurtury in Russian,represents a socialist belief,commonwealth,and peopled democracy.The monumental Stalinist Palace of Culture is a multifunctional public architecture that was built as a sociocultural epicenter in many Soviet cities.The case of the Palace of Culture in Slantsy,which is a mining town in Leningrad Region in Russia,may be an eloquent projection of this building type and its era.The edifice is currently under reconstruction after its abandonment for a long time,thereby entailing the reincarnation of citizens1 memories and the creation of new hopes and experiences.

Cultural drivers and health-seeking behaviours that impact on the transmission of pig-associated zoonoses in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Pig rearing is an important income source in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic(PDR),with many smallholder farmers using traditional free-range pig production systems.Despite the potentially significant health risks posed by pig production regarding pig-associated zoonoses,information on the sociocultural drivers of these zoonoses is significantly lacking.This review summarises the existing sociocultural knowledge on eight pig-associated zoonoses suspected to be endemic in Southeast Asia:brucellosis,Q fever(Coxiella burnetii),trichinellosis,hepatitis E virus,leptospirosis,Japanese encephalitis,Streptococcus suis and Taenia solium taeniasis-cysticercosis.It summarises current knowledge on these diseases grouped according to their clinical manifestations in humans to highlight the propensity for underreporting.A literature search was conducted across multiple databases for publications from 1990 to the present day related to the eight pig-associated zoonoses and the risk and impact connected with them,with Lao PDR as a case study.Many of these pig-associated zoonoses have similar presentations and are often diagnosed as clinical syndromes.Misdiagnosis and underreporting are,therefore,substantial and emphasise the need for more robust diagnostics and appropriate surveillance systems.While some reports exist in other countries in the region,information is significantly lacking in Lao PDR with existing information coming mainly from the capital,Vientiane.The disease burden imposed by these zoonoses is not only characterised by morbidity and mortality,but directly impacts on livelihoods through income reduction and production losses,and indirectly through treatment costs and lost work opportunities.Other factors crucial to understanding and controlling these diseases are the influence of ethnicity and culture on food-consumption practices,pig rearing and slaughter practices,hygiene and sanitation,health-seeking behaviours and,therefore,risk factors for disease transmission.Published information on the knowledge,attitudes and beliefs of people regarding pig zoonoses and their risk factors is also extremely limited in Lao PDR and the broader Southeast Asian region.The need for more transdisciplinary research,using a One Health approach,in order to understand the underlining social determinants of health and their impacts on health-seeking behaviours,disease transmission and,ultimately,disease reporting,cannot be more emphasized.

Contexts and pragmatic strategies of COVID-19 related cartoons in Nigeria

The global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has been experienced differently by people depending on their socio-cultural contexts.These varied experiences are expressed in various forms of communication,including cartoons.This paper examines the pragmatic resources inherent in COVID-19-related cartoons depicting the impact of the virus on Nigerian society.Forty COVID-19-related cartoons,circulated on social media,were collected on Twitter and WhatsApp platforms between March and April 2020 as data.Multimodality and presupposition served as theoretical framework and descriptive research design was adopted.Findings reveal five socio-contextual domains,religion,health,economy,politics and governance nd family,characterizing the social experiences of Nigerians during the pandemic.Through the evocation of situational reality,pragmatic sarcasm,punning,and orientation to government insensitivity,the cartoonists evoke pragmatic functions of informing and warning about social behaviours in the religion,family and health domains;recreating situational realities on socioeconomic impacts in the domain of economy;and satirizing government policies and mocking politicians’insincerity in the domain of politics and governance on sociopolitical experiences of Nigerians before and during the pandemic.The study concludes cartoons are a strong means of portraying societal realities and people’s experiences comically and graphically.