Lecture 4 in the module 'Cognition & Development'. Vygotsky. Learning Outcomes: Introduce the Vygotskian theory. Think about how Vygotskian theory has informed Developmental psychology. Consider the relationship between language and development. Consider the educational implications of Vygotsky’s theory.

1. Cognitive Development:
Vygotsky
COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT
(4PS500)
Dr Simon Bignell
Lecture content originally
produced by Dr Jenny Hallam

2. Lecture aims
 Introduce the Vygotskian theory .
 Think about how Vygotskian theory
has informed Developmental
psychology.
 Consider the relationship between
language and development.
 Consider the educational implications
of Vygotsky‟s theory.

3. Lev Vygotsky (1896 – 1934)
Social Constructivism
He argued that all cognitive
functions originate in, and must
therefore be explained as
products of social interactions
and that learning was not simply
the „assimilation and
accommodation‟ of new
knowledge by learners.
It was the process by which
learners were integrated into a
knowledge community.

4. Vygotskian theory
 Elementary mental functions: Psychological
functions with which the child is endowed by
nature, including attention, perception and
involuntary memory processes that emerge
spontaneously during children‟s interaction with
the world.
 Higher mental functions: Psychological
functions such as voluntary attention, complex
memory processes and problem solving that
entail the use of several cognitive processes
and the use of mediators.
 Mediators: Psychological tools and signs –
such as language, counting, mnemonic
devices, algebraic symbols, art and writing which facilitate direct thinking processes.

5. The Development of Memory
 Elementary mental function:
Children are born with basic memory
systems that resemble perception.
 Higher mental function: Children
are able to store and remember a
range of information.
 Mediators: Children might be taught
to write things down to help
remember them.

6. The Importance of Culture
 Mediators are specific to the culture and
the time the child is developing in.
 Asian children were often taught maths
using an abacus.
 Computer programmes are used in
classrooms to make maths fun.

7. The Zone of Proximal Development
(ZPD)
“The distance between the child‟s
actual developmental level as
determined by independent problem
solving and the potential development
as determined through problem
solving under adult guidance or in
collaboration with more capable
peers”.
Lev Vygotsky (1978)

9. ZPD in Action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RehxEXeLNg

10. Working in the ZPD
 The ZPD supports children‟s learning in a
number of ways.
 Activity in the ZPD reinforces what that
child knows and introduces new ideas
and strategies.
 Children are able to complete tasks they
cannot do alone.
 The help must be pitched at the right
level.

11. Bruner and ‘Scaffolding’
 Scaffolding: “…a form of support
for the development and learning
of children and young people."
(Rasmussen, 2001, p.570)
- Recruitment
- Reduction of the degrees of
freedom
- Direction maintenance
- Making critical features
- Demonstration

12. The Importance of Language
“Every function in the child‟s cultural
development appears twice:
first, between people
(interpsychological) and then inside
the child (intrapsychological)”
Vygotsky (1978, p.57).

13. Language and Development
 Vygotsky argued at language and thought are separate for
infants but at the age of 2 language and thought come
together
 Communicative speech: used to interact with others
 Egocentric speech or private speech: allows children to
talk through what they are doing
 Inner speech: our inner voice, our thoughts
 Language plays an integral part in developing cognitive
functioning and is not a reflection of the child‟s ability
 The child‟s development as a thinker begins with egocentric
speech and continues to develop through interaction with
others.

14. Barbara Rogoff
“Cognitive development is an
apprenticeship – it occurs
through guided participation
in social activity with
companions who support and
stretch children‟s
understanding and skills
using the tools of culture”
Rogoff (1990)

15. Guided Participation
 Learning is an active process
 Children learn through guided
participation – interaction with others
 Intent community participation
- In every day life children regularly find
ways of engaging with activities with other
members of their community
- These activities offer informal learning
opportunities
- Rogoff, Paradise, Mejia
Arauz., Correa-Chavez, & Angelillo (2003)

16. The Importance of Culture
 Children have different access to symbolic
tools and material tools
 There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that
culture shapes our thinking and
development
- Verbal ability (Heath, 1998)
- Problem solving (Chen, Mo &
Honomichi, 2004)
- Maths ability (Carraher, Shiiemann &
Carraher, 1988)

17. Understanding Development
Rogoff, Baker Sennett, Lacasa, & Goldsmith (1995)
 Community plane of analysis: What
community does the child belong to?
 Interpersonal plane of analysis: How do
people work together to develop
understanding?
 Personal Plan of analysis: What has the
child learned in their interaction with others?

18. Educational Implications
 The KEEP program in Hawaii (Tharp &
Gallimore, 1988)
 The community of learners program in America
(Brown, 1997)
 Mercer‟s (2005, 2007) dialogic teaching model
and thinking together program in England
 The collaborative group work in the classroom
technique developed by (Cowie, 1994).

19. Summary
 Development is conceptualised as socially
mediated process which is shaped by the
cultural and historical contexts it takes place
in.
 Challenges the idea the development is
biologically driven.
 Development is not a universal process.
 Researchers should focus on interaction
and not individual children.

20. Piaget & Vygotsky in 90
seconds
 http://youtu.be/yY-SXM8f0gU

21. Recommended Reading
 Daniels, H., Cole, M & Wetsch, J. (2007) The
Cambridge companion to Vygotsky. Cambridge :
Cambridge University Press
 Mooney, C. (2000) Theories of childhood : An
introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget, and
Vygotsky. St. Paul, Minn.: Redleaf Press
 Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in Thinking: Cognitive
Development In A Social Context. New York: Oxford
University Press.
 Smith, P. K. & Cowie, H, & Blades, M..
(2003). Understanding Children's Development (4th
ed.). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. (chapter 15)