Vygotsky Flashcards
What were Vygotsky’s main assumptions?
Agreed children’s development occurred in sequences and children have different abilities at different ages
Saw cognitive development as social process
What were the two major influences that Vygotsky focused on?
Social interaction
Language
How does Vygotsky refer to other people who help the child to learn?
Experts/More Knowledgable Others
What did Vygotsky believe about language?
Social experiences depend on language, enabling higher mental functions to develop
What are the two types of mental functions?
Elementary- attention, perception, memory etc.
Higher- for example, use of mathematical systems. They are exclusively human
What is the role of culture?
To transform elementary mental functions into higher mental functions
What are semiotics?
The signs and symbols developed within a particular culture
What is the zone of proximal development?
The area between the Childs actual developmental level and the potential level which could be reached with the help of MKOs.
What is scaffolding?
The help that adults provide to help a child cross the ZPD, by supporting and prompting.
There is a gradual withdrawal of support from the MKO, as the child progresses
Research support?
Razz and Bryant (1998)- sweet guessing activity, children who worked alone failed to give close estimate
Wertsch et al (1980)- found that amount of time looking at mothers when solving a puzzle decreased with age
Real world applications?
Important for education- Teacher’s role is to guide and direct child’s activity, scaffolding used to support children, emphasis on social learning and collaborative work
Individual differences?
Vygotsky says that all children learn through social interaction and with help from MKO to cross ZPD, assumes this process is universal, doesn’t acknowledge individual differences
Other factors?
Fails to consider emotional factors- failure and joy as reactions to tasks
Fails to identify motivational factors
