Premium Essay

Lev Vygotsky

In:

Submitted By mindyc129
Words 252
Pages 2
Lev Vygotsky

Vygotsky is known his theory, called the Cultural-Historical Theory. This theory states that child development is the result of the interactions between children and their social environment. These interactions include those with parents, teachers, playmates, classmates, brothers and sisters. They also involve relationships with significant objects, such as books or toys, and culturally specific practices that children engage in the classroom, at home, and on the playground. Children are active partners in these interactions, constructing knowledge, skills, and attitudes and not just mirroring the world around them.

Vygotsky opposed the psychologists who believed that children's development occurs spontaneously and cannot be affected by education. Vygotsky felt that learning could lead development if it occurs within the child's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD contains skills and concepts that are not yet fully developed but are "on the edge of emergence" emerging only if the child is given appropriate support. For the skills and concepts that lie outside a child's ZPD, even significant instructional efforts may fail to produce developmental gains. Vygotsky recognized that the kind of assistance needed to help children develop new skills and concepts within their ZPD took different forms for children of different ages. For instance, fostering make-believe play with preschoolers could provide the same support that formal instruction offers for older students.

Leong, D. J., & Bodrova, E. (n.d.). Pioneers In Our Field: Lev Vygotsky - Playing to Learn. Retrieved from

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Lev Vygotsky: Constructivism And Rectivist Theory

...CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK This chapter presents the relevant theory, review of related literature, conceptual framework and hypothesis to make the research clearly and understandable in connection with the study, “Pupils’ Perspective on Social Media as a Learning Tool.” Relevant Theory This paper is guided by the theory of Lev Vygotsky about constructivism or constructivist theory. Lev Vygotsky’s is a Russian Psychologist, who stresses the importance of looking at each child as an individual who learns distinctively or different from another. The overall goal of education according to Vygotsky is to generate and lead development which is the result of social learning through internalization of culture and social relationship. With the fast advancement of technology nowadays, the teachers that will serve as the facilitator of learning and learner as an active participant support a constructivist theory. Wherein the teachers and students can work together to create a harmonious relationship between them and the understanding of particular topic will become easy for them through the use and help of social media. Social media as used for educational purposes can be beneficial for every student like us because we or they can use it in multiple ways. First is social media enhances peer interactions which establish an open lines or communication...

Words: 1574 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Vygotsky Sociology Theory

...Vygotsky: Social Theory to Cognitive Skills Tammy Boykin American Military University Prof. Terzynski Abstract The last couple of decades have seen the research in the area of sociocultural theory and theoretical perspectives grow by leaps and bounds. This area is of high interest, especially to those in the education field, since it concentrations on children and how they learn in genuine settings. Sociocultural theory and research also helps educators discover how better to support children’s education. (McDevitt, 2013). However, Lev Vygotsky (1896-9134), is credited with focusing and studying sociocultural theory and how children and adults learn at the turn of the 20th century. (Jaramillo, 1996). Vygotsky’s groundbreaking and persistent work to learn how children’s minds are molded by daily experiences in social settings have gave way to how sociocultural theories lend to cognitive theories. Unlike Piaget’s theory where children are the ones who do the work of learning, Vygotsky’s theory sees adults within a child’s culture or society as responsible for teaching and so on. (McDevitt, 2013). As stated by McDevitt, (2013), “Vygotsky emphasized the importance of adult guidance in promoting cognitive advancements and more generally because he emphasized the influence of social and cultural factors in children’s cognitive development his perspective is known as a sociocultural theory”. (Pg. 214). Vygotsky: Social Theory to Cognitive Skills For this assignment in childhood development...

Words: 745 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Construtionism

...A Review of General Psychology survey, The National Education System Plan for 1971‐76. Ministry of Education His Majesty's Government of Nepal 1971 Social Constructivism 1. 1. Social Constructivism/ Activity Theory Jess Boucher Diane Pereira Gary Heverly John McDonough October 25, 2012 2. 2.  Once the task has been completed, the robot will return to the starting position. Only one person can submit a task list at once. Rules: Motors can turn on or off at the same time Motors turn on for seconds at a time (ex. “Left motor on for three seconds”) Each leg is a separate motor What you know: Tell the robot how to autonomously walk in a square. Your Task: Class Activity 3. 3. Definition(s) & Learning is a social activityDerry, S. J. (1999). A Fish called peer learning: Searching for common themes. In A. M. ODonnell Knowledge is socially and culturally constructed that is influenced by the group and its’ environment Knowledge is a product of human interaction 3 Assumptions: Social constructivism emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what occurs in society and constructing knowledge based on this understanding (Derry, 1999; McMahon, 1997). Assumptions & A. King (Eds.).Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism.. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved <insert date>, fromhttp://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/McMahon, M. (1997, December). Social Constructivism and the World Wide...

