Vygotskys theory of cog dev.

Vygotsky is a social interactionist who emphasise the importance of culture and language in the development of cognition. he also sees the child a an apprentice who learns from a more knowledgable peer from social interaction high requires language. This is known as collaborative interaction: a more knowledgable peer takes skills they already have t provide verbal instruction to enhance the childs ability.

He believes there is a zone of proximal development which is the gap between what the child can currently achieve(actual ability) and what the hold can achieve with guidance from a partner ( potential ability) At the beginning of learning the and s large as its limitless however as the child learns more it becomes smaller study are closer to potential ability.

Therefore more knowledgable peer helps this processs by scaffolding which is the gradual withdrawal of adult control ad the child increases mastery. It is a form of instruction and is reduced in stages, with the most scaffolding hat can be given being demonstration and the least amount being general prompts.

Wood and Middleton investigated the type of parental assistance given in a black building activity. Interactions between 4 year olds and Barents were observed with the child given black tasks tat were purpousefully too difficult for them to complete on their own.Initially th parents would demonstrate but them as the child became more competent would reduce their help down t verbal prompts and encouragement. Thi supports the theory id scaffolding getting reduced as child becomes more competent helps learning.

Evaluation

Greenfield and Lave support Vygotskys theory as they noted ho young Mexican girls watched skilled women weavers then woke with guidance from them then finally work alone. This demonstrates Vygotskys idea of scaffolding inaction and supports the sociocultural approach as well as showing the theory is ecologically valid.

Wood and middletons study may have the potential issue of observer effects. parents could have changed their behaviour eg by helping more due to knowing they were being observe therefore potentially affecting the intern validity of th study limiting the support for Vygotskys research in this study.

here is practical applications for education since he emphasised social interaction which was underestimated by Piaget. There has been research to suggest children develop quicker with instruction and the concept of pad has been useful in teaching. Hereford his theory has helped to envelop the education system has has had positive teaching benefits.

There is research suggesting some concepts like conservation cant be accelerated which goe against vygotskys theory an instead supports Piaget ides of biological maturation.