Lev Semonovich Vygotsky Sociocultural Theory

LEV SEMONOVICH VYGOTSKY
  "We can formulate genetic law of cultural development in the following way: any function in the child's cultural development appears on stage twice, on two planes. First it appears in social plane, then on the psychological, first among people as an interphysical category and then within the child as an intraphysical category "





Sociocultural Theory

The work of sociocultural theory is to explain how individual mental functioning is related to cultural, institutional, and historical context; hence, the focus of the sociocultural perspective is on the roles that participation in social interactions and culturally organized activities play in influencing psychological development. While much of the framework for sociocultural theory was put forth by Lev Vygotsky (1931/1997), extensions, elaborations, and refinements of sociocultural theory can be found in writings regarding activity theory (Chaiklin & Lave, 1993; Leontiev, 1981) and cultural-historical activity theory (Cole, 1996; Cole & Engestrom, 1994).

Sociocultural Theory: (INTRODUCTION)

• Did not focus on individual child but on the child as a product of social interaction, especially with adults.
• Social world mediates children's cognitive development.Cognitive develop occurs as child's thinking is molded by society in the form of parents and teachers. This leads to peer tutoring as a strategy in classrooms.
• People's thinking differs dramatically between cultures because different cultures stress different things.

There are four basic principles underlying the Vygotskian framework:

1. Language plays a central role in mental development
2. Development cannot be separated from its social context
3. Learning can lead development
4. Children construct their knowledge

Theory's Principles and Concepts

• ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT

The concept of the More Knowledgeable Other is integrally related to the second important principle of Vygotsky's work, the Zone of Proximal Development.

The difference between what a child can do independently and what a child needs help from a more knowledgeable person to do is Zone of Proximal Development.

• SCAFFOLDING 

"Roles of teachers and others in supporting the learners development and providing support structures to get to the next level or stage" Vygotsky

     A knowledgeable participant can create by means of speech and supportive condition in which the student can participate in.

     

In an educational, however, scaffolding is a instructional structure where the teacher models the desired learning strategy or task then gradually shifts responsibility to the students. 

Scaffolding:

• Provides support
• Extend the range of what a learner can do 
• Allows the learner to accomplish task