Shubhangi Taneja
Lev Vygotsky was a Russian teacher and a famous psychologist. He given the theory in which he stated that the child acquired learning through the interaction with psychological function.
His theory is called the social-cultural theory. As it is bare on culture as well as on ethics of different persons and their lifestyle. This theory also helps in increasing communication skills.
He stated that function, “Learning is necessary a universal expectation of the process of developing culturally organized, specifically human psychological function.”
Important Points of Vygotsky’s theory
1. He focuses more on social learning other than cognitive development:
He gives the most important zone of proximal development which means child learn from their adults, parents, etc., Like Piaget, Vygotsky mentions that child’s constructs his own knowledge.
2. Vygotsky emphasizes the role of language development in learning:
With the view of Vygotsky, language depends on thought so with the inner ages of a child firstly thought appears and then he uses words to express that is language development takes place.
3. According to Vygotsky, adults are an important source of cognitive development :
Adults are important sources of child’s learning as they interact with them continuously.
Important terms to be used:
Attention
It means that the child begins to focus on his or her surrounding things as he can inculcate learning.
Sensation
Sensation word derived from the word `senses’ which means a child uses all his five senses to acquire learning and it retained for a longer time
Perception
Perception is the third step, which means a child can create his own logic to point on the particular concepts that he acquired.
Memory
Memory means retaining learning for a longer time, the child learns the concept and he tries to remember everything that he interacts with the society.
Terminologies
Zone of proximal development
This is an important concept of what a child can achieve independently and what a child can achieve with proper guidance from a skilled partner. assessment
More knowledgeable other (MKO)
It refers to someone who has a better understanding or a higher intellectual level which can be peers, parents, or adults.
Social influences on Cognitive development
Vygotsky believes that young children are active learners and they are involved in their own learning to fill their schema. According to Vygotsky, the child acquires their learning with a skillful tutor. The tutor can be verbal instructions for the child.
Vygotsky and Language
He believed that language developed by interacting with society:
- Language itself is a powerful tool for intellectual development.
- Through language child transmit information to each other.
Classroom Implications
His theory is also called social constructivism which is based on social interactions.
He emphasized the collaborative nature of learning through the self-construction of knowledge through social interaction.
He believed that learning is two-step first through interaction and then the information into the mental structure.
Vygotsky also emphasized shifting the teaching approach from the traditional method to the modern method.
He shifts the rote method to more refreshing methods which are based on practical methods.
Comparison of Piaget and Vygotsky’s theory
Vygotsky’s theory is a kind of advantage to Piaget’s theory, and Piaget believe that mental development takes first and then social development takes place.
In a decade, this argument still going on, and a lot of psychologists working on both theories to present facts in front of everyone.
But psychology is a science that changes from time to time, so Vygotsky’s theory can be considered as the finest theory after Piaget and can be implemented by the teachers in their classrooms.
According to his theory, the teacher should act as a facilitator to the students who provides the chances to students to get going on with their learning.
The teacher arranges a tour and trios for the students as a naturalistic theory takes place with the touch, feel or sense a child can take his learning ahead without any fear and he is very curious to ask questions so much.
The part is also so smooth for the teachers as a child didn’t get bored or afraid while you are assessing him.
So as a whole this social theory is still going on.
(Image Credits: Heritage Images / Getty Images)
