Peer Interaction and Learning in Multilingual Settings From a Sociocultural Perspective: Theoretical Insights

ABSTRACT

Reflecting on contributions to this special issue along with my own research, I suggest ways in which sociocultural understandings of peer interactions in multilingual contexts are and should be evolving to encompass the increasingly complex settings that research has come to document. I argue that in order to realize the potential of research in this area of study, it is important that we clearly define how “peers” are conceptualized in our research and carefully explore the implications of multilingual peers’ similarities and differences for learning and development. Further, the dynamic nature of multilingual expertise and peer roles/positioning, and their relation to both micro- and macro-level phenomena, are necessary starting points for any exploration of peer interaction. Finally, we must seek to understand the diverse ways in which peers scaffold each other’s learning through a range of instructional and naturally occurring activities that include but are not limited to those found in traditional classroom settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Peer interaction
• multilingualism
• sociocultural theory