Constructivism In Literature Review

This literature review investigates two articles regarding EFL from the constructivism theory 's point of view. To begin with the first article: (Rethinking Constructivism in Multicultural Contexts: Does Constructivism in Education take the Issue of Diversity into Consideration? By Bae, 2004). This paper is attempts to recognize how probable learning theories in education deals with diversity as a growing issue as only few studies have critically examined the ways of teaching and learning when constructivism is applied to situations containing linguistic, cultural, or ethnic diversity.

The author also discusses some assumptions and challenges to constructivism when it is applied to students with limited English proficiency (LEP). According

In other words almost every teacher serves as a part time second language teacher (van Lier, 1988, p. 7.) This imbalance between teachers and LEP students in terms of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic background may contribute, to some extent, to cultural conflicts between majority teachers and minority students in the classroom. Under such environments, LEP students will suffer a lot due to their failure to understand academic, social, and linguistic standards at school. These students bring with them a precise set of cultural standards and customs that are contrasting with those expected in the mainstream classroom. For example, Asian students may feel uncomfortable in a classroom environment where the teachers are informal and the students are encouraged to speak in front of the class (Nieto, 1992). Such cultural differences between students and teachers, plus the teacher’s failure to understand student 's cultural behaviors may result in conflicts that hinder students

2- Constructivism assumes that teachers serve as facilitators who provide students with an authentic, student-centred and problem-based learning environment. In the constructivist classroom the teacher does not force his representation upon the learner (Wilson, 1996). Instead he facilitate to provide students with an authentic and student-centered learning atmosphere in which shared meaning can be developed (Richardson, 1996).

3- Through reflection, group discussion and all other forms of thinking and interaction, students in the constructivist classroom build an understanding of the subject matter. Therefore, a variety of group or peer activities are encouraged. Students in the constructivist classroom will be involved in a range of group activities or tasks that are reliable and relevant to their actual lives.

4- In the constructivist classroom, judgment is delayed or given to community authority and negotiation. Of course classroom, judgments are involved, but are given to community authority and negotiation instead of the individual teacher and valuations are made using various authentic measures such as observation, video-taping, dialogue journals, field notes, and portfolios as well as test