Purposive-Historical Systems Theory: An Emerging (Meta)Theoretical Framework for Second Language Development

Saeed Karimi-Aghdam

doi:10.35360/njes.494

Abstract

Saeed Karimi-Aghdam (PhD in Applied Linguistics) defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Developing a Metatheoretical Framework for Second Language Development: A Cultural- Historical Theory and Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective” at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland on 26 June 2017. This article is a slightly revised version of the lectio praecursoria delivered by him before the public defense of his doctoral dissertation. His supervisors were Professors Hannele Dufva and Mika Lahteenmaki, both from the Department of Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyvaskyla and his opponent was Professor James P. Lantolf of the Department of Applied Linguistics and the Center for Language Acquisition, the Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Highlights

Saeed Karimi-Aghdam (PhD in Applied Linguistics) defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Developing a Metatheoretical Framework for Second Language Development: A Cultural- Historical Theory and Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective” at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland on 26 June 2017
A review of the second language acquisition literature shows that at least four critical issues stand in need of reappraisal
Two broad-brush schools of thought currently reign in the field of SLA (e.g., Firth & Wagner 1997; Block 1996; Ellis 2010). These I have termed the social family of SLA theories and the cognitive family of SLA theories (Karimi-Aghdam, Dufva, Lähteenmäki 2016; KarimiAghdam 2017c)

Summary

Introduction

Saeed Karimi-Aghdam (PhD in Applied Linguistics) defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Developing a Metatheoretical Framework for Second Language Development: A Cultural- Historical Theory and Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective” at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland on 26 June 2017. “Purposive-Historical Systems Theory: An Emerging (Meta)Theoretical Framework for Second Language Development.” Nordic Journal of English Studies 18(1):149-158. 150 Saeed Karimi-Aghdam my dissertation, I argue that an ontological hiatus exists between the social and cognitive families of SLA theories.

Results

Conclusion