• About UANews
• Sign up for News
• Resources for Media
• Calendar
• Contact Us

Attendees will explore curriculum design and course development, teaching methodology, teacher cognition and conduct data analysis.

By University Communications
October 25, 2007

An international gathering to address lessons in second language learning will convene on The University of Arizona campus Oct. 25-27.

The Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning Research Working Group brings together scholars from around the world to meet and share the best approaches and new research in teaching people to learn new languages.

“A key finding of those who teach second languages to school-age children is how important validation of their social and cultural background is. Understanding how these students learn and reason simultaneously in their language of origin and in the new language they are learning has helped advance our ability to teach them,” said Ana Christina DaSilva Iddings, assistant professor of language, literacy, teaching and teacher education at the UA College of Education.

Iddings is the conference organizer and has been a part of the organization since its inception. The conference is in its 14th year and is meeting for the first time at the UA.

The conference focuses on the application of sociocultural theory in second language learning. “Learning isn’t done in a vacuum. We learn through people, experience and social interactions,” Iddings added.

The conference has international attendance with scholars who study second language education. The conference attendees will explore curriculum design and course development, teaching methodology, teacher cognition and conduct data analysis.

Luis C. Moll, the college's associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of language, reading and culture, is the conference's featured speaker. He is an authority on connecting culture, psychology and education, especially as it relates to the education of Latino children in the U.S.