Teaching English as a foreign language: applying cultural-historical theory and activity approach

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in studying languages, and, more particularly, in studying English as a second language. English is by far the most studied language around the world, and numerous approaches to teaching it are practiced nowadays.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in studying languages, and, more particularly, in studying English as a second language. English is by far the most studied language around the world, and numerous approaches to teaching it are practiced nowadays. However there are still many challenges connected with the elaboration of efficient ways of teaching – and consequently of learning English – for children from various cultural contexts and different age groups.

As a researcher I am interested in developing a programme of teaching English in the framework of the cultural-historical theory and activity approach. On the one hand, a few attempts have been made to develop teaching TEFL within this theoretical framework, but on the other hand these attempts have been quite fragmentary so far and there is yet no distinct system for teaching a foreign language based on cultural-historical theory and activity approach.

Our work will embrace:

 analysis of the existing theoretical approaches to teaching ESL;

 analysis of the basic principles and key concepts of cultural-historical theory and activity approach that can be applied in teaching ESL;

 analysis of applying digital technologies as a new means of mediation in the context of ESL.

The purpose of this research phase is to plan the theoretical background for the further practical work. I hope that applying digital technologies in teaching languages in the light of cultural-historical theory and activity approach will provide an effective paradigme of teaching ESL to children and adolescents.