SOSYAL BİLİŞSEL ÖĞRENME VE YABANCI DİL ÖĞRETİM

The purpose of this study is to identify the implications of social cognitive learning for foreign language teaching. The theory of social cognitive learning is one of the theories developed to explain learning. As a bridge between behaviorism and cognitive theories, it presents some eclectic features which might be benefited from in foreign language teaching. The most important suggestions of the theory about learning are learning through modeling (imitation) and self efficacy. The theory claims that people can achieve some of their learnings imitating what they see in the environment and that what they think they can do influence what they can really do in their real life. These hypotheses and their corollaries have some suggestions to improve language teaching in classroom. When learning a foreign language, either the teacher or better students function as a kind of model for students. Also, both direct and vicarious reinforcement in language classes contribute to learning and self-efficacy. Good modeling and well-planned reinforcement is stated to lead to higher self-efficacy.