Lev VygotskySocial Development Theory

What has Vygotsky’s work become known as?

What does he stress to be the fundamental role in the development of cognition?

What is the social plane? Individual plane?

Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory

● The work of Lev Vygotsky (1934) has become the foundation of much research and theory in cognitive development over the past several decades, particularly of what has become known as Social Development Theory.

● Vygotsky's theories stress the fundamental role 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."

● Unlike Piaget's notion that children's development must necessarily precede their learning, social learning tends to precede (i.e., come before) development.

Planes of Learning

Vygotsky’s theory shows us that many of the skills we learn in life are first taught to us by someone else, typically a parent or caregiver. This is known as the Social Plane. Examples:

Zone of Proximal Development

As children interact with the adult, parent or caregiver, learning this new skill or knowledge they internalize it and make it their own. Gradually the adult, parent or caregiver will provide less and less “scaffolding” until the child can do it by themselves.

This is known as the Zone of Proximal Development--usually the support/interaction is greater at the beginning and lessens as the child learns/internalizes the skill.

Planes of Learning Continued

Once the child has learned/internalized the skill or concept and made it their own they no longer need the “scaffolding”. They can do the skill on their own. Skills will become more refined with practice. This is known as the Individual Plane. Examples:

Overview

Social Plane to Individual Plane

Brainstorm a list of skills you needed help from an adult to learn to do but know you can do them very well on your own. Let’s put some of these skills on the board to prepare for our assignment.