ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews theoretical and pedagogical insights in the field of ELT inspired by Vygotsky's research on the relationship between thinking and speaking and by consequent research into second language acquisition (SLA) from a sociocultural theory (SCT) perspective. The chapter presents the historical origins of SCT in the work of Vygotsky and his colleagues. The chapter proposes teaching/ testing conceptual thinking in the ELT classroom through mindful conceptual engagement activity, a dynamic and conscious process by which learners reflect on their communicative choices by using concepts with the intent of constructing new understandings. Then it briefly explains the SCT constructs relevant to language teaching: monism, dialectics, cultural mediation, verbal thinking internalisation and focuses on a key area of debate for ELT. The chapter concludes by focusing on two applications inspired by SCT principles: concept-based teaching (CBT) and dynamic assessment (DA).
