Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development

Question 1

language

Answer 1

considered a crucial cognitive skill that is developed at a time and rate in relation to other cognitive skills, taking a domain-specific approach to explaining development

Question 2

learning

Answer 2

considered a social process where children acquire more advanced reasoning skills to deal with new knowledge they learn from experts who are more-advanced others

Question 3

experts

Answer 3

more advanced others that infant learn from

this is necessary as some aspects of knowledge can only be learnt from an expert

Question 4

zone of proximal development ZPD

Answer 4

the distance between one’s actual development level and potential development level

Question 5

actual development level

Answer 5

determined by independent problem solving

Question 6

potential development level

Answer 6

determined by problem solving under adult guidance or collaboration with capable peers

Question 7

crossing the ZPD

Answer 7

knowledge begins as ‘intermental’ and then becomes ‘intramental’

to cross learners can receive help from experienced peers through the process of scaffolding

Question 8

scaffolding

Answer 8

the kinds of help a learner receives from an expert, when trying to cross the ZPD

Question 9

Wood, Bruner and Ross

Answer 9

developed 5 scaffolding techniques, including recruitment, reduction of degrees of freedom, direction maintenance, marking critical features and demonstration

Question 10

what happens as the ZPD is crossed

Answer 10

level and frequency of help from experts decreases

knowledge begins as ‘intermental’ and then becomes ‘intramental’