Words: 893 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Piaget vs Vgotsky

...Piaget Versus Vygotsky Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) proposed the classical constructivist theories of cognitive development. Although often compared, the concepts differ significantly. Indeed, the purpose of this essay is to argue that Piagetian theory marginalizes the social contribution to intellectual development and that, consequently, the Vygotskian approach offers a more accurate and comprehensive analysis. This paper will begin with an explanation of the theories of cognitive development propounded by Piaget and Vygotsky followed by a definition of constructivist and social constructivist theory. The superiority of Vygotsky’s theory will be established via a critical examination of Piaget’s stages of intellectual development, his perspective on language acquisition, and the methodology of his classic tests. Piaget maintained that cognitive development is a continuous progression of assimilation and accommodation and that these complementary processes lead to adaptation. Knowledge is constructed progressively via a sequence of behaviours or mental operations, what Piaget termed schemas. Piaget proposed that children develop mental representations of the world based on physical or mental actions, which they execute on the environment. These initially reflex behaviours are repeated while intrinsic motivation encourages the child to apply schemas to different situations. Assimilation occurs when the new experience is incorporated into an existing...

Words: 1662 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Cooperative Learning

...General Teaching Skills / Prof. Masud EDF 4430/Spring 2013 MDCC Cooperative Learning: A Successful Approach Learning constantly takes place in the real world all around us. Social interaction is the key element that plays an enormous role in our daily knowledge acquisition. Not surprisingly, intrapersonal relations the one factor being currently used to promote learning in school classrooms. Not just any kind of social interaction, but a ‘cooperative’ one. Interestingly, John Dewey described education “as a vehicle for teaching citizens to live cooperatively in a social democracy” (Cooper, Robinson, McKinney). And to live in just that kind of society requires cooperative learning at a younger age. In just the right circumstances, cooperative learning inside our classrooms today contributes to an even better education for our children tomorrow. In Cooperative Learning, students learn from each other in small groups through a variety of techniques towards a common goal (Dahley, 1994). Given the appropriate maturity level, students can thrive in this learning environment because they take advantages from each other’s strengths and knowledge to gain insight. In fact, Cooperative Learning is proven to produce increased academic results when compared to traditional, more individualized teaching styles (Dahley, 1994). According to Slavin, there was a 63% rise in achievement from the cooperative learning groups studied (Dahley, 1994). This evidence lends to the fact that...

Words: 877 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Vygotsky Theorists Paper

...Vygotsky Theorist Paper By: Megan Zak Class: Educational Psychology 1002 Instructor: Dr. Angela E. Arndt Who is Vygotsky? Vygotsky was a Russian Psychologist whose full name is Lev Semenovich Vygotsky. He was born in 1896 and died in 1934 from tuberculosis at the age of 38. He was a major advocate for sociocultural theory. During his short life he developed more than 100 books and articles. Vygotsky referenced western psychologists and because of this he was banned from Russia for years. Vygotsky’s writings and ideas have resurfaced over the past several years to help the education and psychology fields. One of the famous works of Vygotsky was the Zone of Proximal Development. Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky’s theory is a cognitive development theory. His theory is based on that imaginative play and the social atmosphere play a vital role in a child’s development. His theory shows how the social influences shape a child’s learning and thinking. Vygotsky believed that our mental states connect with our social interactions. His theory is how a more educated person teaches a child. Language is an important part in Vygotsky’s theory. In Woolfolk (2013 pg. 58), He believed that “thinking depends on speech, on the means of thinking, and on the socio-cultural experience”. There are three areas to Vygotsky’s theory. They are the social sources of individual thinking, the role of cultural tools in learning and development...

Words: 1147 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development

...Introduction Over the years there have been a countless number of theorists developing their own models on Cognitive Development, with the two most recognised being the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Semenovich Vygotsky. Although it is difficult to present the title of ‘superior theory’ to either one of these theorists, the merging of certain aspects of each scheme provides teachers with an ability to devise effective learning strategies that cater for individual students. As a direct result of these Piagetian and Vygotskian concepts, students possess the ability to develop and learn at a rate more specified to their learning ability. Review of Literature Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, the assimilation-accommodation model, is composed of four stages, sensorimotor (0 - 2 years), preoperational (2 – 7 years), concrete operational (7 – 11 years) and formal operational (11 – adult). Candida Peterson (2004) claims that within Piaget’s theory, each stage must be sufficiently achieved by the individual in order to advance to the next stage, although there is debate about whether we all do reach the final stage. Piaget believes that the most significant aspect of a child's cognitive development is the interaction between peers, rather than elders, the outside environment, as illustrated by Youniss (1982). Piaget recognised that the rate of cognitive development is determined by four factors, biological maturation, activity, social interaction and equilibration, as illustrated...

