Vygotsky's Zone Of Proximal Development

Example in Setting: children learn the word sounds or phonemes and practice these, then they can put them together to make words.

Vygotsky may have overplayed importance on social influences because he suggests that child’s cognitive development occurs through social interactions, for example children do internalisation of problem solving via mutual interactions. However, if social learning is the essence of cognitive development then learning would be a lot faster than it is. Thus Vygotsky ignores the biological aspects that aid or restricts the cognitive development such as the development of brain and maturation. Therefore Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is different to

As a problem presents itself, children will verbally work through the steps to solve it. This ‘private speech’ is a vital part to cognitive development, according to Vygotsky. This private speech gradually progresses into thinking as children become more proficient. He was also a proponent for scaffolding which is a process in which a new task is given and direct instruction is given then gradually taken away as the child learns. Both psychologists believed that children learn and develop through action but in different ways; Piaget felt it was through personal, self action while Vygotsky felt is was through social interaction, internalization and vocalization. Vygotsky and Piaget realized that social factors play a part in cognitive development but in different ways; According Piaget, self processing within a child leads to social processing while Vygotsky felt the opposite- social processing leads to self processing. Lastly, both came to the conclusion that by internalizing information, children transform it into knowledge and mental growth.

Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory focuses on human learning as a social process (cite). He believed that social interaction plays a significant role in the development of cognition in children that follows them into adulthood. After reading through the discussion boards by my classmates this semester, it seems that Vygotsky’s theory sits soundly with most of the class. The theory appeals to me because it leaves room for cultural and societal change. If one is to look back in history, they would notice things that are different between children back then and children now. Perhaps children back then were more respectful towards their elders, or maybe children today are more tech-savvy than ever before. This can all be attributed to

Lev Vygotsky believed that social and cognitive development work simultaneously to build and evolve on one another. He believed that social, cultural and personal experience cannot be detached from each other and many things influence the way children learn and develop, not just their own experiences, thus Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory. Vygotsky’s ideas were and remain controversial as he had no specific training in psychology or children’s development. His preeminent contribution to children’s development is his recognition of the value of progressing knowledge by means of interaction with educators, peers and family (Mooney, 2000, p. 83). The major ideas of Vygotsky’s theory are scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Scaffolding is a process Vygotsky described as the framework or temporary support for children’s learning. In order for scaffolding to be beneficial, it must be responsive to the child’s needs (Coon & Mitterer, 2013, pp. 106-107).

Vygotsky also introduced his theory of internalisation, one of the main concepts that differentiated from that of Jean Piaget (Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. 2016. P.103). The theory of internalisation put forward by Vygotsky is an idea that suggests an individual is able to observe and internalise the ideas and processes of their surroundings as they partake in social interaction defined as, “new ways of thinking” (Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A.,2016p.103). During social interaction the individuals thinking is successively transformed by interaction with others, similarly to the concept developed by Piaget, Vygotsky also characterised children as “active agents in their development”. (Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A.,2016p.103). As explained by

The tightness of a parents’ grip upon their children can reflect the way we function for the rest of our lives. Too tight, and we desire freedom and indulge in rebellion. Too loose, we become lost souls, hopelessly searching for that one constant comfort in a sea of dissatisfaction and loneliness. Lev Vygotsky theorized that a person 's psychological development is formed by his/her past and social environment. Vygotsky focused on the social interactions during the learning process and claimed there is a deep interrelationship between social and cognitive development. He believed that children are curious and actively involved in their own learning. They discover and development new understandings about the world by observing those who are in their immediate surroundings.

The approach is based on the idea that an individual’s activities occurs in a cultural context and can be best understood in their historical development (Kagitcibasi, 2012). Vygotsky developed this theory with the intent of coming up with a way to explain human behavior. The theory examined various subjects including the psychology of art, thought and language; and also focused on education of students with special needs. Vygotsky believed that caregivers, parents, peers, and culture at large play an important role in developing an individual’s higher order functions. There are various modern time interpretations of this theory with one focused on explaining human development. In this context, the sociocultural theory explains that learning is a social process and the society makes a significant contribution to individual development. The theory states that learning is based on interactions with other people and once this has happened, the information is then incorporated on a personal level (Hutchison,

171).” This, in other words, is when a child cannot completely perform a task independently but can do it with a bit of assistance from a more competent figure. This zone of proximal development is something I experience with Blair. At two years old she has got to pick out her tooth and hairbrush, but she still needs a bit of help with both operations. Another idea that Vygotsky believed in was the method of scaffolding. This is known as the support for learning and problem solving that encourages independence and growth (Feldman 2012). For example, sometimes Blair has a tough time communicating using her words. I often encourage conversation by asking questions that instigate more of a response from Blair. This helps her grow in her communication and is good practice for her. Cognitive development was viewed by Vygotsky as the product of social interactions. He focused on the social aspects of development and learning instead of concentrating on individual performance.

4. I relate most with cognitive theories of development. Piaget provides the foundation by explaining the distinct stages of development. His insights allow teachers and parents to have a basis of what children are capable of during each stage. If the child drastically strays from these stages, it allows the caring adults to take action to help the child to reach the appropriate stage. With an understanding of these stages, the theories of Vygotsky can then be successfully utilized. Vygotsky stresses that with the

Lev Vygotsky concept is showing or helping children with a task. They are taught everything through social interaction no matter what it is. They are taught by example, by getting help with the task and are expected to be able to complete it by themselves. With this concept of learning every child is able to learn and evolve into completing activities independently and progressively from what they have learned. It is important that the environment for the child be set with ideas and task that will allow them too mentally, educationally and physically develop with or without adult and peer assistant.

Vygotsky 's Sociocultural Theory explains the interaction between the cultural and historical facts. There are three different theories that Vygotsky 's uses which are : matching, zone of proximal development and scaffolding. Matching is based of the child’s culture. Zone of proximal development has three different components the role played by culture, the use of language and the child’s zone of proximal development. This development shows what the children can accomplish independently and potentially depending if they received guidance along the way. Scaffolding is apart of learning, in the beginning parents’ are there too hold your hand and provide for you. When you get old enough parents let go and let you figure out life on your own.

In Vygotsky's theory, it provides an alternative view on infant and child development. The main strength of

Justification of this critique was also provided by Vygotsky theory of development .Vygotsky (1929) believes that adults and child’s peers are involved in shaping cognitive development of the

According to Vygotsky, zone of proximal development, or abbreviated as ZPD, is a learning concept that states a child cannot yet master alone even though they are close to having the necessary mental skills; they need guidance from a skilled partner to complete the task. This relates to his theory of general development because he believed social interaction plays an important role in the process of cognitive development and as stated above, ZPD requires human interaction to guide a child through what can be seen as a learning curve. With this project where a child has to do an easy puzzle (10 pieces or less) on their own versus a hard puzzle (50 pieces or more) with the help of an adult, Vygotsky would predict that the child will be able