Kruger, Estelle2017-08-222017-08-222009Kruger, E. (2009). Konstruktivistiese beginsels en taalonderrig: ontwikkeling van'n navorser se eie epistemologie. Acta Academica, 41(2), 180-210.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/6626English: This article reflects about the author’s professional development as language practitioner, educationalist and researcher. A literature review conceptualises principles of constructivist learning theories and shows how the (intuitive) implementation of these principles has enhanced students’ ability to construct meaning and accept responsibility for their own learning in the author’s teaching and research programme. Mention is made of different approaches to language teaching that can be integrated successfully in the constructivist paradigm, for instance the communicative and task-based approaches. These are based on recent research on the functioning of the brain when learning takes place, and its implications for the development of creativity in language teaching are discussed.Afrikaans: In hierdie artikel bied die outeur ’n epistemologiese besinning van haar professionele ontwikkeling as taalpraktisyn, opvoedkundige en navorser. ’n Literatuuroorsig word gebruik om konstruktivistiese leerteoretiese beginsels te konseptualiseer en aan te toon hoe die (intuïtiewe) toepassing daarvan in die outeur se onderrig en navorsingsprogram studente gehelp het om betekenis te konstrueer en verantwoordelikheid vir hul eie leer te aanvaar. Melding word gemaak van benaderings in taalonderrig wat betekenisvol binne die konstruktivistiese paradigma geïntegreer kan word, naamlik die kommunikatiewe en taakgebaseerde benaderings. Hierdie benaderings word in verband gebring met resente navorsing oor leerders se breinfunksionering, en die implikasies daarvan vir onderrig met die oog op kreatiewe ontwikkeling word uitgelig.afLanguage teachingLanguage practitionerBrain functioningArticleUniversity of the Free State