L. S. Vygotsky and English in Education and the Language Arts

L. S. Vygotsky and English in Education and the Language Arts focuses on the hugely significant contributions of L. S. Vygotsky to research, theory and practice in English and the Language Arts, exploring the relevance of Vygotsky’s works for today’s teachers and researchers. Drawing on his 30-years of study, Smagorinsky interprets Vygotsky in relation to literacy education, teacher education, special education and how life outside school have an impact on how people function within them. This insightful and accessible text firstly explores Vygotsky’s early life to situate him historically and culturally and goes on to trace his understanding of human psychology as it relates to the social contexts of schools and pupils’ lives at home. Vygotsky’s pedagogical ideas are then discussed in depth, with specific attention on the role of emotions, the zone of proximal development, expanding textuality beyond writing and his belief in the primacy of socialization. This book illuminates new areas of understanding, and challenges common perceptions available through limited and selective readings, establishing Vygotsky as a complex developmental psychologist rather than a classroom practitioner. With points for discussion and reflection provided throughout, this text will be invaluable for student teachers, teachers and academics in the field of English and the Language Arts.