Cognitive Linguistics, Sociocultural Theory and Content and Language Integrated Learning

Abstract

This study applies cognitive linguistics (CL) to what Llinares et al. (2012) refers to as the three overlapping theoretical perspectives of content and language integrated learning (CLIL): (a) systemic functional linguistics, (b) Vygotskian-based sociocultural theory, and (c) dialogic inquiry. CL is complimentary to these theoretical perspectives because it views language development as conceptually motivated, meaning making, and usage-based (Langacker, 2000). Academic genre-based theory is another factor integrating content, language, and learning in CLIL. The specific meaning-meaning making under analysis is polysemous lexis that has both everyday and scientific (Vygotsky, 1978) or genre-specific meanings. Results of an empirical study indicate that using a CL-based approach within the zone of proximal development raises L2 learners' awareness of the metonymically motivated extension in meaning from everyday to genre-specific and significantly improves their comprehension of both meanings. This study concludes that by including CL as a conceptual link CLIL's pedagogical efficacy could be enhanced to further integrate content, language and learning: i.e., content and language conceptually integrated learning.