Lev Vygotsky

Down through the years psychologists and individuals winding in reading have developed and investigated different theories about how electric razorren learn. To determine how youngsterren receive and use information is of great value to parents, instructors and indeed association in general as the children of immediately are tomorrows big(a)s and our society will not develop if our children fag endnot learn effectively. In this judge I will discuss the theories of Lev Vygotsky as I believe his play has become the foundation for a mete out of our modern day theories and concepts in regard to a childs cognitive ripening.Lev Vygotsky was born in Russia in 1896 during the Russian Revolution and his works only came to the attention of the westbound world when they were published in 1962. Vygotsky died quite young and a lot of his research was unfinished however his work was continued by his savants and chase alike. Vygotskys theory of Socio-cultural or Social Development as it is also cognize was the building block for the concepts and stratagies now use in our pre-schools and schools today. Unlike Piaget who believed that development preceeds learnedness, Vygotsky believed that to develop, a child must learn first.He rightly believed that the nigh effective learning comes from a childs social fundamental interaction in society and the cultural they are reared in. Social factors and culture founder to a childs cognitive development. Vygotsky believed that society gave a child various cultural alikels which enabled learning, language being one of the most important. nomenclature is the primary form of interaction and through language a child can communicate thoughts, emotions, opinions and ideas and develop friendships.A childs train of language skills can and most likely will effect every last(predicate) other aspects of their development both personally and academically. Through my research I see that Vygotskys concept, the zone of proxima l development, which is Vygotskys term for the range of lines too difficult for children to master alone but which can be wise(p) with the guidance and asistance of adults or more skilled chilren, is widely used today in learning institutions worldwide, its concept is used in most subjects and used very effectively with a broad spectrum of students, ranging from disadvantaged, special needs, and gifted students to adults. in spite of appearance this concept Vygotsky talks about Scaffolding which basically means changing the level of support as the student becomes more capable in a task or subject. Another concept which is interlinked with the above is The more(prenominal) Knowledgeable Other (MKO). The MKO refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a greater qualification than the student, in respect to a particular task or concept.The MKO is normally thought of as being a teacher, coach, or older adult, but the MKO could also be peers, a younger person, or rase comput ers. As I read and study these concepts I can clearly see their incorporation into our education system today compared to when I was a child starting out in school 40 years ago. Although systems where evolving gradually, there were very different opinions and methods in place regarding education.Lev VygotskyLev Vygotsky (November 17, 1896 June 11, 1394) was a Russian psychologist. Vygotsky was a pioneering psychologist and his major works span six fall in volumes, written over roughly 10 years, from Psychology of Art (1925) to approximation and Language or Thinking and Speech (1934). Vygotskys interests in the fields of developmental psychology, child development, and education were extremely diverse. Vygotskys theories stress the fundamental routine of social interaction in the development of cognition Vygotsky, 1978), as he believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of making meaning. He argued, learning is a necessary and universal aspect of the pro cess of developing culturally organized, specifically human psychological function (Vygotsky 1978, p. 90). Vygotskys theory differs from Piaget in three different ways. 1. Social interaction plays a fundamental role in the process of cognitive development. In contrast to Jean Piagets understanding of child development, Vygotsky felt social learning precedes development. 2.The more informal other refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a high(prenominal) Ability level than the learner, with respects to a particular task, process, or concept. MKOs Can be peers, a younger person, teachers, coaches, older adult, or even computers. 3. The zone of proximal development is the distance between a students ability to perform a task under adult guidance and/or with peer collaboration. It is also the students ability to solve problems independently. According to Vygotsky, humans use tools that develop from a culture, such(prenominal) as speech and writing, to mediate their social e nvironments.Initially children develop these tools to serve unaccompanied as social functions, ways to communicate needs. Vygotsky believed that the internalization of these tools led to higher thinking skills. (http//www. learning-theories. com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory. html) In modern day terms, Vygotsky would be a facilitator. Teachers and students collaborate in learning and practing four key skills (summarize, question, clarify, and predict). Teaching and learning is a two way street. You have to be able to interact with the student.This simply means you have to know your student. Teachers have to know where their students are educationally to get them to move to the next level. Then we have to cater our direction to meet the needs of the learners. I believe that a teacher must be able to relate to their student. For example, a teacher that had both parents that is wealthy. That teacher shouldnt expect his/her students to behave as he/she did as a student at that ag e. You have to realize that there are differences and put up accommodations.A child from a wealthy home and a child from a single parent working class home cant be taught using the same method. The backgrounds are too different. References Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and Language. Cambridge MA MIT Press. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press. McLeod, S. A. (2007). Vygotsky Social Development Theory. Retrieved from http//www. simplypsychology. org/vygotsky. html http//www. learning-theories. com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory. html