Cognitive DevelopmentVygotsky’s Approach

I. Vygotsky’s theoryA. Personal backgroundB. Background of theory

1. More knowledgeable others2. Zone of Proximal Development

C. Sociocultural theory1. Private speech2. Social origins of cognition

a) Intersubjectivityb) Scaffolding

D. Research on social interaction and cognitive development

E. Vygotsky and early childhood education

II. Evaluation of Vygotsky’s theory

Background of Vygotsky’s theory

Lev Vygotsky

• More knowledgeable other• Anyone with better understanding of

higher ability

• Zone of Proximal Development• Distance between the child’s ability to

perform a task with and without help

Sociocultural Theory

• Private speech• Piaget’s concept of “egocentric speech”• Vygotsky’s notion of self-directed

speech an inner speech

• The social origins of cognition• Intersubjectivity• Scaffolding and guided participation

Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education

• Importance of active participation• Assisted discovery• Make-believe play• Intersubjectivity• Scaffolding and guided participation

Evaluation of Vygotsky’s Theory

Challenges to Vygotsky:• Limitations to verbal communication• Parent’s versus child’s responsibility in

acquiring skills• Role of basic perceptual, motor, attention,

memory, problem solving skills