Words: 1330 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Piaget and Vygotsky

...The two most influential and important theorists when examining and studying cognitive development would most certainly be Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. The definition of cognitive development can be explained as the ability to think, reason and remember; it is a vital part and plays an important role in the development of children into adults. Piaget believed that children were responsible for their own learning through explicit instructional and discovery learning; whereas Vygotsky’s theory concentrated on children learning through their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding. Vygotsky’s definition of the ZPD was the distance between the knowledge a child could gain on their own compared to what the child was able to learn with guidance (Duchesne, McNaugh, Bochrer and Krause, 2013). Although they take different approaches, both theorists agree that social interaction played a role in children’s development. This essay will link these theories and principles to the teaching strategies used in classrooms and in particular the practices used in the provided scenario of Ann’s Year 5 Science class. Piaget’s constructivist method adopted the idea that children build their own knowledge individually through the initial instruction from the teacher followed by the exploration of their own environment. This method is a balanced teaching practice that can be used in classrooms as it allows learners to be responsible for their own knowledge development (Lourenco, 2012)....

Words: 1509 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Childhood Development

...Childhood Development Essay The years from two to six years of age are referred to as early childhood or the preschool years of the developmental process (Rathus, 2012, p. 123). The early childhood years are critical to the future develop of the child. The brain development is intensive and sensitive to external environmental influences; therefore, it is imperative that its stimulation and nutrition are adequate and influences are positive (Makkaoui, 2009). “The brain develops more quickly than any other organ in early childhood (Rathus, 2012, p. 124). Such development helps to ensure that each child reaches his or her potential and is a productive part of a rapidly changing, global society (Makkaoui, 2009). As their nervous system matures, their motor skills explode and their movements become more and more precise and coordinated (Rathus, 2012, p. 125). The physical development is somewhat of a natural process. A few weeks after conception, the embryo is visible (Rathus, 2012, p. 37). If the mother takes the proper precautions by receiving adequate nutrition, medical attention, physical exercise and rest and relaxation, the embryo will continue to develop and grow into a fetus and eventually enters the world of the unknown outside the womb (Rathus, 2012, pp. 37-40). After the birth, the physical growth continues voluntarily. There is no formula or recipe that one must remember in order to assure the child continue to grow. Provided the child receives the proper nutrition...

Words: 1040 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Language Teaching

...Notes about Vygotsky Taken from http://golum.riv.csu.edu.au/~srelf/SOTE/EEL403/2HDT.htm#Sociocultural Sociocultural theory (Vygotsky) Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory is possibly the theory given the most credence at present. Vygotsky believed the child’s culture and their interactions with others is significant in their overall development – especially in relation to cognitive development. In particular, Vygotsky views a child’s interactions with adults and more able peers as key to their overall development.  He believed that a child would internalise dialogues with others and use this information to guide actions and acquisition of new skills on later occasions. From Vygotsky’s perspective learning is dependent on support from adults. Key to Vygotsky’s theory are the notions of private speech, scaffolding and the zone of proximal development. Key ideas ❖ the child is viewed as an active seeker of knowledge; ❖ the child and environment interact together enabling cognitive development in a culturally adaptive way; ❖ the mind is perceived to be socially constructed; ❖ the child is born with basic attentional, perceptual and memory capacities; ❖ development occurs as a direct result of contact with the environment; ❖ child as self communicator – leads to higher order thinking; ❖ language and thought develop independently, but eventually merge and interact. Private speech Vygotsky believed that in order...

Words: 2308 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Factors Affecting Failing Grades

...Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the study Pangasinan State University Sta. Maria is known for globally competitive agriculturists, teachers, and engineers which is shown in their high performances in board examinations. Students in this university even came from different towns providing the institution's fame and quality. Their performance and grade also have a huge impact on this result. For a long time, this has been the image of Pangasinan State University Sta. Maria. However, for the past few years, slashing, and transferring to other schools became major problems of students because of their failing grades are increasing in number. A failing grade is defined as a grade lower than the passing grade of mark in an examination, class, or course of study. It is the rate of students' weakness apart from a passing grade is proof of how low an IQ level of a student is. When they hear the term failing grade, oftentimes, they would think that it is because a student is not studying well, or is not that good academically. With this circumstance comes slashing or being removed from the course a student is taking. In other cases, failing grades of students may also give negative image on the university or school itself. Based on the other researchers, there are two kinds of impact of having failing grade. The first one is the negative action which can lead to negative result. This could result in the student's frustration in his or her life. The student may be discouraged...

