Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development

Elementary Mental Functions

Attencion,sensation,preception and memory

Zone of Proximal Development

• Limok and his father looked out and saw a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. “Ahh, beautiful.” His father observed enthusiastically, “Iblik, the best kind of snow for hunting, especially when it’s sunny.” “What’s Iblik?” Limok wondered. “It is the soft, new snow; no crystals,” his father responded, picking up a handful and demonstrating how easily it slid through his fingers. “The seals like it,” said his father. “They come out and sun themselves in it. Then, we only need the spear. Our hunting will be good today.” Sometime later, as Limok and his friend Osool hiked across the ice, Limok saw a fresh blanket of snow covering the landscape. “Let’s go back and get our spears,” Limok said eagerly, “The seals will be out and easy to find today.

EVERY CULTURE PASSES ALONG PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE TOOLS

THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE ARE INTERDEPENDENT

COMPLEX MENTAL PROCESSES BEGIN AS SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Suzanne was reading The Little Engine That Could to her 4-year-old daughter, Perri, as Perri sat on her lap. “I think I can, I think I can,” she read enthusiastically from the story. “Why do you think the little engine kept saying, ‘I think I can, I think I can’?” she smiled at Perri as they talked about the events in the story. “… We need to try ... and … try and try,” Perri finally said after some hesitation and prompting from Suzanne. Some time later, Perri was in school and working on a project with two of her classmates. “I don’t get this,” her friend Dana complained. “It’s too hard.” “No, we can do this,” Perri countered, “We need to try a little harder.”

CHILDREN CAN PERFORM MORE CHALLENGING TASKS WHEN THEY HAVE ASSISTANCE FROM SOMEONE MORE COMPETENT THAN THEY ARE