The Application of Vygotskian Perspective in Multilevel English Classes in Iran Universities

The present study is aimed to find out an applicable solution to multilevel English classes especially in Iran universities. The term multilevel classrooms refers to student centered classrooms in which students learn across two or more grades and are taught by the same teacher. Since such classes face teacher with a significant challenge for making the atmosphere of class interesting and useful for all students, selecting and applying appropriate strategy based on a reliable school of thought will be helpful. Therefore, Lev Vygotsky’s ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ (ZPD) theory and Sociocultural theory (SCT) as background and making use of Vygotsky’s ideas such as peer tutoring and scaffolding is considered as the main solution to this problem. Details of how these theories are bound up with scaffolding and how they can be applied as a solution in multilevel English classes are explained. Although this study focuses on English classes in Iran universities, some suggestions are proposed for more global contexts. On the other hand, since this study relies on theoretical aspects, empirical studies can be done around application of Vygotsky s ideas in multilevel English classes in future studies.

Keywords:

multilevel , scaffolding , sociocultural theory , Zone of Proximal Development