Reflections on the SWSEEL Russian program from a sociocultural perspective: Challenges and benefits

Abstract

The SWSEEL intensive language summer training program held annually at the Bloomington campus of Indiana University is one of the oldest and most popular intensive Russian language programs in the US. In this paper we reflect on our respective combined experience as a Russian course learner and a Russian course instructor to identify benefits and potential challenges from the perspective of sociocultural learning theories as developed in the field of Learning Sciences. We show the sociocultural lens is well suited for describing learning in the SWSEEL environment, and the Russian SWSEEL course is designed and taught in agreement with perspectives of learning in sociocultural learning theories. Ultimately, sociocultural instructional strategies strengthen the SWSEEL model and validate the application of sociocultural learning design in the context of intensive language programs.