It is with this bold claim that Halliday opens the article, “Towards a language-based theory of learning” (hereafter, LTL), in which he condenses the conclusions of a lifetime's work on language and its development (Halliday, 1993a). In reading it, I was strongly reminded of Vygotsky's similar claims about the role of language and other “psychological tools” in intellectual development. In this chapter, my aim is to demonstrate the compatibility of these two language-based theories of human development as a way of creating a theoretical framework within which to consider the centrality of linguistic discourse in learning and teaching.

Long-Term Goals and the Choice of a Genetic Approach

There can be no doubt that both Vygotsky and Halliday have made major contributions to their chosen disciplines, Vygotsky in psychology and Halliday in linguistics. However, because of the breadth of their conceptions of their subjects, the impact of their work has also been felt far beyond their “home” disciplines, and perhaps nowhere more strongly than in the field of education. Indeed, both scholars devoted a considerable amount of energy to putting their theoretical ideas to practical use in attempts to improve the quality of children's educational experience.