The Language and Learning Theories of Halliday and Vygotsky and their Contributions to Educational Practice

摘要

This paper will discuss two of the various theories of language and learning. Firstly, Halliday, committed to the language-based theory of learning, views all learning as a form of language development. Secondly, Vygotsky, committed to the socio-cultural theory, views learning as a process by which a learner internalizes knowledge. In discussing these views, we will probe into the theoretical isomorphism between the two theories, aiming at exploring up the extent to which both schools of thought may be complementary in views on issues like the nature of language, of learning and development, and of educational practice. From the comparison, we can see that although Halliday and Vygotsky come from different backgrounds and disciplines, their theories are remarkably compatible. Both Halliday and Vygotsky emphasize that learning takes place in a social context. A constructivist perspective is evident in both theories, and reciprocity is also a feature of both. Halliday's language-based theory and Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory form the basis for many current educational practices.