Words: 2089 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Culture

...Culture is all of the behaviors and beliefs representative of a specific social, ethnic, or age group. I have always been fascinated with the Chinese culture. I am amazed with their rich history and sense of tradition. On the surface Chinese culture seems very different from American culture. The cultural views between the two differ when it comes to intelligence, identity development, morality, gender, time orientation, communication, and health and wellness. The United States of America is an individualistic society. In an individualistic society, it is “every man for himself”. An individual’s success is more important than that of the entire society. China is a collectivistic society. The people value the success of the entire society over that of an individual. In order to maintain a sense of harmony, they behave with decorum at all times and will not do anything to cause someone else public embarrassment. The Chinese benefit from being a collectivistic society. Confrontation is avoided and harmony is maintained. Furthermore, when the society as a whole works together everyone benefits from the labor. For example, rice agriculture is extremely labor intensive. It takes between 1,000 and 2,000 man hours to raise a crop on 2.5 acres of land (Hays 2010). As rice is important for the economic growth of China, everyone in the community works to grow the rice, everyone also benefits from its growth. On the other hand, there are downfalls to being part...

Words: 1929 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Psychology

...Developing Child Piaget VS Vygotsky 1/22/2013 In 1896 there were two well-known psychologists born, Jean Piaget which he was from Switzerland and the other Lev Vygotsky was from Russia. Both Piaget and Vygotsky had similar and differences on how they viewed their theories. Each found a common ground, where both theorists offered major contributions to the areas of developmental psychology as it applies to education. Throughout the reading we will compare the similarities and differences of both highly respected psychologist. Piaget and Vygotsky were similar in their views in certain ways. What they most had in common was a shared interest in the study of cognitive development of children. How they viewed the importance of varying factors is where they differed. Piaget viewed cognitive development primarily from biological perspective. He believed that the two major principles operating in intellectual growth and development are adaptation and organization. Piaget believed that humans desire a state of cognitive balance or equilibration. When the child experiences cognitive conflict (a discrepancy between what the child believes the state of the world to be and what s/he is experiencing) adaptation is achieved through adjustment or accommodation. Organization refers to the mind's natural tendency to organize information into related, connected structures. On the hand, Vygotsky, however, believed that development...

Words: 581 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Cognitive Development: Comparing the Main Ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky

...Cognitive Development: Comparing the Main Ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky Valerie Smith Cognitive Development: Comparing the Main Ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky The benefits of understanding cognitive development are many and varied, and yet there is still much that we do not know. Understanding the main theories that already exist can help in furthering our knowledge, and will spark new ideas for furthering the study of cognitive development. In this paper, I will compare the sociocultural view of Lev Vygotsky with Jean Piaget’s cognitive developmental view. Before discussing how these theorists differ, it is helpful to understand the main points of their theories. Sigelman & Rider (2011) state that Vygotsky believed that the cognitive growth of a child occurs strictly in a sociocultural context and would change and grow based on the child’s social interactions. He believed that cultural and social experiences affected not only what we think, but how we think. Piaget, on the other hand, would have said that children are actively creating their own knowledge through both their experiences and “inborn intellectual functions, which he called the organization and adaptation.” (Sigelman & Rider, 2011) One of the main questions of any discussion on development would revolve around whether or not development is universally experienced in the same way by all persons, or if development is context-specific (in other words, does our environment affect how we develop, grow...

Words: 805 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Discussion Paper

...the Theories of Bronfenbrenner and Vygotsky Connie Hassan 2015 Abstract Child development is defined as a normal progression by which children change as they grow older by acquiring and refining knowledge, adjusting behaviours and mastering new skills. As children grow there are both quantitative and qualitative differences between them. Quantitative differences emerge in that children acquire more knowledge and grow physically larger and stronger. Qualitative differences in the way children think, behave, and perceive the world differently as they mature. Many theories of child development have emerged as researchers continue to try to support, contradict or integrate differing points of view. Theories of child development have reflected the thinking of the times in which they arose. Some more recently developed theoretical perspectives focus on children’s internal processes and others on external influences related to development. This essay will discuss two different theoretical approaches - sociocultural theory, which stresses that social interaction is fundamental in the role of physical, cognitive and social development, and ecological systems theory, which integrates a holistic approach to encompassing the key individual and environmental influences on child development. The focus of the discussion is a comparative analysis of a theory from each of these approaches. A Discussion of the Theories of Bronfenbrenner and Vygotsky According to Berk (2013), there are...

Words: 2538 - Pages: 11