Abstract:

The branch of postmodernism is poststructuralism - in fact, it was called French poststructuralism, with the dominant philosophy being “68 philosophy” (Marshall, 2004). The article is based on poststructuralist representatives Deleuze and Guattari (2004) theoretical insights on rhizome and assemblage which are presented in the "Thousand Plateaus". "There are only many multiplicities that make up a single assemblage operating in the same assemblage" (Deleuze, Guattari, 2004, p. 34). It also appeals to other authors such as Manuel DeLanda (2016), who interprets the idea of the Deleuze and Guattari assemblages. He distinguishes the following characteristics of assemblages:
1) assemblages have a fully contingent historical identity;
2) assemblages are always composed of heterogeneous components;
3) assemblages can become component parts of larger assemblages;
4) assemblages emerge from the interactions between their parts, but once an assemblage is in place it immediately starts acting as a source of limitations and opportunities for its components (downward causality).

Thus, the problem-related question arises: what are assemblages of rhizomatic learning? The aim of the research – to reveal the English learning assemblages of secondary school students based on the theoretical insights of the Deleuze and Guattari rhizomes in informal and non-formal learning contexts.

A total of 8 narrative interviews were conducted with twelfth-grade students. Braun, Clarke (2013, p.20) indicate that 6-10 interviews are sufficient for thematic analysis. A semi-structured narrative interview according to Barkhuizen (2020) was conducted with each of them. Respondents were selected by targeted criterion selection (Patton, 1990) from two gymnasiums. Also, a cartographic method (Okada et al., 2014) was used to create rhizomatic maps. In order to distinguish assemblages’ peculiarities, the rhizomatic maps of two classes were constructed.

The conducted thematic analysis allowed to disclose reading-listening, reading-writing, reading-speaking, speaking-listening, listening-writing assemblages. It was noticed that students develop English through watching movies, music videos or educational material with subtitles. Learning English through music allows to learn new words, tenses, learning English from movies and their subtitles develop the phonetic subtleties of pronunciation. On other hand students avoid reading English fiction literature, they prefer to listening one or two audiobooks in a year or reading books of English authors in their native language.

The scientific analysis revealed that rhizomatic learning develops through Deleuze, Guattari concepts: assemblage, becomings, etc. Comparing the narratives of a smaller town and larger town students, it was found that more English learning opportunities are created in the larger town. Students participate in a project as "Unifying power of arts" and other non-formal activities.

Keywords:

Rhizomatic learning, assemblages, rhizomatic maps, English language.