Developmental teaching and its challenges for teacher training: a personal report based on the teaching of academic writing in English

Abstract

Vygotsky is a well-known author in the field of education and applied linguistics. However, pedagogies based on his assumptions are less publicized. At a time when education in general and, more specifically, language teaching, becomes more instrumental and neoliberal, this article aims to reclaim the relevance of V.V. Davydov and his pedagogy (DAVYDOV, 1988) for the transformation of the current educational context. I seek to present this contribution by describing the approach, and by discussing the challenges imposed on teachers and students, as well as their confrontation through my implementation of this pedagogy in courses of academic writing in English.