Proposed that children are born with elementary mental functions, such as peception and memory
These are transformed into higher mental functions by the influence of culture
Lower mental functions are biological and higher mental functions are exclusively human
The role of culture is to transform elementary mental functions into higher mental functions
Through culture, children aquire much of the content of their thinking (their knowledge). the surrounding culture also provides a chld with the process of their thinking-tools of intellectual adaption.
Experts
A child learns through problem solving experiences shared with someone elsem usually a parent or teacher.
All people with greater knowlege are called experts
Initially the person interacting with the child assumes most of the responsibility byt gradually this transfers to the child.
1 of 6
Vygotsky's theory (AO1 8 Marks)
Semiotics and Role of Language
Believed that culture is transmitted by experts using semiotics and language is the semiotic system of foremost importance but mathmatical symbols and valuable too.
To begin with language takes the form of shared dialogues between the adult and child (pre-intellectual speech), but as they develop the skill of mental representation, children begin to communicate with themselves in the same way they'd comunicate with others.
Stages of Speech
pre-intellectual or social speech (0 – 3 years old),
egocentric speech (3 – 7 years old) - talking out loud when solving problems
inner speech (7+ years old).
Stages of concept formation:
vague-syncretic (trial and error);
complex (appropriate strategies, but main attributes not identified);
potential concept stage (identify one attribute or feature at a time);
mature concept stage (identify several attributes/features at a time).
2 of 6
Vygotsky's theory (AO1 8 Marks)
Social and Individual level
Every function in the childs cognitive development appears twice-
first on social level
later on individual level
The child converts these social relations into higher mental functions through mediation
Language is the most important type of mediation for the acquisition of higher mental process' because it frees children from the restraints of their immediate environment.
The Zone of Proximal Development
A childs ZPD is the region where cognitive development takes place
The learner is aided by Cultural influences
At first, learning is between people and it later becomes internalised
3 of 6
AO2/ A03 Points (16 Marks)
ZPD
McNaughton and Leyland (1990) observed young children working with their mothers on jigsaw puzzles of increasing difficulty, and then a week later observed them working on their own.
The children reached a higher level of ability when worrking with their mothers (potential ability) than when working on their own (current ability), so defining their ZPD.
Their ZPD was related to the emthod of instruction used by the mothers
When the Children were doing activities too easy for them (below thier ZPD), the mothers were mainly concerned with keeping them on task.
At the second level the mothers focused on helping their children solve he puzzles themselves.
At the third level, the emphasis was on completing the puzzles by whatever means.
Vygotsky predicted that the greatest teaching input would be at the endge of the ZPD, supported by the findings of Leyland and McNaughton
4 of 6
AO2/ A03 Points (16 Marks)
Role of Culture
Vygotsky's Claims about the effects of culture have had cross-cultural support.
Gredler (1992) pointed to the primitive countign system used in Papua new Guinea as an example of how culture can limit cognitive development
Counting is done by starting on the thumb of one hand and going up the arm and down to the other fingers ending in 29.
This system makes it very difficult to add and subtract large numbers, a limiting factor for the development in this culture
Role of Language
Sinclair-de-Zwart (1969)
Tried to teach children who could not conserve to use comparitive terms such as bigger and shorter.
She found very little improvement in their ability to conserve, a finding that does not support Vygotsky's theory as he suggests that cultural tools should lead to cognitive development.
5 of 6
AO2/ A03 Points (16 Marks)
IDA-
His theory suits the collectivist culture he was a part of and, as such, can be viewed as culturally biased.
therefore, the theory is less applicable to individualistic cultures.
Also, Vygotsky's sociocultural perspective does not provide as many specific hypotheses to test as did Piaget's theory, making refutation difficult, if not impossible.
Perhaps the main criticism of Vygotsky's work concerns the assumption that it is relevant to all cultures.
Rogoff (1990) dismisses the idea that Vygotsky's ideas are culturally universal and instead states the concept of scaffolding - which is heavily dependent on verbal instruction - may not be equally useful in all cultures for all types of learning. Indeed, in some instances observation and practice may be more effective ways of learning certain skills.
Comments
No comments have yet been made