Reconciling the cognitive and social approaches to describing teacher talk in second language classrooms: The contribution of systemic functional linguistics

Teacher talk plays an important role in second-language classroom interaction. Studies are informed by multiple theories and yet could be classified under two general approaches, i.e., cognitive social. The approaches provide different but complementary perspectives on the of teacher interaction, with a focus either learners' change or their social participation. A conversation between them is called for academic field to understand interdependent relationship as well loss gain respective approach. However, difficult launch because have developed distinct what constitutes language how learning evolves, leading seemingly incompatible descriptive paradigms. With reference systemic functional linguistics (SFL), this article argues reconciling following aspects. First, meaning-oriented view SFL expands scope beyond forms offers both angle reconsider Second, semiotic blurs boundary cognition use provides perspective understanding mediated processes learning. Finally, functions scaffolding revealed based linguistic analysis may not only enrich description each approach also enable findings across comparable. It anticipated that would create new spaces approaches.