Autobiographic episodes as languaging

Affective and cognitive changes in an older adult

Authors

  • Kyoko Motobayashi OISE/ University of Toronto (student)
  • Merrill Swain University of Toronto
  • Sharon Lapkin OISE/University of Toronto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/lst.v1i1.75

Keywords:

Sociocultural theory, cognition, affect, older adults

Abstract

The purpose of our program of research is to explore the role of languaging on the part of older adults residing in long-term care facilities. We suggest that languaging-based activities can enhance the quality of life of such older adults including aspects of their cognition and affect. Languaging is the use of language to mediate cognitive and affective processes (Swain, 2006, 2010). In this case study, Mary (a resident) engages in the effortful re-construction of autobiographic episodes. Through microgenetic analysis we document changes in Mary’s emotional response to recreating aspects of her life history, and a change in her cognition involving a shift from other- to self-regulation in her ability to remember past events. We argue that Mary’s narration of past events (a type of languaging) is related to her positive affective and cognitive changes; this is consistent with Vygotsky’s view that cognition and affect are inextricably intertwined.

Author Biographies

  • Kyoko Motobayashi, OISE/ University of Toronto (student)

    Kyoko Motobayashi is currently a PhD candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. Her research interests include bilingualism from a sociocultural perspective, in particular at the intersection between writing, autobiographic memory and individual subjectivities. A recent publication on this topic is "Writing in two languages: An exploratory case study of autobiographic writings by Japanese-English bilingual students" (Japan Journal of Multilingualism and Multiculturalism, 15(1) in 2009.

  • Merrill Swain, University of Toronto

    Dr. Merrill Swain is Professor Emeritus at OISE/UT. There, she has taught and conducted research for 40 years. Her interests include bilingual education and second language learning, teaching and testing. She is author of over 150 articles published in refereed journals, as well as many book chapters. Her present research focuses on the role of collaborative dialogue and “languaging” in second language learning. She was President of AAAL, and VP of AILA. She was presented AAALs’ 2004 Distinguished Scholarship and Service Award. She received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Vaasa in Finland in 2011.Merrill has recently co-authored a textbook which introduces Sociocultural Theory through narratives of second language learning and teaching. Publications include: Swain, M., & Watanabe, Y. (2013), Collaborative dialogue as a source of learning. In C. Chapelle (Ed.), The encyclopedia of applied linguistics. Oxford, UK: Wiley Blackwell. Swain, M. (2013). Cognitive and affective enhancement among older adults: The role of languaging. The Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 36, 4-19. Swain, M. (2013). The inseparability of cognition and emotion in second language learning. Language Teaching, 46, 195-207. doi: 10.1017/S0261444811000486, Brooks, L., & Swain, M. (in press). Students’ voices: The challenge of measuring speaking for academic contexts. In B. Spolsky, O. Inbar, and M. Tannenbaum (eds.), Challenges for language education and policy: Making space for people.

  • Sharon Lapkin, OISE/University of Toronto

    Sharon Lapkin is Professor Emerita in the Centre for Educational Research on Languages and Literacies (formerly the Modern Language Centre) of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education /University of Toronto. Her research projects centre on French second language education in Canada and range from program evaluations of core French and immersion to qualitative studies of language learning in progress through detailed analysis of transcribed learner dialogues. From 1995 to 2004 she was co-Editor of the Canadian Modern Language Review and from 2004 to 2006 she was co-President of the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics. Sharon is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT). In 2007, that Association awarded her the Prix Robert Roy in recognition of her contributions to French second language education in Canada. Publications include: • Barkaoui, K., Brooks, L., Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2012). Test-takers’ strategic behaviors in independent and integrated speaking tasks. Applied Linguistics, 14, 170-192. doi:10.1093/applin/ams046. Published online by Oxford Journals. • Lapkin, S. (2013). “Merrill Swain.” In C. Chapelle (Ed.), The encyclopedia of applied linguistics. Oxford, UK: Wiley Blackwell. • Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2013). A Vygotskian perspective on immersion education: The L1/L2 debate. Journal of Immersion and Content Based Language Education,1, 101-129. • Swain, M., Lapkin, S., & Deters, P. (2013). Exploring the effect of languaging activities on cognitive functioning: The case of an older adult in a long term care facility. Activities, Adaptation and Aging, 37, 1-18.

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Published

2014-01-30

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Motobayashi, K., Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2014). Autobiographic episodes as languaging: Affective and cognitive changes in an older adult. Language and Sociocultural Theory, 1(1), 75–99. https://doi.org/10.1558/lst.v1i1.75

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