Title: Foreign Language Acquisition Research from the Perspective of Educational Linguistics
Authors: Xiaoquan Pan
Volume: 10
Issue: 5
Pages: 133-139
Publication Date: 2026/05/28
Abstract:
Research on foreign language acquisition has long focused on elucidating cognitive mechanisms of language learning, frequently overlooking the profound implications that sociocultural contexts hold for pedagogical practice. Grounded in the integrative perspective of Educational Linguistics (EL), this study systematically examines the fundamental nature of language learning as a complex sociocultural, cultural, and cognitive practice. Findings reveal that sociocultural contexts critically shape learning meaning and identity formation, classroom micro-social interactions constitute tangible conduits for acquisition, and fluid multicultural identities generate intricate contradictions in linguistic choices. The EL perspective facilitates the integration of cognitive language acquisition theories with sociocultural frameworks, actualized through pedagogical approaches including Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), Content-Based Instruction (CBI), and Translingual Resource Integration (TRI). However, this integrative approach confronts critical challenges such as inadequate teacher preparation, reductionist assessment systems, scarce curricular resources, and the influence of micropower structures. Consequently, this study advocates: advancing the transformation of foreign language teachers into "critical context designers"; developing multidimensional frameworks for evaluating cultural competence; reforming curriculum policies to recognize linguistic resource diversity; and optimizing classroom micro-social structures to empower all learners. Only by genuinely situating and addressing the linguistic dimensions of education within their constitutive sociocultural environments can foreign language acquisition research transcend cognitively-centered limitations and achieve deeply effective learning within dynamic educational contexts.