Research On Oral Learning Community Of Non-English Graduates From The Perspective Of Activity Theory

With the transformation of the second language teaching field from the positivist paradigm to the explanatory and contextualized paradigm,student learning is a socialized process of continuous cooperation and dialogue with others in the context(Karen E.Johnson,2006).Students’ learning and transformation should not only focus on students’ cognition and individual constructs,but also put them in the concept of situation and community(Shulman & Shulman,2004).Following the paradigm shift,the learning community has received attention as a teaching model.In this type of community,the ultimate goal is usually to promote student learning,regular interaction,cooperation and reflection are carried out about teaching and learning issues with an inquisitive attitude,so as to improve existing teaching practices.This research is a qualitative case study.Three oral learning communities of non-English graduates in 2020 grade of an engineering college are selected as the research subjects for an 8-week study,using semi-structured interview with students and reflection diary,classroom observation,from the perspective of activity theory,based on the activity system analysis method,explore the interactive development of non-English major graduates’ oral learning community.This research mainly discussed three questions:(1)Were there any contradictions in the development of oral learning community? If so,what were they?(2)What were the reasons for these contradictions?(3)How were these contradictions tackled and resolved?The research findings show that(1)The primary contradiction was within the main body of the learning activity system;the secondary contradiction was between the tool and the object of the activity system;the tertiary contradiction was the difference between the advanced form of cultural activity and the backward form of cultural activity;the quaternary contradiction was between the central activity and its neighboring activity system.(2)The reason for the primary contradiction was that individuals,groups,and classes enjoyed different knowledge basis and educational experiences;the reason for the secondary contradiction was between the indoctrination theory introduction as the intermediary tool of activity and the object of “making students learn to happen”;the reason for the tertiary contradiction was that between the objects of oral learning community and the inherent teaching activities;the quaternary contradiction was caused by oral learning community practice activities needed to invest a lot of time and energy that opposed to the rules of the adjacent activity system.(3)To cope with primary contradiction required questioning,observation,reflection and dialogue between individuals,groups and classes;coping with secondary contradiction required to propose a new plan to adopt a cooperative group task-based teaching method;to deal with the tertiary contradiction was to accept the oral English learning style through more guidance,encouragement and persistence to the individual students;to cope with the quarternary contradiction was to restore the central activity of individual students,through communication activities to improve oral English proficiency.This research explores the main contradictions in the development of a student’s oral learning community and the subject’s extended learning process to cope with the contradictions.It helps the creation of the oral learning community and provides practical experience for its development.It also uses activity system analysis as a descriptive research method to analyze contradiction of oral learning community.