RE: [xmca] self-regulation

[larry smolucha <lsmolucha@hotmail.com>]

Greg,
Even if a gesture or pictorial image that has no resemblance to thereferent can be used, I think that words that derive from spoken language have a unique role in the development of self-regulation. I think this is what Vygotsky was saying in 1928 in his paper The Genetic Roots of Thought and Speech (particularly pages 82 and 88 inKozulin's translation in Thought and Language). I have nothing personally invested inbeing right about this, so I welcome counter-arguments. 
It seems the definition of self-regulation needs clarification - Vygotsky was focusing on self-regulation of conceptual thought. I also wonder what brain imaging technology would show about the development of executive function in the prefrontal cortices in deaf people. I think it has been a mistake for neurologists to refer to the prefrontal cortex as if the left and right prefrontal cortices acted in unity.  There must be different self-regulatory systems operating from the left prefrontal cortex (speech) and perhaps some other type of non-verbal self-regulation operates from the right prefrontal cortex.This other type of non-verbal self-regulation could be left prefrontal in the deaf. Brain imaging techniques like the functional MRI could provide a breakthrough. Since Vygotsky was focused on the ability to self-regulate conceptual thought we can expect that self-regulation of sensori-motor functions is going involve the development of a different neurological system. 
Also there are bound to be differences between people who have been deaf since birth and people who lost their hearing after having learned even a little speech (The infant Helen Keller was alreadysaying a few words including the word water before she lost her hearing).
One of my closest friends is an 83 year old woman who has been deaf sinceage 4 (German Measles). I have seen her interact with other people who are deafand some of the signs they use are analogical in regard to the referent.For example, spaghetti (the thumbs and index fingers of both hands touch and thenmove away from each other in a straight line as if stretching a piece of spaghetti)and dog is represented by the two hands patting the leg together as if the paws of a dog trying to get attention). But at other times, words are spelled out using hand signs for alphabet letters that do not look like the written form of the alphabet letter. But then theseare words that derived from spoken language even if the vocalizations are not being made.
I will look for the research on Nicaraguan Sign Language.
> Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:15:52 -0600
> Subject: Re: [xmca] self-regulation
> From: greg.a.thompson@gmail.com
> To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> 
> Francine,
> Do you think that Vygotsky was right in positing that:
> "the spoken word has a unique function in self-regulation because it can be
> totally separate from the referent, whereas gestures and iconic-pictorial
> illustrations bear some element of resemblance."
> Most particularly, do you think that ASL is purely gestural and
> iconic-pictorial?
> Makes me wonder what kind of sign language Vygotsky would have been
> studying.
> Home sign?
> Maria Coppolla (sp?), among others, has done some really great work on
> Nicaraguan Sign Language. The upshot of it is that when sign language
> develops in a community, signs develop a fully *symbolic* capacity (cf.
> Peirce on "symbol") that does this work of being totally separate from the
> referent ("arbitrary", we might say, to use Saussurean terminology).
> 
> But, importantly, you only get this when you have a numerous and dense
> community of deaf people who can develop such arbitrary signs (and this is
> a fascinating population to think about language genesis with! And guess
> where these numerous and dense communities have typically been found:
> Schools!). Without a significantly large and dense community of deaf
> people, deaf are stuck making up signs for hearing people who rely too
> heavily on spoken word to be able to imagine that one can do the same thing
> with gestures.
> 
> What do you think?
> -greg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 1:05 PM, larry smolucha <lsmolucha@hotmail.com>wrote:
> 
> > Message from Francine:
> > Larry,
> > You might find something useful in a 1992 book edited by Diaz and
> > Berktitled Private Speech (Erlbaum) - I wrote Chapter 5 on the Social
> > Originsof Private Speech in pretend Play.
> > Bodrova and Leong's Tools of the Mind Preschools have been recocognized
> > fortheir success in using verbally guided pretend play to develop
> > self-regulation.They are currently doing a joint research project with
> > University of Chicago researchers.Adele Diamond, a neuropsychologist, has
> > documented neurological correlatesas self-regulation developed in Tool of
> > the Mind Preschoolers.
