This chapter on reciprocal teaching has a number of links to
cultural-historical activity theory. Understanding text is
approached as a problem solving task attained through
joint-construction. The writers draw on Vygotsky's idea that the
greatest change is children's use of language is when the
socialized language used to address adults moves inward on the
intrapsychological plane. Palinscar et al. discuss how chldren
begin to use the statements of the teacher to regulate their
interactions during lessons. Thus internalization is one link to
the theory.
There is reference made to scaffolding. However, the discuss is
brief. One must take it on faith.
Although not mentioned by the writers, I think that there is a
link to Vygotsky's idea of scientific concepts. This research
does focus on mastering systemic knowledge, along with formal
instruction. Analysis of dialogue reveals that the content begins
to drive discourse. After a number of lessons, children began to
bring related topics from other actvity to their discussions.
Thus pre-post measures are used to show differences between the
treatment and control groups. But an analysis of joint activity
explains results from a Vygotskian perspective.
Bill Blanton