Lev+Vygotsky

=**" We do not learn because we develop, we develop because we learn."- Lev Vygotsky**= Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, born November 17, 1896, was most influential in Europe and North America. Vygotsky is known mostly for his Theory of Cognitive Development which includes the sociocultural theory. He is also known for his work in thought and language and zone of proximal development. Lev Vygotsky recognized that such thing biological factors, like brain maturation, can play a role in a child’s development. Vygotsky focused more on the role of nurture and how a child’s social and cultural environments further cognitive growth.
 * Vygotsky’s Theory of Cognitive Development:**
 * 1) **Mediation**: Through both informal conversations and formal schooling, adults convey to children the ways in which their culture interprets the world. As children and adults interact with each other, the adults will share their meanings that connect to objects, events and human experience and then influence the child’s thought. Adults are able to transform, or mediate situations that children encounter. They can mediate situations in a variety of ways such as, language, mathematical symbols, art and music.
 * 2) **Cognitive Tools**: Every culture passes along physical and cognitive tools that make daily living more productive and efficient. Adults can pass along their cognitive tools such as, physical objects, writing systems or concepts. Vygotsky believes that these tools will greatly enhance children’s thinking abilities.
 * 3) **Self-Talk and Inner Speech**: Thought and language become increasingly interdependent in the first few years of life. The most important cognitive tool is language. Vygotsky believed that thought and language is two different functions for infants and young toddlers and thinking occurs independently of language. It is not until children start to use self- talk, that thought and language merge. Self-talk will eventually evolve into inner speech, when children are able to talk to themselves mentally rather than out loud.
 * 4) **Internalization**: Complex mental processes begin as social activities and gradually evolve into internal mental activities that children can use independently. Internalizationdescribes the process from self-talk to inner speech. Children will gradually internalize adults’ directions so that they are eventually giving themselves the directions.
 * 5) **Actual Developmental level and level of potential development:** Children can perform more challenging tasks when assisted by more advanced and competent individuals. Vygotsky believed there were two kinds of abilities that characterized children’s skills in development. There is the actual developmental level which is the upper limit of tasks that the child can perform without help and there is the level of potential development, which is the upper limit of tasks that the child can perform with assistance.
 * 6) **Zone of Proximal Development**: Challenging tasks promote maximum cognitive growth. ZPD is the range of tasks that children cannot yet perform by themselves but can perform with help and guidance of others. Vygotsky believes children will develop first by attempting tasks they can accomplish only with assistance.
 * 7) **Scaffolding**: Is the type of assistance used to guide children while learning. Scaffolding is used by more competent individuals to help children perform tasks in their zone of proximal development.

Lev Vygotsky's theory can be seen in many classrooms today. There are many factors that can help a child develop. Zone of proximal development and scoffolding are used on a day to day basis. Although they are two important strategies to learning, students might often have difficulties learning due to their own cultural experiences that may not connect to ones in the classroom. It is important to learn about students experiences and culture in order to create a better learning enviornment for them.

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**Webliography**
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[|Lev Vygotsky Wikipedia]

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Lauren Silverio, page created on February 2, 2013.