> > In regard to the use of gesture for self-regulation as early as infancy:A
> > few years ago I was giving my usual lecture on how Vygotsky
> > transitionedfrom teaching the deaf to researching the role of speech in
> > self-regulation.I said that Vygotsky realized that the teaching of sign
> > language to the deafwas only done to teach communication with others, but
> > that speech in the hearinghad two functions 'communication and
> > self-regulation.' A related question is how tohelp the deaf to use sign
> > language for self-regulation. Well, there happended to bea deaf woman in
> > the class with another woman who would sign my lectures to her. It was a
> > moment of truth, I turned to them and asked if the deaf woman ever signs to
> > herself to direct her own thoughts - her answer was yes, even in her dreams.
> > Never-the-less, Vygotsky is quite clear that the spoken word has a unique
> > functionin self-regulation because it can be totally separate from the
> > referent, whereasgestures and iconic-pictorial illustrations bear some
> > element of resemblance.
> > In regard to the Vancouver school's goal of teaching self-regulatory
> > private speech,I can think of simple ways to help the teachers how to
> >  identify the types of self-regulatoryspeech that students at different
> > grade levels need  per subject area. [I just revieweda journal article from
> > the Zoology department at a University in New Zealand thatwas looking at
> > verbal self-regulation in graduate students.]
> > Meichenbaum's  work on Cognitive-Behavioral Modification  was inspred by
> > Vygotskyand Luria's writings, so basic steps in using private speech to
> > focus attentioncan be found in that area of research and therapy (beginning
> > in the 1960's).
> > I get the sense that Vygotskian researchers have become estranged from one
> > another(and from the associated research literatures) because of artificial
> > theoretical boundariesthat have been drawn.
> >
> > > Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:06:55 -0700
> > > Subject: Re: RES: [xmca] "semiotic/semantic [semicheskyj] analysis". Can
> > you  help me?
> > > From: lpscholar2@gmail.com
> > > To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > >
> > > Hi Francine
> > > Thanks for the reference to Winsler's edited book, "Private Speech,
> > > Executive Function".
> > > I have read the excerpt on Google books and two topics were intriguing.
> > > The notion of *self-reflection* in 12 month old infants who were
> > privately
> > > self-regulating THROUGH gesture previously modeled by adults.
> > > The 2nd intriguing question is that literature may profoundly influence
> > > (constitute) a distinct TYPE of self-regulation.
> > >
> > > I would appreciate if you could email some relevant literature on
> > > developing self regulation through private speech.
> > >
> > > If you send to
> > >
> > > lplarry@live.com
> > >
> > > I would be grateful.
> > >
> > > Francine, the concept of *self-regulation* and *social-emotional
> > learning*
> > > is becoming a central focus in public schooling and in the Vancouver
> > school
> > > system has been highlighted as a central goal that all teachers must
> > > *teach*.
> > >
> > > THIS topic of *private speech* I see as a fulcrum or pivot around which
> > to
> > > enter dialogue at the school level.
> > >
> > > Thanks for your generous offer.
> > >
> > > Larry
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, Apr 23, 2013 at 9:05 AM, larry smolucha <lsmolucha@hotmail.com
> > >wrote:
> > >
> > > > Message from Francine,
> > > > We had to surrender copyright to the publisher,which is the case for
> > most
> > > > academic books and journals.Since the book was just published, I do not
> > > > think they would let the paperbe posted on-line just yet.
> > > > But if you send me  your private e-mail address, I can e-mail copies of
> > > > similarpapers.
> > > >
> > > > > From: jbmartin@sercomtel.com.br
> > > > > To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > > > > Subject: RES: [xmca] "semiotic/semantic [semicheskyj] analysis". Can
> > you
> > > >      help    me?
> > > > > Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:05:56 -0300
> > > > >
> > > > > Do you can send the paper Smolucha, L. and Smolucha, F. (2012)
> > Vygotsky's
> > > > > Theory of Creativity inContemporary Perspectives on Research in
> > > > Creativity
> > > > > in Early Childhood Education(Information Age Publishing, pp.63-88) to
> > > > xmca?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > >
> > > > > Joao
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Mensagem original-----
> > > > > De: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu]
> > Em
> > > > nome
> > > > > de larry smolucha
> > > > > Enviada em: terça-feira, 23 de abril de 2013 07:42
> > > > > Para: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> > > > > Assunto: RE: [xmca] "semiotic/semantic [semicheskyj] analysis". Can
> > you
> > > > help
> > > > > me?
> > > > >
> > > > > Message from Francine Smolucha:
> > > > > Achilles,
> > > > > The most direct application of Vygotsky is to observe (and document)
> > > > howthe
> > > > > verbal guidance of a more knowledgeable person is internalized
> > assilent
> > > > > self-guiding inner speech. This is done through discourse
> > > > analysis.Sometimes
> > > > > there is an intermediate step where the learner speaks parts of
> > theverbal
> > > > > guidance outloud to him(her)self ( Social Speech - Private Speech
> > -Inner
> > > > > Speech).[Note Vygotsky used the term egocentric speech instead of the
> > > > > contemporary term private speech]. It would be great to use neural
> > > > imaging
> > > > > techniques to documenthow the cortical functions of the prefrontal
> > > > cortices
> > > > > change as the executivefunction emerges as the self-guiding speech is
> > > > > employed and internalized.
> > > > > Two excellent books that deal with this process are Private Speech,
> > > > > Executive Functioning, and the Development of VerbalSelf-Regulation
> > by
> > > > > Winsler, A,. et. al. ( Cambridge, 2009) The Prefrontal Cortex by
> > Joaquin
> > > > > Fuster  (Academic Press, 2009).[Pages 369-371 discuss the
> > development of
> > > > > creativity as prefrontal self-regulationof imagination with direct
> > > > reference
> > > > > to the work of both Vygotsky and Luria. Thisis consistent with my
> > > > > interpretation of Vygotsky's theory of creativity -  seeSmolucha, L.
> > and
> > > > > Smolucha, F. (2012) Vygotsky's Theory of Creativity inContemporary
> > > > > Perspectives on Research in Creativity in Early Childhood
> > > > > Education(Information Age Publishing, pp.63-88)] Hope this was of
> > some
> > > > help.
> > > > >
> > > > > > From: achilles_delari@hotmail.com
> > > > > > To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> > > > > > Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:28:38 +0000
> > > > > > Subject: [xmca] "semiotic/semantic [semicheskyj] analysis". Can you
> > > > help
> > > > > me?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Greetings for all,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Please, I understand that I have a major methodological problem in
> > my
> > > > > nearest research project: "how to understand human making-sense
> > through
> > > > the
> > > > > concrete acts of a person's speech?". Along many years I had thought
> > > > about
> > > > > Vygotsky's claim that "“Semiotic [and/or "semantic" = semicheskyj]
> > > > analysis
> > > > > is the only adequate method for the study of the systemic and
> > semantic
> > > > > structure of consciousness.” (see
> > > > >
> > > >
> > http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/1934/problem-consciousness.ht
> > > > > m). But it is not so clear how to proceed "Semiotic/semantic
> > analysis".
> > > > > Then, if you pleased, could somebody help me, shining my mind about
> > the
> > > > > (im)possibilities about somebody really learn *how to do* such kind
> > of
> > > > > analysis? Here in Brazil, close to me, there is nobody working with
> > > > > something in this direction, then I have no local resources to ask
> > for...
> > > > > Forgive me about the naive character of the question, but I really
> > want
> > > > to
> > > > > learn about.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thank you very much, once more. Best wishes.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Achilles from Brazil.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Gregory A. Thompson, Ph.D.
> Visiting Assistant Professor
> Department of Anthropology
> 883 Spencer W. Kimball Tower
> Brigham Young University
> Provo, UT 84602
> http://byu.academia.edu/GregoryThompson
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